| "Roadhouse Blues" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
) | ||||
| Single by the Doors | ||||
| from the album Morrison Hotel | ||||
| A-side | "You Make Me Real" | |||
| Released | February 1970 | |||
| Recorded | November 4–5, 1969 | |||
| Studio | Elektra Sound Recorders, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | Blues rock[1] | |||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Composer(s) | The Doors | |||
| Lyricist(s) | Jim Morrison | |||
| Producer(s) | Paul A. Rothchild | |||
| The Doors singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
"Roadhouse Blues" is a song by the American rock band the Doors, which appears on the 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was released as the B-side of "You Make Me Real", which peaked at number 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.[2] The song became a concert staple for the group and it has been covered by numerous artists.
Recording
The song was recorded over two days, from November 4 to 5, 1969. Producer Paul A. Rothchild insisted on several takes, some of which were included on the 2006 remastered album. Morrison, who was apparently intoxicated,[3] flubbed several lyrics and keep repeating the phrase "Money beats soul every time".[4]
There was more progress on the second day, when resident Elektra Records guitarist Lonnie Mack joined in to play bass[3] (Ray Neapolitan, the regular bass player during Morrison Hotel sessions, had been stuck in traffic).[5] Although there has been speculation that Mack also contributed the guitar solo, he confirmed that he had played bass and nothing else.[6] Mack had quit touring and was working for Elektra at the time, but returned to music after playing bass at the session.[7]
Guitarist Robby Krieger is responsible for all guitar parts on "Roadhouse Blues"; Morrison shouts "Do it, Robby, do it!" (especially audible on the official audio proof of DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD where the single vocal track can be separated from other instruments) at the start of the guitar solo. Ray Manzarek switched from a Wurlitzer electric piano to a tack piano (the same type as used on the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations").[3] Ex-Lovin' Spoonful frontman John Sebastian contributed harmonica (listed as "G. Puglese" for contractual reasons).[3]
Alice Cooper claimed he was the inspiration for the line "Woke up this morning and I got myself a beer", as stated on his Planet Rock morning show.[8]
Other versions
A live version appeared on the posthumous album An American Prayer and that same version can be heard again on In Concert and Greatest Hits. On this version, Morrison talks for a short while to a female audience member about his Zodiac sign and, with a sudden, ironic twist that causes the audience to erupt in laughter, denounces his belief in it. The song was also featured twice in the movie The Doors; the studio version in the film, and the aforementioned live version over the end credits.
A studio version of the song with John Lee Hooker sharing vocals with Morrison can be found on the 2000 tribute album Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors.[9] A studio rehearsal of the song with Ray Manzarek on lead vocals was recorded on May 6, 1969.[10] This version was finally released on The Soft Parade: 50th Anniversary Edition in 2019.[11]
Personnel
The Doors
- Jim Morrison – vocals
- Robby Krieger – guitar
- Ray Manzarek – tack piano
- John Densmore – drums
Additional musicians
- Lonnie Mack – bass
- John Sebastian – harmonica
Status Quo version
| "Roadhouse Blues" | |
|---|---|
.jpg')) | |
| Promotional single by Status Quo | |
| from the album Piledriver | |
| Released | 1972 |
| Genre | Hard rock |
| Length | 7:26 |
| Label | Vertigo |
| Composer(s) | The Doors |
| Lyricist(s) | Jim Morrison |
Status Quo, while touring in Bielefeld, Germany, in 1970,[12] heard the Doors' recording shortly after it was released. They were looking for a change of direction, away from their original psychedelic pop style, and were unsure about what to do; after hearing the song in a club, they enjoyed its 12-bar shuffle and thought it would be a good template for future original material.[13] The group recorded a studio version on the 1972 album Piledriver, with bassist Alan Lancaster taking the lead vocal and featuring an extra verse with three-part harmonies, which the Doors' recording did not have.[12] The lyrics differed from the original; for instance, "I should have made you" instead of "Ashen lady".[14] The track was released as a promotional single, with Black Sabbath's "Children of the Grave" on the B-side.[12]
The song was a regular feature of Quo's live setlist throughout the 1970s, its performance coming towards the end of the show. It was extended to allow a jam session in the middle, featuring snippets of other songs, including the traditional "The Irish Washerwoman" and "Shakin' All Over".[15][16] A 14-minute version appears as the final track on 1977's Live.[17] In 1992, the live album Live Alive Quo featured Roadhouse Medley, which blended other songs into the main Roadhouse Blues riff.[18]
"Roadhouse Blues" was revived for the "Frantic Four" tours in 2013.[19] In 2014, a deluxe reissue of Piledriver included a 15-minute live version, recorded in 1973.[20]
Personnel
- Alan Lancaster – lead vocals, bass
- Francis Rossi – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Rick Parfitt – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- John Coghlan – drums
Additional musicians
- Bob Young – harmonica
- Jimmy Horowitz – piano
Other renditions
- U.S. hard-rock band Blue Öyster Cult released a live version, recorded December 15, 1981, at the Country Club in Reseda, California, on Extraterrestrial Live, featuring Robby Krieger joining the band on guitar.
- The Jeff Healey band performs a cover of the song in the movie Road House.
- The song was played by the surviving Doors and Eddie Vedder at The Doors' Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1993.[21]
References
Citations
- ^ Luhrssen, David; Larson, Michael (2017). Encyclopedia of Classic Rock. ABC-CLIO. p. 97. ISBN 9781440835148.
- ^ "The Doors Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. 2019. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Botnick, Bruce; Fricke, David (2006). Morrison Hotel (Remastered) (Album notes). The Doors. pp. 1, 3, 7.
- ^ Marcus 2012, p. 100.
- ^ Densmore 1990, p. 235.
- ^ "CRL Chapter 05". YouTube. November 1, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
- ^ Cianci, Bob (February 11, 2010). "Robbie Krieger - The Doors' Distinctive Fret Master". Premiere Guitar.
- ^ "Jim Morrison quoted Alice Cooper in 'Roadhouse Blues'". Uncut. July 10, 2008. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
- ^ "Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
- ^ The Soft Parade (50th Anniversary edition liner notes). The Doors. Rhino Records. 2019.
- ^ "The Soft Parade – 50th anniversary [Deluxe edition]". thedoors.com. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
- ^ a b c Stroud 2017, p. 78.
- ^ Rossi, Parfitt & Wall 2005, p. 88.
- ^ "Roadhouse Blues". Status Quo (official website). Retrieved January 5, 2017.
- ^ Stroud 2017, p. 113.
- ^ Scott D. Harrison; Graham F. Welch; Adam Adler, eds. (2012). Perspectives on Males and Singing. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 291. ISBN 978-9-400-72660-4.
- ^ "Live! - Status Quo". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
- ^ "Live Alive Quo". AllMusic. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
- ^ "Music review: Status Quo: The Frantic Four Ride Again, Manchester Apollo". The Independent. March 7, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
- ^ "Piledriver [Deluxe Edition]". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
- ^ "The Doors with Eddie Vedder Perform 'Roadhouse Blues'". Retrieved January 19, 2020.
Sources
- Densmore, John (1990). Riders on the Storm: My Life with Jim Morrison and the Doors. Delacorte Press. ISBN 978-0-385-30033-9.
- Marcus, Greil (2012). The Doors. Faber & Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-27996-8.
- Rossi, Francis; Parfitt, Rick; Wall, Mick (2005). XS All Areas: The Status Quo Autobiography. Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-330-41962-8.
- Stroud, Graeme (2017). Status Quo: Song by Song. Fonthill Media.