This Rhino Reserve re-mastered vinyl is a great retrospective of The Doors.
The Doors – Greatest Hits – Electra Records (1980)/Warner Music Group [10/17/2025]: Rhino Reserve 180-gram stereo vinyl, 52:56 ****1/2:
(Jim Morrison – vocals; Robby Krieger – guitar; John Densmore – drums; Ray Manzarek – keyboards; Lonnie Mack – bass; Doug Lubhan – bass; Jerry Scheff – bass; Harvey Brooks – bass; John Sebastian – harmonica; Curtis Amy – saxophone; Marc Benno – rhythm guitar)
As the 1966/1967 Summer Of Love began to impact the musical scene, a counter-movement was inhabiting the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. At the core of this movement was a local band, The Doors. After establishing a legacy as the house band at The Whiskey A Go Go, they were signed to Electra Records. The group consisted of lead singer/lyricist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore . Fueled by incendiary live performances, their self-titled debut (co-written by all four members) featured the hit “Light My Fire” and the disturbing precursor to goth rock, “The End”. The range of musical influences built a tapestry of psychedelic blues, electronic, classical and jazz that was augmented by delay/echo effects, reverb, fuzz and dark poetic imagery. This created a gritty and at times menacing vibe. The Doors would release 6 studio albums between 1967-1971. Morrison’s untimely death in 1971 ended the ascendancy of the band, but their legacy remained intact.
Warner Music Group/Rhino Reserve has released a 180-gram re-mastered vinyl of The Doors – Greatest Hits. This album hit the charts in 1980 (perhaps fueled by the use of their music in the film Apocalypse Now) and became one of the best-selling compilations of all time. Side 1 opens with the psychedelic blues pop song, “Hello I Love You”. This is not quintessential Doors, but the hard-driving keyboards, distorted guitar and Morrison’s gruff baritone vocals (with a combination of yelling and chanting) at the end elevate this one. “Light My Fire” remains the most identifiable song of the band that put everything in motion. This is the “long” version that showcases Manzarek’s jazzy baroque-infused jam (with left-handed Rhodes piano bass and Vox Continental right hand) that he credits as homage to John Coltrane. The group reluctantly put out an edited single version that went to #1, but the extended 7-minute track permeated the FM radio markets.
“People Are Strange” represents the diversity of musical expression with a loping cabaret-infused melody (continuing in the mode of “Alabama Whiskey Song”), synchronized tempo and alienated social outsider lyrics.. The band cohesion is palpable on this cut, and Morrison’s vocals are controlled. Again mixing blues and classical motifs, “Love Me Two Times” has the raw unapologetic sexual attitude was part of the inimitable appeal of this L.A. juggernaut. A certain highlight is the 7:15 rendition of “Riders On The Storm”. This moody rumination of Jim Morrison poetry was musically inspired by “Ghost Riders In The Sky”. As Morrison ponders menacing imagery (“…There’s a killer on the road…”) and philosophical angst, (“…Into this world we’re thrown…”), Manzarek and Krieger weave a dream-like resonance with electric piano and tremolo guitar. There is also rain noise to enhance the atmospherics. This is the last song recorded by Morrison.
Side 2 kicks off with the gritty no-holds-barred “Break On Through”. This captures the chaotic energy integral to The Doors. Densmore’s quasi-Brazilian groove leads Krieger’s piercing blues lead and Morrison’s unconventional ramblings about love. Krieger’s blues gravitas erupts on “Roadhouse Blues”. The straight-forward context (“…I woke up this mornin’ and I got myself a beer…”) is timeless and the mid-song “nonsense” lyrics demonstrate how even traditional genres receive a “Sunset Strip” makeover. In breaking with typical greatest hits formats, “Not To Touch The Earth” (an excerpted section of a larger piece, “Celebration Of The Lizard”) is a spacey change of pace. After interludes of note-bending distorted organ/guitar riffs, Morrison delivers a fierce sermon to the rock masses. What seems like a radio-friendly opus, “Touch Me” has strings, brass (with a funky saxophone solo), Densmore’s propulsive drumming and Morrison’s performance of a rock and roll bar singer. The finale, “L.A. Woman” is a definitive ode to early 1970’s Los Angeles. This is the number with many unconventional tempo breaks, hidden meanings ( Mr. Mojo Rising is an anagram for Morrison), lifestyle references (“…Well I just got into town about an hour ago, take a look around see which way the wind blows…”). It may be the ultimate Doors song!
This Rhino Reserve vinyl is a must for any vinyl rock collection.
Highly recommended!
—Robbie Gerson
TrackList:
Side 1:
Hello, I Love You;
Light My Fire;
People Are Strange;
Love Me Two Times;
Riders On The Storm
Side 2:
Beak On Through; Roadhouse Blues;
Not To Touch The Earth;
Touch Me;
L.A. Woman
