http://i1.fastpic.ru/big/2010/0108/85/88d2a2330a18ff97d92b707946c87d85.jpg
http://youtu.be/g425uuTkya4
16. The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)LA Woman (1971)292 points, fifteen votes, one no.1
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:21 (ten years ago) link
That'll do me for the evening, talk amongst yourselves.
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:22 (ten years ago) link
i grew up with "The End" and "When The Music's Over" as the big Doors epics, was surprised to hear something like "The Soft Parade" do something so different with that kind of running time
― my mans ray manzarek (some dude), Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:23 (ten years ago) link
Just why is The Wasp so popular? I even voted for it myself, though I don't think I know why.
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:29 (ten years ago) link
dunno, Ismael, but out here on the perimeter there are no stars.out here we is stoned, immaculate.
that help any?
(my #1)
― Swag Heathen (theStalePrince), Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:32 (ten years ago) link
Sort of. It's not the only time Jim aimed at epic imagery, but it seems to be the one that resonates. Unless you all dig the hokeyness.
― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:36 (ten years ago) link
it's prophetic bullshit of the first order! also, as a modernist I go for strange new languages....
― Swag Heathen (theStalePrince), Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:39 (ten years ago) link
yeah personally my ballot did not feel complete without some batshit screaming Jimbo on it
― my mans ray manzarek (some dude), Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:40 (ten years ago) link
densmore owes his entire career to good ol' ray and what'd i say in particular, i love his drumming tho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPP8w0wMRgQ
― cock chirea, Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:47 (ten years ago) link
i was watching the Classic Albums ep on the first album the other day, i like how Densmore came across in interviews and how he'd break down certain drum parts
― my mans ray manzarek (some dude), Sunday, 26 May 2013 22:51 (ten years ago) link
I never understood the Densmore hate.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Sunday, 26 May 2013 23:03 (ten years ago) link
Thanks to killing myself putting in garden beds I didn't get to send in my ballot, but Love Her Madly would have been my #1 or 2.
― Huston we got chicken lol (Phil D.), Sunday, 26 May 2013 23:06 (ten years ago) link
Am I the only one that thinks "The Soft Parade" invented disco with the "Peppermint miniskirts" bit? Just try not to dance to that, I dare ya.
― Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 26 May 2013 23:39 (ten years ago) link
Densmore is a great drummer because he incorporates tons of little jazz flourishes like rim knocks and cymbal mute-holds. A really distinctive style that you just don't hear on a whole lot of rock records.
― Mr. Snrub, Sunday, 26 May 2013 23:43 (ten years ago) link
yeah..."rock drumming" as we know it now was still kinda coming into being at that point, it's interesting to hear guys like him who didn't inform the template as much as, like, charlie watts or keith moon
― my mans ray manzarek (some dude), Sunday, 26 May 2013 23:48 (ten years ago) link
Seriously, I couldn't believe that bit was recorded in 1969 the first time I heard it.
― 誤訳侮辱, Monday, 27 May 2013 02:56 (ten years ago) link
for that matter I think Ray made it cool to be a keyboardist as far as rock'n'roll was concerned. neither the Stones nor the Beatles were using organ, for the most part, as a main instrument, way back when the doors first came out. but after the debut you got the appearance of vox organs and farfisas and the likexpost
― making plans for nyquil (outdoor_miner), Monday, 27 May 2013 03:10 (ten years ago) link
yeah...Manzarek is still pretty unique, i feel like to find someone with anything like his range of sounds (as opposed to contemporary acts who had the same organ sound on every song) you'd have to go forward a number of years to, like, Steve Nieve from Elvis Costello's band, who i'm sure had much more advanced equipment available to him
― my mans ray manzarek (some dude), Monday, 27 May 2013 03:13 (ten years ago) link
Garth Hudson?
― making plans for nyquil (outdoor_miner), Monday, 27 May 2013 03:14 (ten years ago) link
I meant not going forward quite as far but with a whole lotta sonic range
― making plans for nyquil (outdoor_miner), Monday, 27 May 2013 03:16 (ten years ago) link
yeah good call
― my mans ray manzarek (some dude), Monday, 27 May 2013 03:22 (ten years ago) link
rock organ predates doors ('96 tears' and a million other garage bands), it was an easily acquired instrument and portable also. manzarek did a couple of garage sides pre-doors (i learned this from all my freakbeat friends last week) and also played some gigs as a jazz musician, doors seems like the synthesis of both. interesting that summer of 67 you have 'white rabbit' which owes some debt to sketches of spain and 'light my fire' which owes some debt to coltrane's 'my favorite things'.
― balls, Monday, 27 May 2013 03:26 (ten years ago) link
plus very different from both '96 tears' and the doors but in the context of the mid-sixties and rock organ would be remiss not to mention:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOAowiF3y_8
― balls, Monday, 27 May 2013 03:28 (ten years ago) link
That "Hyacinth House" No. 1 is mine--side 2 of L.A. Wman is perfect, especially through headphones.
― still they yacht me like (Eazy), Monday, 27 May 2013 03:36 (ten years ago) link
i'm sure this will raise objections but are there any other bands w/ more than say four albums where the first and the last album are so generally held to be the best albums?
― balls, Monday, 27 May 2013 03:39 (ten years ago) link
I wish the Doors had covered "96 Tears" with a poetry break in the middle of the song.
― Only my cardiologist knows for sure. (WilliamC), Monday, 27 May 2013 03:43 (ten years ago) link
Don't forget "California Sun".
