The Doors (album): Difference between revisions

{{Use mdyAmerican datesEnglish|date=DecemberApril 20202024}}

| studio = [[Sunset Sound Recorders|Sunset Sound]], ([[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]])

'''''The Doors''''' is the debut studio album by the American [[Rock music|rock]] band [[the Doors]], released on January 4, 1967, by [[Elektra Records]]. It was recorded in August 1966 at [[Sunset Sound Recorders]], in Hollywood, California, under the production of [[Paul A. Rothchild]]. The album features the extended version of the band's breakthrough single "[[Light My Fire]]" and the lengthy closer "[[The End (The Doors song)|The End]]" with its [[Oedipus complex|Oedipal]] spoken word section.<ref name=thedoors.com /> Various publications, including ''[[BBC]]'' and ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', have rankedlisted ''The Doors'' as one of the greatest debut albums of all time.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Doors: ''The Doors'' |date=September 26, 2009 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mwr5r |work=[[BBC Four]] |access-date=May 13, 2021}}</ref><ref name="albumfacts">{{cite magazine |first=Jordan |last=Runtagh |date=January 4, 2017 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/doors-debut-album-10-things-you-didnt-know-115997/ |title=The Doors' Debut Album: Things You Didn't Know |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=April 26, 2021}}</ref>

The Doors worked on the material of their debut album throughout 1966 at various locations and stages, such as the [[Whisky a Go Go]]. The album's recording started after their dismissal from the venue, underhaving thejust maintenancesigned ofwith Elektra Records. The recording of ''The Doors'' established the band's wide range of musical influences, such as [[jazz]], [[classical music|classical]], [[blues]], [[pop music|pop]], [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] and [[rock music]].<ref name="Gallucci" /> It has been largely viewed as an essential part of the [[psychedelic rock]] evolution, while also being acknowledged as a source of inspiration to numerous other works.

''The Doors'' and "Light My Fire" have been inducted into the [[Grammy Hall of Fame]]. In 2015, the [[Library of Congress]] selected ''The Doors'' for inclusion in the [[National Recording Registry]] for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2015/15-041.html |title=New Entries to National Recording Registry |publisher=[[Library of Congress]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081256/http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/Current/Radiohead.htm |date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=April 30, 2021 |archive-date=March 4, 2016}}</ref> ''The Doors'' has sold over 13 million copies worldwide as of 2015,{{sfn|Moskowitz|2015|p=222}} making it the band's best-selling album.{{sfn|Goldsmith|2019|p=92}} In 2003 and 2012, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' ranked it number 42 on its list of the "[[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]", repositionedrepositioning it to number 86 in the 2020 edition.

The Doors' final lineup was formed in mid-1965 after keyboardist [[Ray Manzarek]]'s two brothers Rick and Jim 'Manczarek' left [[Rick & the Ravens]], whose members included besides Manzarek, jazz-influenced drummer [[John Densmore]] and then-novice vocalist [[Jim Morrison]]. The group's four man membership was integratedestablished when guitarist [[Robby Krieger]] agreed to join.{{sfn|Fong-Torres|The Doors|2006|p=37}} Though he had previous experience playing [[folk music|folk]] and [[flamenco guitar|flamenco]], Krieger had only been playing the electric guitar for a few months when he was invited to become a member of the band, soon renamed the Doors.<ref>{{cite web

The Doors continued performing at the Whisky a Go Go until on August 21, when they were fired due to their performance of "[[The End (The Doors song)|The End]]" on which Jim Morrison addedimprovised an improviseduncensored retelling section of the [[Greek mythology|mythical Greek king]], [[Oedipus]].{{sfn|Cherry|2013|p=13}} Morrison had missed the first of two sets that night, as he had stayed at the Tropicana Hotel, tripping on [[LSD]].<ref name="Taysom">{{cite magazine

