Sunday, July 30, 2017

Song Of The Week: 7/30/17







Song: "Waiting For The Sun"

Artist: The Doors

Album: "Morrison Hotel"

Year: 1970

Place Of Origin: Los Angeles, California

Years Active: 1965 - 1973



WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:

Back in 1968 when "Waiting For The Sun" was written, there was a strong sense of unity and peace and togetherness among many of the youths of America. The description of the sunrise at the shore and the communal feel of those who race to the sea to witness it gives you a strong sense of freedom intertwined with the beauty of nature. Like it's signifying a new day, literally and figuratively. Jim Morrison always thought that the youth could take over, just in a pure numbers standpoint. Listen to "Five To One" and you'll get what I'm saying. "Waiting For The Sun" seems like a theme for the youth and their unity in America at that time.

THE DOORS DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):

1967 - The Doors (Elektra Records)
1967 - Strange Days (Elektra Records)
1968 - Waiting For The Sun (Elektra Records)
1969 - The Soft Parade (Elektra Records)
1970 - Morrison Hotel (Elektra Records)
1970 - Absolutely Live (Elektra Records)
1971 - L.A. Woman (Elektra Records)
1971 - Other Voices (Elektra Records)
1972 - Full Circle (Elektra Records)
1978 - An American Prayer (Elektra Records)
1983 - Alive, She Cried (Elektra Records)
1987 - Live At The Hollywood Bowl (Elektra Records)

CURRENT STATUS OF THE DOORS:

The origins of The Doors begins when a young Jim Morrison sang the song "Moonlight Drive" that he had written to keyboardist Ray Manzarek in 1965. Soon enough, the band was rounded out by Robby Krieger on guitars and John Densmore on drums and the legend began. Honing their sound, The Doors became the house band at the famous Whiskey a Go Go in Los Angeles and eventually were signed by Elektra Records, a relationship that spanned the band's entire career. The band's self-titled debut album in 1967 has gone 4X platinum in the United States alone, spawning perhaps the band's biggest hit, "Light My Fire". In fact, every album The Doors released with Jim Morrison on vocals has gone on to achieve at least platinum status, making them one of the most successful rock and roll bands of all time. Jim Morrison's legend as a fiery and charismatic front man soared to an all new level after the New Haven, Connecticut incident in 1967. Morrison was making out with a girl backstage and both were maced by cops after they were told to leave and refused. The cops, non knowing Morrison was the lead singer of The Doors, faced a verbal lashing by Morrison when the band took the stage. Infuriated, the cops arrested Morrison during the band's performance! Over the next few years, Morrison and The Doors would endure their share of incidents with the local police in various cities. By the time the band's third album was released, Morrison's drug and alcohol problems were starting to affect the band. Though the addictions were making Morrison less reliable, it did not stop the band from churning out hit after hit, "Hello, I Love You", "Touch Me", "Roadhouse Blues", "Love Her Madly" and "Riders On The Storm", just to name a few. By 1970, the road was becoming too much for Morrison and the band decided that touring was probably a thing of the past. The group, with Morrison, performed their last live show on December 12, 1970 in New Orleans. The band was clearly firing on all cylinders in the studio however, as the 1971 release "L.A. Woman" can attest to. Shortly after the release of "L.A. Woman", Morrison retreated to Paris with his girlfriend for a much needed hiatus from the band. Tragedy struck on July 3, 1971 however, when his girlfriend found him unresponsive in the bathtub of their apartment. At the young age of 27, the hopes and dreams of a surging band and their captivating frontman were dashed with Morrison's death. The three remaining members of The Doors did release two more albums as The Doors but there was no way the could sustain being a band without someone as huge as Jim Morrison. In 1973, the remaining members of The Doors announced the band was over. Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore did get together to put backing music to Morrison's poetry in a 1978 album called "An American Prayer". They also got together to perform "Light My Fire", "Roadhouse Blues" and "Break On Through" with Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam during The Doors' 1993 induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The band also got together with various singers including Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and Creed's Scott Stapp for a recording of VH1's Storytellers in 2000. Manzarek died in 2013 leaving Krieger and Densmore as the only two surviving members of The Doors left. The Doors' legacy is unmistaken. They merged psychedelic rock with the blues to become one of the biggest bands of all time. In less than 10 years, the band released six albums that would go on to achieve platinum and multi-platinum status! Jim Morrison is bascially the poster child of what a rock and roll front man should be. Mysterious, sexual and dangerous, front men have been basically biting his style for years after his death and i'm sure will continue to in the years to come. The Doors are truly one of a kind and their music is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago!

TEN THE DOORS SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:

1. Roadhouse Blues
2. Love Me Two Times
3. Break On Through
4. Light My Fire
5. L.A. Woman
6. Five To One
7. The End
8. Waiting For The Sun
9. The Crystal Ship
10. Love Her Madly

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