Three for the Road: The Doors

When I was in college, I was heavily into the Doors. around the same time, the Oliver Stone movie came out, and Val Kilmer put on a performance truly becoming the lizard king.  I own every record they put out.  I have read countless biographies on them.  Yet, I rarely listen to them now days.  Picking three songs is not an easy task, but it should be a fun one.

1.  "The Soft Parade."  On their fourth album, Morrison is deep into his poetry and alcoholism, and Robbie Kreiger has to step forth and really give a presence to the album. This one is all Jim.  From the sermon at the beginning to the poppy middle and odd lyrics, to the heavy blues based ending.  It is a bizarre masterpiece.  The band did not perform this song live often, but did record it for a PBS special.   Organist Ray Manzarek later called the performance "A mother... all four Doors in perfect sympatico".  It also features a rare bearded Morrison.  "The Monk...bought...lunch!"

2.  "Hello, I Love You."
Surprisingly, my last two come from Waiting for the Sun, my least favorite album from the Doors.  The songs are fine, it just doesn't flow conceptually as well as Morrison Hotel, or the self titled Doors.  This to me, is their best radio friendly single.  A cool groove, a spacy, slow motion bridge, and Morrison screaming "HELLO!" to end the song.  the video, shot on a Paris street, was one that caught my attention to the coolness that is Jim Morrison.

3.  "Love Street."  A contrast to "The Soft Parade" and the radio-friendly, "Hello, I Love You," is this nice little ode to  his wife, Pam, and a simple moment of happiness he found while sitting on the front porch of his Laurel Canyon home.  A simple little poem that features a little spoken-word.  Pleasant, and what I feel, was the closest to a love song Morrison has gotten.