''The Doors'' was recorded by producer Paul A. Rothchild and audio engineer [[Bruce Botnick]] at [[Sunset Sound Studios]] in Hollywood, California, over about a week{{sfn|Weiss|2021|p=5}}{{sfn|Densmore|1990|p=90}} in late August 1966.<ref>{{cite web |first=Michael |last=Gallucci |date=January 4, 1966 |title=Revisiting the Doors' Historic Debut Album |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/the-doors-the-doors-debut-album/ |work=[[Ultimate Classic Rock]] |access-date=May 1, 2023}}</ref> "Indian Summer"{{refn|group=nb|"Indian Summer" was the first recording session, occurred on August 19, 1966.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Goldmine Staff |date=December 8, 2020 |title=Checking back in to the ''Morrison Hotel'' |url=https://www.goldminemag.com/.amp/interviews/checking-back-in-to-the-morrison-hotel |magazine=[[Goldmine Magazine]] |access-date=August 3, 2022}}</ref>}} and "[[Moonlight Drive]]" were the first rehearsal outtakes of the album,<ref name=albumfacts/> while the first actual songs recorded that appeared being "I Looked at You" and "Take It as It Comes".<ref>{{cite web |date=March 15, 1967 |title=Paul Rothchild Speaks About Recording ''The Doors'' |url=https://thedoors.com/interviews/paul-rothchild-speaks-about-recording-the-doors |location=Englewood, New Jersey |website=Thedoors.com |access-date=August 7, 2022}}</ref> A [[Multitrack recording|four-track]] tape machine was used at the cost of approximately $10,000.{{sfn|Weidman|2011|p=148}} Three of the tracks were utilized as: bass and drums on one, guitar and organ on another, and Morrison's vocals on the third. The fourth track was used for overdubbing (mainly Morrison's harmony vocals and bass guitar).<ref name="Jackson" />{{sfn|Fong-Torres|The Doors|2006|p=68}}<ref name="Kubernik" />

According to Botnick, "What you hear on the first album is what they did live. It wasn't just playing the song–it transcended that."{{sfn|Weidman|2011|p=149}} However, session musician [[Larry Knechtel]] and Krieger overdubbed bass guitar on several tracks in order to give some "punch" to the sound of Manzarek's [[keyboard bass]].{{sfn|Fong-Torres|The Doors|2006|p=71}}{{sfn|Davis|2004|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=fLzRXcFh4aQC&pg=PA139 139]}}<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |first=Steve |last=Sullivan |title=Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings |year=2013 |volume=2 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |pages=484–5 |isbn=978-0-8108-8296-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QWBPAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA485 |access-date=December 20, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221063005/https://books.google.com/books?id=QWBPAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA485 |archive-date=December 21, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Hartman |first=Kent |title=The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret |publisher=Macmillan |year=2012 |page=2 |isbn=978-0-312-61974-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ne73TRP1FQC&pg=PA2 |access-date=December 20, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221081707/https://books.google.com/books?id=-ne73TRP1FQC&pg=PA2 |archive-date=December 21, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="interview" />{{refn|group=nb|Despite their contributions, both Robby Krieger and [[Larry Knechtel]] were not credited in the album's liner notes as bass players.<ref name="Liner" />}} Morrison explained in 1969, "We started almost immediately, and some of the songs took only a few takes. We'd do several takes just to make sure we couldn't do a better one."<ref>{{cite web |title=January 1967: The Doors Debut with ''The Doors'' |date=January 3, 2022 |url=https://www.rhino.com/article/january-1967-the-doors-debut-with-the-doors |website=[[Rhino Records|Rhino.com]] |access-date=April 23, 2023}}</ref> For "The End" and "Light My Fire", two takes were edited together to achieve the final recording.{{sfn|Fong-Torres|The Doors|2006|p=71}}<ref name="Kubernik">{{cite web |first=Harvey |last=Kubernik |title=Ray Manzarek on The Doors' 6 Studio Albums: The 'Lost' Interviews |url=https://bestclassicbands.com/ray-manzarek-interview-doors-12-18-19/ |website=Best Classic Bands |access-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> The album was mixed and completed in October 1966.<ref name=Holzman /> Although "Indian Summer" was recorded during the sessions and thought was given to including it as the final track, it was eventually replaced with "The End".<ref name=albumfacts />{{sfn|Weidman|2011|p=201}}

{{blockquote|Sometimes the pain is too much to examine, or even tolerate&nbsp;... That doesn't make it evil, though{{snd}}or necessarily dangerous. But people fear death even more than pain. It's strange that they fear death. Life hurts a lot more than death. At the point of death, the pain is over. Yeah{{snd}}I guess it is a friend.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Lizze|last=James|year=1981|url=http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:tfPkOj2_VdkJ:archives.waiting-forthe-sun.net/Pages/Interviews/JimInterviews/TenYearsGone.html+%22Sometimes+the+pain+is+too+much+to+examine,+or+even+tolerate%22%22That+doesn't+make+it+evil,+though+-+or+necessarily+dangerous.+But+people+fear+death+even+more+than+pain.+It's+strange+that+they+fear+death.+Life+hurts+a+lot+more+than+death.+At+the+point+of+death,+the+pain+is+over.+Yeah+-+I+guess+it+is+a+friend%22&hl=en |title=Jim Morrison: Ten Years Gone |magazine=Creem Magazine |location=Detroit|access-date=November 8, 2012}}</ref>}}

"Break On Through (To the Other Side)" was released as the group's first single but it was relatively unsuccessful, peaking at No. 104 in ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cash Box]]'' and No. 126 in ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''. Elektra Records edited the line "she gets high", knowing a drug reference would discourage airplay (many releases have the original portions of both "Break On Through" and "The End" edited).{{sfn|Weidman|2011|p=141}} The song is in [[Time signature|4/4 time]] and quite fast-paced, starting with Densmore's [[bossa nova]] drum groove in which a [[Clave (rhythm)|clave]] pattern is played as a rim click underneath a driving ride cymbal pattern. Densmore appreciated the new bossa nova craze coming from Brazil, so he decided to use it in the song.<ref name=story>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfQAaK1pFM4 |title=The Story of "Break on Through" by the Doors |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919192526/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfQAaK1pFM4 |via=[[YouTube]] |archive-date=September 19, 2016 |access-date=March 11, 2021}}</ref> Robby Krieger has stated that he took the idea for the guitar riff from [[Paul Butterfield]]'s version of the song "[[Shake Your Moneymaker (song)|Shake Your Moneymaker]]" (originally by [[blues]] guitarist [[Elmore James]]).<ref name=story /> Later, a disjointed quirky organ solo is played quite similar to the introduction of [[Ray Charles]]' "[[What'd I Say]]".<ref>[http://www.jambands.com/reviews/dvds/2008/06/20/classic-albums-the-doors Classic Albums ''The Doors''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112080411/http://www.jambands.com/reviews/dvds/2008/06/20/classic-albums-the-doors |date=January 12, 2017}}</ref>

Additionally, Morrison wrote "Take It as It Comes", which is thought to be a "tribute to [[Maharishi Mahesh Yogi]]".{{sfn|Weidman|2011|p=150}} It came from one of his observations on Yogi's meditation classes, which Morrison wasn't initially studying contrary to the other group members, but was later convinced by them to attend.{{sfn|Densmore|1990|p=102}} Manzarek's organ solo on the song was inspired by [[Johann Sebastian Bach]].{{sfn|Manzarek|1998|p=78}} The lyrics to "Twentieth Century Fox" refer to either Manzarek's wife Dorothy Fujikawa,{{sfn|Manzarek|1998|p=5}} or Morrison's girlfriend [[Pamela Courson]].{{sfn|Fong-Torres|2007|p=9}}

