opera races
Senior Member
Doors
L.A. Woman
1971 Elektra Records
Jim Morrison - Vocals
Robbie Krieger - Guitar
Ray Manzarek - Piano/Organ
John Densmore - Drums
Jerry Scheff - Bass
Marc Benno - Rhythm Guitar
Side One
The Changeling
Love Her Madly
Been Down So Long
Cars Hiss By My Window
L.A. Woman
Side Two
L'America
Hyacinth House
Crawling King Snake
The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)
Riders On The Storm
For lack of a better way of putting it I've always had a strong emotional attachment with the Doors album L.A. Woman. Over the years I tended to think more in terms of what the songs remind me of and what I was doing while listening to them than in terms of the songs themselves; not that these aren't great songs and music, which I was very cognizant of 30 some years ago.
I can tell I bought the vinyl record used and a long time ago lol I'd say maybe sometime between 1980-1982 and I think it was one of the first Doors albums I chose to acquire. I remember around 1980 when the book No One Here Gets Out Alive (a Jim Morrison biography, which I read) was published there was something of a Doors revival which lasted for a few years and I guess one could say I got caught up in it. I liked L.A. Woman well enough that I also bought it on cassette and later on was among the first CD's I bought.
I remember The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat) got me because I was living in Texas and listened to the radio a lot too when I used to listen to the album the most.
The title track L.A. Woman, containing the anagram Mr. Mojo Risin' was and still is my favorite track from the album. I think it's one of those songs that's simply a great song and captures Jim Morrison's vision of Los Angeles beautifully. I love the mood of the song. In fact I would describe the entire album as very moody but in a very, very, good way.
An outside bass player and rhythm guitar player were brought in to record on the L.A. Woman album. If I remember correctly, not having a proper/conventional bass player in the band was a Doors trademark though I think Ray Manzarek would fill in the lower registers of songs via his keyboards. I don't think the additional musicians take away from the Doors sound and sprit in the least and help round out the songs. Also, full disclosure, I've always been very partial to bass so I'm happy to hear bass in Doors songs and it works for me!
For me L.A. Woman was a perfect album for driving around in my car late at night. Ah but nothing untoward though ...
I also remember the time I drove from Albuquerque to Los Angeles in December 1987, my first and all too brief time in Los Angeles, I very appropriately, I felt, popped my cassette of L.A. Woman into my car stereo receiver as I approached the city. Unfortunately that did not turn out as romantic as it sounds because 1) I was driving on the Los Angeles freeways(!), people, and after sundown; and 2) I got quite lost (unusual for me) before I finally arrived at my destination!
Riders On The Storm was a big hit single and there's a reason for that: It's simply a great song, a classic I dare say and again another wonderfully moody song with some great jamming on the long album version. If you got burned out on it due to being overplayed on FM and classic rock radio, give it another listen now.
Since I'm a bit older and have learned a lot more about rock music, especially over the past 10 years or so, I listen to L.A. Woman now and the music and songs not only completely blow me away, but also get to me deep down, I mean even more so now than before! I appreciate and connect with the music a lot better. The guys in the Doors are awesome musicians and I can hear and feel that.
Anyway, I still consider the Doors L.A. Woman a must-have in any classic rock album collection.
