Roadhouse Blues
"Roadhouse Blues" is a song by the American rock band the Doors from their 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was released as the B-side of "You Make Me Real", which peaked at No. 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] and No. 41 in Canada.[6] "Roadhouse Blues" charted in its own right on the Cash Box Top 100, peaking at No. 76.[7] The song became a concert staple for the group and it has been covered by numerous artists.
Hailed by sound engineer Bruce Botnick as "the all-time American bar band song,"[8] "Roadhouse Blues"–despite its relatively unsuccessful chart peak–received strong airplay on rock radio stations.[9] The song's title was considered for the name of the album, but it was eventually changed.[8] It was ranked the 153rd top classic-rock song by Q104,3,[10] and the eleventh best rock song of all time by Time Out.[11]
Recording[edit]
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 reissue.[12] Jim Morrison, who was apparently intoxicated during the sessions, flubbed several lyrics and kept repeating the phrase "Money beats soul every time".[13]
There was more progress on the second day when resident guitarist Lonnie Mack (then employed as an Elektra Records A&R representative) joined in to play bass; Ray Neapolitan, the regular bassist during the Morrison Hotel sessions, was stuck in traffic.[12][14] Although there has been speculation that Mack also contributed the guitar solo, he confirmed that he had played bass and nothing else.[15] While Mack had stopped working as a professional musician at the time, he decided to return to his career following the session.[16]
Guitarist Robby Krieger is responsible for all guitar parts on "Roadhouse Blues"; Morrison shouts "Do it, Robby, do it!" at the start of the guitar solo.[17] Ray Manzarek switched from a Wurlitzer electric piano to a tack piano.[12] Ex–Lovin' Spoonful frontman John Sebastian contributed harmonica (listed as "G. Puglese" for contractual reasons).[12]
Alice Cooper claimed that 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: "We were sitting there drinking and Jim comes in and he flops down ... I said that I had got up this morning and got myself a beer and while we're talking he just writes that down. So they go in and they're doing the song and the next thing I hear is 'Woke up this morning and I got myself a beer' and I went 'I just said that a second ago!'"[18]
Other versions[edit]
A live version appeared on the album An American Prayer, released several years after Morrison died,[19] and that version can be heard again on In Concert. In 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.[20] The song was also featured twice in the movie The Doors; the studio version in the film, and the aforementioned live one 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.[21] A studio rehearsal of the song
with Ray Manzarek on lead vocals was recorded on May 6, 1969.[22] This version was finally released on The Soft Parade: 50th Anniversary Edition in 2019.[23] "Roadhouse Blues" was also performed by the surviving members and Eddie Vedder at the Doors' Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1993.[24]
The Doors
Additional musicians