''The Doors'' also contains two cover songs: "[[Alabama Song]]" and "[[Back Door Man]]". "Alabama Song" was written and composed by [[Bertolt Brecht]] and [[Kurt Weill]] in 1927, for their opera ''[[Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny|Aufstieg und Fall der Stadt Mahagonny]]'' (''Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny'').{{sfn|Gaar|2015|p=26}} The melody is changed and the verse beginning "Show me the way to the next little dollar" is omitted. On the album version, Morrison altered the second verse from "Show us the way to the next pretty boy" to "Show me the way to the next little girl", but on the 1967 ''Live at the Matrix'' recording, he sings the original "next pretty boy". Notable peculiarity of the band's version is the unusual use of the marxophone.{{sfn|Weidman|2011|p=141}} The Chicago blues "[[Back Door Man]]" was written by [[Willie Dixon]] and originally recorded by [[Howlin' Wolf]].{{sfn|Dixon|Snowden|1989|p=143}}{{sfn|Manzarek|1998|p=174}}

''The Doors'' was released on January 4, 1967, by Elektra Records.<ref name=thedoors.com>{{cite web |title=''The Doors'' – Album Details |url=https://www.thedoors.com/discography/doors-583 |website=Thedoors.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907002911/https://www.thedoors.com/discography/doors-583 |archive-date=September 7, 2015 |access-date=July 20, 2020}}</ref> Jac Holzman had initially intended to release the record in November 1966, but after a negotiation with the band, he decided to postpone the release to the new year, as he felt that period was the appropriate time for album sales.<ref name=Holzman>{{cite web |url=https://thedoors.com/interviews/jac-holzman-talks-the-doors |title=Jac Holzman Talks ''The Doors'' – the Doors |website=Thedoors.com |date=July 31, 2012 |access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref> For the album's cover, [[Joel Brodsky]] was hired to provide a photo of the group, which later received a [[Grammy]] nomination.<ref>{{cite news |first=Matt |last=Schudel |date=March 26, 2007 |title=Joel Brodsky 67; shot iconic album covers |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-mar-26-me-brodsky26-story.html?amp |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=November 13, 2021}}</ref> Holzman also suggested an association with [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'' magazine]] for the album's advertisement by promoting the record with "[[Billboard|hoarding]]", a novel concept which was made popular later on. It was propelledpromoted under the stationery "Break On Through With An Electrifying Album".{{sfn|Davis|2004|p=113}} The Doors were the first rock band to use this advertising medium.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/11-amazing-rock-billboards-from-the-sunset-strip-21643/ |title=11 Amazing Rock Billboards From the Sunset Strip |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=April 15, 2021 |date=October 24, 2013}}</ref>

''The Doors'' washas been reissued several times since the 1980s. In 1981, [[Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab]] released a half speed mastered version of the album on vinyl, cut by Stan Ricker with the Ortofon Cutting System.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=The Doors |others=The Doors |year=1981 |type=Media notes and runouts |publisher=Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MFSL 1-051)}}</ref> In 1988, it was digitally remastered by Bruce Botnick and Paul A. Rothchild at Digital Magnetics, using the original master tapes.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Doors|others=The Doors|year=1988|type=Booklet|publisher=Elektra (74007-2)}}</ref> In 1992, [[Dunhill Records|DCC Compact Classics]] reissued the album on [[Gold compact disc|24kt gold CD]] and 180g vinyl; the gold CD was remastered by [[Steve Hoffman (audio engineer)|Steve Hoffman]] while the vinyl was cut by [[Kevin Gray (mastering engineer)|Kevin Gray]] and Hoffman at Future Disc.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Doors|others=The Doors|year=1992|type=Booklet|publisher=DCC Compact Classics (GZS 1023)}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Doors|others=The Doors|year=1992|type=Media notes and runouts|publisher=DCC Compact Classics (LPZ-2046)}}</ref> It was remastered again in 1999 for ''[[The Complete Studio Recordings (The Doors album)|The Complete Studio Recordings]]'' box set by [[Bernie Grundman]] and Botnick at Bernie Grundman Mastering using [[Audio bit depth|96khz/24bit]] technology; it was also released as a standalone CD release.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Doors|others=The Doors|year=1999|type=Booklet|publisher=Elektra (62434-2A)}}</ref> In 2006, the record was released in multichannel [[DVD-Audio]] as part of the ''[[Perception (The Doors album)|Perception]]'' box set.<ref>{{cite web|last=Puterbaugh|first=Parke|date=December 3, 2006|title=The Doors DVD-As|url=http://www.soundandvision.com/content/doors-dvd|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222053204/http://www.soundandvision.com/content/doors-dvd|archive-date=December 22, 2014|access-date=December 20, 2014|website=Sound & Vision}}</ref> The next year, a 40th anniversary edition was released featuring the 2006 stereo remix and three bonus tracks, which was mastered by Botnick at Uniteye.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Doors|others=The Doors|year=2007|type=Booklet|publisher=Elektra (R2 101184)}}</ref> In 2009, the original mono mix was released on 180g vinyl, cut by Grundman.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=The Doors|others=The Doors|year=2009|type=Media notes and runouts|publisher=Elektra (8122-79788-8)}}</ref>

| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="Unterberger">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-doors-mw0000650088 |title=''The Doors'' – Review |last=Unterberger |first=Richie |author-link=Richie Unterberger|website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=December 20, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222153703/http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-doors-mw0000650088 |archive-date=December 22, 2014 }}</ref>

| rev3 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''

| rev3Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|year=2011|page=2006|title=[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|isbn=978-0-85712-595-8|edition=5th}}</ref>

| rev5 = ''[[MusicHoundFar Out Magazine|MusicHoundFar RockOut]]''

| rev6 = ''[[RollingMusicHound|MusicHound StoneRock]]''

| rev7 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''

| rev8 = ''[[SlantThe Rolling Stone Album MagazineGuide]]''

| rev8scorerev8Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.slantmagazinerollingstone.com/music/reviewartists/the-doors/albumguide |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106033635/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/the-doors/1089albumguide |title=The Doors: ''The Doors'' <nowiki>| Album Review</nowiki> |last=Cinquemani |first=Sal |date=April 18, 2007Guide |magazine=[[SlantRolling MagazineStone|rollingstone.com]] |accessarchive-date=DecemberJanuary 206, 20142013 |url-status=livedead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811000830/http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/the-doors-the-doors/1089 |archiveaccess-date=August 1131, 2012 2015}}</ref>

| rev9 = ''[[TheSlant Village VoiceMagazine]]''

In a contemporary review for ''[[Crawdaddy!]]'' magazine, founder and critic [[Paul Williams (music journalist)|Paul Williams]] hailed ''The Doors'' as "an album of magnitude" whileand likeningdescribed the band to [[Brian Wilson]] and [[the Rolling Stones]] as creators of "modern music", with which "contemporary 'jazz' and 'classical' composers must try to measure up". Williams added: "The birth of the group is in this album, and it's as good as anything in rock. The awesome fact about the Doors is that they will improve."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thedoors.com/news/doors-review-crawdaddy-1184 |last=Williams |first=Paul |date=May 5, 1967 |title=The Doors Review – Crawdaddy! |via=thedoors.com |access-date=August 31, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910111602/https://www.thedoors.com/news/doors-review-crawdaddy-1184 |archive-date=September 10, 2015 }}</ref> ''[[Record Mirror]]'' was similarly positive to the record: "[''The Doors''] for Elektra is wild, rough and although it's subtle in places, the overall sound is torrid. They're blues-based and get quite an effective sound."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=''The Doors'' – Review |magazine=[[Record Mirror]] |orig-year=1967 |date=April 22, 2020 |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Svi4VHyJd/ |via=Instagram}}</ref> According to Densmore, [[the Beatles]] had reportedly bought ten copies of the album,{{sfn|Densmore|1990|p=128}} and [[Paul McCartney]] has claimed that following the album's release, he wanted his band to capturesimulate the Doors' musical style as one of the "alter egos" of the group for their upcoming [[concept album]] ''[[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]]''.{{refn|group=nb|Paul McCartney didn't refer specifically to the eponymous-debut album,{{sfn|Greene|2016|p=19}} but only ''The Doors'' was officially released during the period of ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''{{'}}s making.<ref>{{cite web |first=Ed |last=Masley |url=https://amp.azcentral.com/amp/13976781 |title=''Sgt. Pepper'' and Beyond: A Look Back at 20 Great Albums Released in 1967 |date=May 30, 2017 |website=Azcentral |access-date=May 13, 2021}}</ref>}}

[[Robert Christgau]] was less enthusiastic in his column for ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'', recommending the album but with reservations; he approved of Manzarek's organ playing and Morrison's "flexible though sometimes faint" singing while highlighting the presence of a "great original hard rock original" in "[[Break On Through (To the Other Side)|Break on Through]]" and clever songs such as "Twentieth Century Fox", but was critical of more "esoteric" material such as the "long, obscure dirge" "[[The End (The Doors song)|The End]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Christgau|first=Robert|date=June 1967|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-aow/columns.php|title=Columns|magazine=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]|access-date=April 23, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428110900/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/bk-aow/columns.php|archive-date=April 28, 2016}}</ref> He also found Morrison's lyrics often self-indulgent, particularly lines like "our love becomes a funeral pyre", which he said spoiled "[[Light My Fire]]", and "the nebulousness that passes for depth among so many lovers of rock poetry" on "The End".<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Cheetah|date=December 1967|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/music/lyrics-che.php|title=Rock Lyrics Are Poetry (Maybe)|last=Christgau|first=Robert|access-date=April 23, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412032721/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/music/lyrics-che.php|archive-date=April 12, 2016}}</ref>

''The Doors'' has since been frequently ranked by critics as one of the greatest albums of all time; according to [[Acclaimed Music]], it is the 36th most ranked record on all-time lists.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/album/A94.htm|title=The Doors ranked 36th greatest album|website=[[Acclaimed Music]]|access-date=19 July 2021}}</ref> In 1993, ''[[New Musical Express]]'' writers cited ''The Doors'' the 25th greatest album of all time,<ref name="NME1">{{cite web |date=October 2, 1993 |title=New Musical Express Writers Top 100 Albums |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_writers.htm#100_93 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228100140/https://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/nme_writers.htm |archive-date=February 28, 2009 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |work=[[New Musical Express]]}}</ref> while in 1998, it was named the 70th in a "Music of the Millennium" poll conducted in the UK by [[HMV Group]], [[Channel 4]], ''[[The Guardian]]'' and [[Classic FM (UK)|Classic FM]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/50266.stm |title=The Music of the Millennium |date=January 24, 1998 |newspaper=[[BBC]] |access-date=August 6, 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617212743/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/50266.stm |archive-date=June 17, 2012}}</ref> In 2003, Parke Puterbaugh of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called the record "the L.A. foursome's most successful marriage of rock poetics with classically tempered hard rock{{snd}}a stoned, immaculate classic."<ref name="Puterbaugh">{{cite magazine|last=Puterbaugh |first=Parke |date=April 8, 2003 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/the-doors-20030408 |title=The Doors by the Doors |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |location=New York City|access-date=April 23, 2016 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807113218/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/the-doors-20030408 |archive-date=August 7, 2011 }}</ref> Sean Egan of [[BBC Music]] opines, "The eponymous debut of the Doors took popular music into areas previously thought impossible: the incitement to expand one's consciousness of opener 'Break on Through' was just the beginning of its incendiary agenda."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/xnwx BBC Music review] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321151340/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/xnwx |date=March 21, 2016}}</ref> [[AllMusic]] critic [[Richie Unterberger]], lauded ''The Doors'' as a "tremendous debut album, and indeed one of the best first-time outings in rock history", concluding in his review that "The End" was "a haunting cap to an album whose nonstop melodicism and dynamic tension would never be equaled by the group again, let alone bettered."<ref name="Unterberger"/>

