Second side of Doors debut album full of filler?

Firstly, I'm a fan of The Doors albums. So in no way is this a hate thread. I am genuinely baffled though, as to why their first album is often hailed as their best, when the second side is so weak compared to the first. 'I Looked At You', 'End of the Night' and 'Take It as It Comes' strike me as being afterthoughts to fill out the album. In fact 'Take It as It Comes' sounds like a 1964 merseybeat copycat song, and really dated at that. The first side of the album is great though! But am I alone in thinking the second side is a massive disappointment?

 

It's been a while since I listened to it but I don't remember any filler on this album. I like the songs you mention. Maybe that's just not your cup of tea.
"L.A. Woman", the album, gets a lot of praise too and I don't enjoy it as most people do. So, it's all too subjective in the end...

 

IMO the second side is better than the first.

 

THIS

"Take It as It Comes" - mono version

 

The only song I don't love is "I Looked At You"

 

Disagree. The low points of the LP are on side 1, in my opinion: 20th century fox and Alabama song

 

I like the debut Doors album as a whole — an absolutely stunning debut that sounded like nothing before it.

I never thought to single out the songs on Side 2 as weak. They're all of a piece to me, and I like them just fine.

This is my feeling about The Soft Parade. A few good songs, but mostly dreadful muck.

 

I remember Rotschild said that "I Looked At You" and "Take It As It Comes" were the oldest Doors originals on the album. Good songs but "I Looked At You" does have a youthful naive quality not in the other songs.

 

You are alone. Very, very alone.

 

I don't agree. "I Looked At You" is a little filler-ish, but still a good song. The others are top notch.

 

Joey Ramone (R.I.P) would surely disagree. He demonstrated that "Take It As It Comes"
was an enduring garage classic by enshrining it on The Ramones' 1992 Mondo Bizarro album:

 

I must say I'm somewhat surprised that people think the three songs I mentioned are up there with the likes of 'Break On Through', 'Light My Fire' and 'Crystal Ship' on side A. But each to their own. I think the only person who's likely to agree with me is Dave Marsh from Rolling Stone.

 

The only song on the album I don't love is The Alabama Song.
End of the Night is great, to my ears

 

"End Of The Night" was a perfect 3 a.m. song for Laurel Canyon 1966.

 

There is no filler on that album.

 

I think they work well in the context of the album.

 

I always thought that "Alabama Song" it added a patina of Euro-decadence to The Doors' sound that was unique among U.S. rock
combos at the time. I wouldn't discover The Velvet Underground until almost a year later (lol).

 

Plus AS now has the unfortunate, creepy “show me the way to the next little girl” line which dates it considerably.

 

I love the entire record myself. Personally, I love all of the first six Doors albums all the way through. I was slow warming up to some of Soft Parade but I enjoy all of that one as well..
They are one of my favorite bands and Morrison is my favorite rock vocalist.

 

Kim Fowley (R.I.P.) rated Jimbo third among all white American rock singers/frontmen:
1) Elvis Presley
2) James Marcus Smith (P.J. Proby)
3.) Jim Morrison

Proby is still alive and performing in the U.K.

 

I disagree with the OP.

There should be a poll , with 'Rate every Song on the Doors Debut'.

 

Thing is, there's no reason to have songs (or artists, albums, etc.) compete with each other. Not every song in the world has to be a home run (which we can agree, those you listed are). Some can just be very good and enjoyable, with no need for them to rise the most exalted levels.

Speaking for myself, that is someone I would not be proud to be in the company of.

 

I don’t like “Back Door Man”. The rest of the album is brilliant. I love “Take It As It Comes”!

 

First eliminated: "Alabama Song" (lol)
But it just wouldn't have been the same album without it...

 

One man's filler is another man's classic.