This song is off their fourth record which was released in 1969 entitled “The Soft Parade”, the album had a chart-topper in “Touch Me”, and indeed we all did. While it must be said that Jim Morrison was part lizard, which is something that I always found difficult, as I being a man naturally prejudiced against reptile life. Coming back to my senses, it must be said that Mr. Mojo Rising had a certain ability to craft slightly weird lyrics into the commercial Rock format of the time period, and he was a rather interesting Rock vocalist to boot…almost a crooner of sorts, a poor man’s Bing Crosby, if you will, and you will.

Musically, it is kind of Funky and Jazzy with swirling bottleneck slide guitar; goofy keyboard bits and neat little drum breaks. It is almost a precursor to Disco, as I see it. In short, it is quite easy to shake your bottom to this number, and real horror show at that, mates. At the end, Jim asks the listener this question: Do you remember when we were in Africa? This, I am afraid, I do not at all recall. He may have been referring to sassy 19th French poet Arthur Rimbaud, who eventually set up shop somewhere in Africa, running guns or some shit…

So, my diagnosis of this cut is that it is pretty fucking neat…although, Val Kilmer will always be my favorite Door.

In the studio:

On the Smothers Brothers television program: