What Do You Think Of the MUSIC of The Doors?

Great band. You could argue other groups had more talented instrumentalists but there was something about what each player brought to the table:
Manzarek: blues keyboard with an occasionally classical bent
Krieger: a flamenco guitarist gone electric with a thoughtful, nimble touch who could also burn
Densmore: a freakin' jazz drummer in a rock'n'roll band, inspired playing that was always just right
and of course it's just not the Doors (although I don't hate the post-Jim albums) without that voice out front.

Everybody loves The End but I will die on the hill that When The Music's Over is the superior epic track, at least musically speaking.

 

Love them musically.

Copy-pasted from a comment I made about the Doors in another thread:

"Part of my attraction to the Doors is the 'demented carnival' sound/vibe they often had, as well as influences from other genres like jazz, Latin and R&B. Of course, having a Morrison-like front man is also part of it, and the fact that they were combining the influences I mentioned above with hard rock/blues rock stuff, delivered in a package that on one level was simply very catchy pop songwriting. And they had dark/macabre/creepy vibe to a lot of their music (well, and that's a big part of the demented side of 'demented carnival'), also with a frequent heavy doses of melancholy."

I wouldn't say they were the first progressive rock band--I consider psychedelic music in general to be an early form of progressive rock (whether we call it proto-prog or early prog doesn't really matter in my opinion), but they definitely are part of that.

 

It worked. We’re still here listening and yapping about it.

 

I noticed they differentiate between the two bands
by calling that YT channel “The Other Voices”.

 

It was The Doors music that attracted me.
When I heard Alive She Cried, I bought it.
Then I explored their other stuff.
It was later that the whole mythic thing came to my awareness... as a teen I thought that was all very cool, but these days much less so. Still love the music though

 

When the band clicked they created some great music. When the Music’s Over and The End must have blown minds in the late 60’s. The Doors evoke a time and place. My only problem with them is that some of their lesser songs sound more dated than timeless.

I think that if Morrison could have kept his act together that The Doors could have transitioned nicely deep into the 70’s. It just wasn’t meant to be.

 

My thoughts: A+ Music, A+ Musicians, B+ Singer, C- Lyricist

 

I think thats what makes The Doors appealing is they utilized so many styles *and* fit those styles into their hit songs. They had both a strong blues base and yet also were psych. Unlike so many other west coast psych bands at the time, they had a coolness about them. Which of course had to do with Jim for the most part. Musically they were also very jazz influenced. Then Robby was flamenco influenced also. Which was unique also as far as being able to pull that off in a popular catchy way.

But it is those hit songs that have stood the test of time which really define why they remain so popular. Of all the rather psych or psych influenced bands, The Doors kind of are at the top of the heap as far as hits. Just some good writing with a lead singer who placed his charisma in every groove.

Jim was the James Dean of 60's rock n roll. I once heard it stated that Jim sang like John Wayne talked. Somehow that fits and strikes a chord with the masses. What other group both had songs such as "Love Me Two Times" and "The End" which were two different ends of the musical landscape, yet both songs just as popular? Then you have a cowboy song with the swirling darkness and just as catchy ghost riders-like riff of "Riders On The Storm" as your epilogue? Come on man, its like the story was fate or something. The group reads like the most tragically wonderful story of rock n roll both in character and in song.

But without those great songs, those riffy hits, none of the leather clad, hunched over an organ, black eyed swagger would matter.

They also were just plain weird. What other popular group sang oedipus lyrics such as "Father I want to kill you/Mother I want to f*** you." Doubling voices, whispered subliminals, having them march on wooden stage for "Twentieth Century Fox". All these experiements but making it somehow sound live in the studio.

And the later I think is very important. The Doors combined the slick, with the experimental yet had an immediate energy to the songs. They stayed away from the instrumental trends of the day. Who else popular was using an organ and no bass? Who wasnt using a wah wah peddle. Almost everyone in rock n roll at time loved the things. So it made them unique to the future musically.

Then you throw Jim in there always testing the boundries and pushing everything to the edge which caused a fire underneath the hits, group and albums.

Quite an amazing feat musically, emotionally and to have sticking power through the decades.

 

Top 5 band for me. Love everything they did. I even like the two without Jim.
My only complaint is Jim died and that sucks.
I watched this Robby gig on youtube it looks to be on Halloween and its awesome. I saw a couple shows latter on. Im to young to have seen the Morrison band and I'm envious of those that did.
Musically they are all top notch in my book. Was there a band with more spook in 67? They must have blown minds in real time for the people old enough to know.

 

When I'm in a room full of musically educated people, I like ask the trivia question, "What is this?"
ii vii
Yes, it is a supertonic followed by a minor subtonic, but what is the only famous tune in the history of music that features that chord change?

 

Johnny Ramones favourite American Band.

First album is brilliant. Hard to imagine how stunning it would have been on release. The End is one of the greatest long songs ever.

 

great catalogue, enjoyed for 45 years now

one year was stuck in a Christmas shopping lineup, put on the Doors random setting and used up all the albums waiting to pay and get out of the store

 

Monkey Grinder organ & bad poetry.

Just kidding, they had some good material but nothing I can listen to for extending periods.

 

I'll die on that hill with yah!

WTMO is definitely the superior track!

 

i think you stumped us...

 

All the above quibbles and criticisms are valid enough. But when The Doors were going, the magic happened. Their unique arrangements, their approach to dynamics and texture, and Jim's puerile poetry all came together to create something very special.

 

Me personally?
I don't get it.
Another band elevated way above their true status due to a tragic death.
Dying young is very good for your career.

 

Dead Rats Dead Cats, Break On Through To The Other Side.

The Doors is an amazing band, though, while their studio albums are cool, take a listen to Set the night on fire, The Doors live is awesome. Its albums like L.A. Woman and Morrison Hotel that just warrant so much love and attention.

 

I used to listen to The Doors when I was 16 I outgrew it, haven't really found a reason to go back.

 

Zero Point Zero

 

"Doubling voices, whispered subliminals"

Do explain. Never heard about this suggestion?

 

L.A. Woman was a great way to go out with for Jim.

I like their hits.

 

Love The Doors' music. For me it creates a mood no other band quite matches.

 

I've always been a fan and it is way too late in life to change that (and I wouldn't want to anyways). The Doors, Strange Days, Waiting For The Sun, The Soft Parade, Morrison Hotel, L.A. Woman each and everyone a a favorite and a gem to me.

 

Great band, probably the most original American rock band even if you prefer, say, the Byrds, the Grateful Dead or Creedence Clearwater Revival.

They did vary the music so much that the limitations of their lineup were never an issue. And luckily they were very well recorded. I have yet to buy a bad sounding Doors release.