In today’s live music scene, it is common for bands to cover songs by artists who were influences on their careers. How great is it to hear a favorite artist cover another of your favorite singers or bands? Today, there’s no shortage of tribute bands delivering the classic tunes of a favorite artist who may no longer touring. When you consider how many bands have celebrated 25, 30, 50 years or more with a handful of original members recreating the sound and feel of their glory days, I am perplexed there aren’t tribute bands and why more artists don’t choose to cover a tune from the discography of the Doors!

For a band that needs no introduction, let me introduce the band. The Doors began their career in Los Angeles in 1965 and released their debut album, The Doors on January 4, 1967. Over the next four years, they released five more studio albums and one live album before Jim Morrison’s untimely death in 1971. Those albums include Strange Days (Sept. 25, 1967), Waiting for the Sun (July 3, 1968), The Soft Parade, (July 21, 1969), Morrison Hotel (Feb. 9, 1970), Absolutely Live (July 20, 1970) and LA Woman (April 19, 1971). During this time, the albums sold very well commercially and the band drew large crowds wherever they played. The band was not without their controversies due to the flamboyant presence of lead singer, Jim Morrison. They gave us huge hits such as, “Light My Fire,” “Hello, I Love You,” “Touch Me,” “Love Her Madly,” “Riders on the Storm,” “Break On Through,” ”People Are Strange,” “Love Me Two Times,”  “Wishful, Sinful,” “Running Blue,” and “You Make Me Real.” My personal favorite is “The Soft Parade”, a tune with many shifts of style and tempo in what was,at that time, a loooonng song. They are great songs and could be adaptable to everything from bluegrass to rock and blues bands.

So why don’t we hear one of their songs covered by bands today? I do recall hearing a recording of Government Mule/Warren Haynes covering a Doors tune. A group of local musicians in Charleston performed the music of the Doors recently at the Pourhouse but outside of these, I don’t recall hearing a band cover any of the Doors songs in the nearly fifty years I have been going to concerts.

For those of us who were around during these times, Jim Morrison was a great showman and singer. His stage presence and command of the audience is a trait only possessed by the best in rock and roll. There has got to be a lot of fledgling singers who believe that they have what Jagger, Steven Tyler, Roger Daltry and Jim Morrison have. It would certainly get them noticed, especially if they surround themselves with good musicians to replicate this music with its raw energy. Several of their tunes could lend themselves to a long jam in the middle of, “Riders on the Storm,” or “People Are Strange.” Blues artists could have fun with, “Break On Through,” or, “Love Me Two Times.”  I can hear the banjo and mandolin replacing the guitar and organ on, “Running Blue,” and “Hello, I Love You.”

Why has such a popular, unique sound like that the Doors created not been replicated in concert and on a recording? Why aren’t there more singers channeling their inner Jim Morrison on the stage so they get noticed? If one was to create a viable stage presence, I believe that they will get noticed and Boomers would flock to revel in the music of Morrison and company.

Just because I haven’t heard and seen the Doors get their due, perhaps you have. I would hope that in reading this, you might share your experience about a band who covered the Doors. We would love to hear about it! Add your comments at the end of this blog and share your experiences with our readers.

#theDoors #JimMorrison #RayManzarek #RobbyKrieger #JohnDensmore #WarrenHaynes  #GovernmentMule #DoYouBelieveInMagic #Pourhouse