50 Years Of The Doors

Its difficult to put my almost unfathomable admiration for this song into words. To my mind, it is without a doubt one of, if not the blues masterpiece of the 20th century. Before Jim Morrison utters a single word of the title, the cumulative yet calm mood is set after a distant clap of thunder to pre-empt the pattering of rain that accompanies Ray Manzarek’s creeping chords and emulative, elemental high notes. Even though the original version that brings The Doors’ 1971 album L.A. Woman to a fitting conclusion, is over seven minutes long, every piece of the puzzle is so encapsulating that it’s length is hardly noticeable. In fact, the song’s length affords enough time for each masterful element of the composition to be fully experienced and appreciated. Robby Kreiger’s slick solo run of slides, bends, and hammer-ons that comes into play around the two-minute mark – preceded by an eclectic verse from referring to a ‘killer on the road’, inspired by the Billy Cook murders of 1950-51 – adeptly sets the tone for the remainder of the song. It signifies a distinct switch in priority from the lyrics, solely to the music, until Morrison’s haunting blues tones emerge once more. ‘Along with classics like ‘Break On Through’ and ‘Light My Fire’, ‘Riders On The Storm’ has affirmed its place among The Doors’ best know works. The culmination of a collection of consummately crafted components, a strong case could be made that it’s their best of all.

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