Though as a kid I was really sad to discover both it and "96 Tears" were not on the Doors Greatest Hits.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Monday, 27 May 2013 04:30 (ten years ago) link
Most of my high votes have already appeared. Yes The River Knows and Hyacinth House are their two most beautiful songs. Love Her Madly is one of my favourite Doors big pop moments (one their other big ones was my number one) So happy Love Street made it, as I said in the nominations thread I love how camp it is.
You're a Lost a Little Girl is another great one, I listened through their albums over the weekend and Strange Days was easily my favourite. My list included almost every song from that album.
― Kitchen Person, Monday, 27 May 2013 04:42 (ten years ago) link
I would have liked to vote in this. It came up at a bad time but
Morrison is ridiculous but it's interesting how nowadays people call him out for that, whereas say Robert Plant doesn't get the same flak for being more or less just as ridiculous in Zep days
I think Morrison was FAR more limited as a vocalist. Also, Plant never did spoken word or asked for you to take him seriously as a poet. I pretty much hear Zeppelin lyrics just as things that were there for him to hang his voice on. (Plenty of people hate his voice btw.)
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Monday, 27 May 2013 04:45 (ten years ago) link
well they're out there a'having fun in that warm california sun WELL ALRIGHT NOW
― balls, Monday, 27 May 2013 04:46 (ten years ago) link
Damn I meant to vote in this. Ever since I saw that ridiculous Oliver Stone movie I've always regarded Morrison's pretensions as just another pop shtik; as Christgau says, "Shaman, poet, lizard king - believe that guff, and you'll miss a great pop band." I feel less guilty about liking them than I do about liking the Eagles. And the Doors were certainly the more interesting group. Morrison and Manzarek sure were some El Lay Men, though. I used to think Densmore was kinda weak too, but as a marching band drummer with a modicum of jazz chops he wasn't "laid back." He just didn't hit hard. I'm listening to "Waiting for the Sun" on Spotify right now and there's some good stuff I missed - it's a pretty neat little psych record, isn't it? Thanks for the poll.
― robot-feels-sad-as-cocaine-wears-off (thewufs), Monday, 27 May 2013 04:52 (ten years ago) link
waiting for the sun, it's the departure point
― balls, Monday, 27 May 2013 04:54 (ten years ago) link
LOL
― robot-feels-sad-as-cocaine-wears-off (thewufs), Monday, 27 May 2013 04:55 (ten years ago) link
I think the fact that I haven't met anybody who took Morrison seriously since high school really helped to suppress the gag reflex with Morrison's bleargh "poetry". RIP to Manzarek, but he was as guilty as anyone else of building a cottage industry around Jimbo's ridiculous mystique.
― robot-feels-sad-as-cocaine-wears-off (thewufs), Monday, 27 May 2013 04:59 (ten years ago) link
I really think all the instrumentalists, including Densmore, were great and worked really well together.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Monday, 27 May 2013 05:03 (ten years ago) link
If Morrison hadn't died I think he would have had a far less angst fuelled 70s than Lennon. JM certainly comes across in '69/'70 interviews as far more personable and relaxed then JL in the 70s.
― go cray cray on my lobster soufflé (snoball), Monday, 27 May 2013 08:08 (ten years ago) link
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/4793/morrisonstage.jpg
http://youtu.be/tb0MF1UnD3o
15. Strange DaysStrange Days (1967)307 points, thirteen votes, two no.1s
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 27 May 2013 15:17 (ten years ago) link
My number one
― Hearing moyes confirmedare we hearing m (Nasty, Brutish & Short), Monday, 27 May 2013 15:26 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_d_VJbYAfc
14. Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)The Doors (1967)321 points, thirteen votes, two no.1s
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 27 May 2013 15:43 (ten years ago) link
http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/1835/collared.jpg
http://youtu.be/0bAFITGnjrg
13. Five To OneWaiting for the Sun (1968)334 points, fourteen votes, one no.1
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 27 May 2013 16:08 (ten years ago) link
One thing I like most about The Doors is how relentlessly bad vibes they are. Obviously this one's meant to be unsettling, but to my ears even their more celebratory stuff goes all askew. Only the Stones compete on this front, I think.
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 27 May 2013 16:13 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRwwUZLV-IE
12. The EndThe Doors (1967)336 points, thirteen votes, two no.1s
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 27 May 2013 16:49 (ten years ago) link
One of those #1s for The End was mine....
― Iago Galdston, Monday, 27 May 2013 16:52 (ten years ago) link
Nearly everything in the upper reaches got a no.1 vote, there's a notable lack of consensus at work.
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 27 May 2013 16:56 (ten years ago) link
Anyway we're into the top ten next (via a tie) but I'm getting something to eat first.
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 27 May 2013 16:57 (ten years ago) link
I was the #1 vote for "Five To One" -- was ALWAYS my favorite growing up, and almost got self-conscious about 'oh it's a predictable favorite for rap fans after the Jay-Z sample, maybe it should be my #2' but then i had to give it up. a little shocked it missed the top 10, honestly.
― my mans ray manzarek (some dude), Monday, 27 May 2013 16:58 (ten years ago) link
I love the story about 'Five To One', where Morrison recorded the vocals and then stumbled out of the booth and said "If I had an axe, I'd kill everyone, except, er, my friends".
― go cray cray on my lobster soufflé (snoball), Monday, 27 May 2013 17:01 (ten years ago) link
haha awesome
― my mans ray manzarek (some dude), Monday, 27 May 2013 17:03 (ten years ago) link
"NOONE HERE GETS OUT ALIVE, except, er, my friends"
I think there's a heavy unconscious shame factor that is sort of understandable. To even say you like the Doors these days is still pretty uncool. "Five to One" is one of those mockable songs for the haters I think
― Iago Galdston, Monday, 27 May 2013 17:04 (ten years ago) link