}}</ref> When the list was revised in 2020, the album was repositioned at No. 86.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time- |title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=September 22, 2020 |access-date=September 24, 2020}}</ref> Two of the album's songs, "Light My Fire" and "The End", were also amongpresent on ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s 2004 list "[[The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time]]".<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/the-500-greatest-songs-of-all-time-20110407 |title=The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=December 9, 2004 |access-date=August 10, 2022}}</ref> ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' magazine readers ranked the album at No. 75 on its list of the "100 Greatest Albums Ever",<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.listsofbests.com/list/13644-q-readers-best-albums-ever-2006-readers-poll |year=2006 |title=Q Magazine's Q Readers Best Albums Ever (2006 Readers Poll) Archived by Lists of Bests |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |access-date=July 24, 2022}}</ref> while [[NME (magazine)|''NME'' magazine]] at No. 226 on their respective list [[NME's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|"500 Greatest Albums of All Time"]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|url=https://www.nme.com/photos/the-500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-300-201/324403|website=NME.com|date=October 24, 2013 |access-date=February 7, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150208000758/http://www.nme.com/photos/the-500-greatest-albums-of-all-time-300-201/324403|archive-date=February 8, 2015}}</ref> In 2007, ''Rolling Stone'' included it on their list of The 40 Essential Albums of 1967.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/photos/gallery/15327933/the_40_essential_albums_of_1967/photo/1/large |title=The 40 Essential Albums of 1967|year=2007 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708233604/http://www.rollingstone.com/photos/gallery/15327933/the_40_essential_albums_of_1967/photo/1/large |archive-date=July 8, 2007 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 20, 2014}}</ref> More recently in 2020, online media magazine ''[[Loudwire]]'' placed ''The Doors'' one of the "25 Legendary Rock Albums With No Weak Songs".<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Loudewire Staff |date=May 11, 2020 |title=25 Legendary Rock Albums |url=https://loudwire.com/legendary-rock-albums-no-weak-songs/ |magazine=[[Loudwire]] |access-date=August 20, 2022}}</ref> In a list published the next year in February, ''[[Ultimate Classic Rock]]'' cited it as the fourth-top [[psychedelic rock]] album of all time.<ref name="Gallucci">{{cite web |first=Michael |last=Gallucci |date=February 23, 2021 |title=Top 25 Psychedelic Rock Albums |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/psychedelic-rock-albums/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=March 28, 2021}}</ref>

| total_length = 22:25 43:34

* [[Robby Krieger]] – guitar; bass guitar on "'''Soul Kitchen'''"{{refn|group=nb|AccordingEngineer toBruce Doors'Botnick engineerhas Bruceclaimed Botnick,that the song's bass guitar was provided by session musician Larry Knechtel,{{sfn|Classic Albums|2008|loc=26:28}} but guitarist Robby Krieger arguedargues that he played the bass guitarpart.<ref name="interview">{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyej2cAh6wU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Kyej2cAh6wU| archive-date=2021-12-December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Mr. Mojo Risin': The Story of L.A. Woman Q&A and Performance |via=[[YouTube]] |time=12:50–13:33 |access-date=August 19, 2020}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{sfn|Krieger|2021|p=262261}}{{sfn|Lenhoff|Robertson|2019|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=d4LCDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA234 234]}}}} and "Back Door Man";<ref name="interview" />{{sfn|Krieger|2021|page=262}} backing vocals on "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)"{{sfn|Classic Albums|2008|loc=30:04}}

* [[Larry Knechtel]] – bass guitar on "'''Soul Kitchen'''", "Twentieth Century Fox",{{sfn|Lenhoff|Robertson|2019|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=d4LCDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA234 234]}}<ref name="AFMreport">{{Cite report |date=October 10, 1966 |title=Phonograph Recording Contract 3308 |publisher=[[American Federation of Musicians]] |page=1 |quote=Titles of Tunes: 20th Century Fox, Employee's Name: Knechtel |author=Lawrence W.}}</ref> "Light My Fire",{{sfn|Davis|2004|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=fLzRXcFh4aQC&pg=PA139 139]}} "I Looked at You" and "Take It as It Comes"{{sfn|Gerstenmeyer|2001|p=11}}

!scope="col"| Chart (19671967–69)

|{{album chart|Portugal|4|artist=The Doors|album=The Doors|access-date=28 June 28, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Doors|title=The Doors|type=album|award=Platinum|number=32|relyear=1967|certyear=2004|id=6894-616-2}}