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Alternative History

Top 10 Songs by The Doors and Playlist: The Lizard King’s Legacy

The Doors were defined by confrontation and an acute desire to break down boundaries. Their original run as a band was as short as it was influential. By the time it was over, the pop charts were filled with Jim Morrison clones and groups challenging the format of radio singles.

The Doors are one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and today, I am looking at the very best songs that the group ever produced.

Greatest 10 Songs by The Doors

top songs greatest by the doors

“Ghost Song”

Jim Morrison’s voice has rung loudly ever since that fateful day in Paris when the singer and poet’s life ended. One of his final projects was recording poetry inspired by the passing of Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones.

The album would be chiselled out by the rest of The Doors. “Ghost Song” is the most memorable piece on the record. It’s a reminder of the tall watermark set by Morrison for future lyric writers.

“Light My Fire”

The Doors didn’t just start out by frightening the world and all the parents in it. They started out with a genuine hit. It was written by guitarist Robbie Krieger.

Now, I am not particularly fond of the song. But I understand its appeal. I also understand why the band’s rebellious performance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1967 caused such a stir. A royal and stoned-looking Morrison refused to change the words “couldn’t get much higher.” That was enough to ignore the legend.

“Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)”

The Doors, bar The Velvet Underground, was the first group of almost-intellectuals playing rock n’ roll. They were also among the first to delight in shocking an audience raised on pop songs about love and puppies.

“Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)” is, of course, a Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill composition. In the hands of The Doors and later David Bowie, the playfully sinister edge of the composition is captured best.

top songs greatest by the doors

“L.A. Woman”

By the time of “L.A. Woman,” The Doors and Morrison, more specifically, were on their last legs. Drinking and concert controversies had sapped them of their energy. But it was the title track of the album where the band managed to find themselves for a brief time.

Powered by the sleazy blues-rock that the band did best and by Morrison’s lyrics of Los Angeles depravity, this was another great song to add to the collection.

“Love Her Madly”

Bands in the 1960s were, almost exclusively, pop groups. The Doors tried their own hand at pop radio hits. But because the quartet’s ideas about music were quite radical, even their commercial efforts have traces of otherworldliness. I know that this is a breakup song, technically. But it does contain some of the best hooks written by the band

“Love Me Two Times”

The Doors would’ve eventually morphed into a swampy blues band. Of that, I am sure. “Love Me Two Times” proves that the band’s instinct, even when talking about the war in Vietnam or about love, is to go back to the primal nature of the blues. With its classic Robie Krieger guitar riff and the pulsating beat provided by Ray Manzarek and John Densmore, it’s no wonder so many bands, Aerosmith included, have had the never to cover it.

top songs greatest by the doors

“Roadhouse Blues”

“Roadhouse Blues,” is more than any other composition, the song that’ll keep The Doors on the classic rock playlists for as long as those exist. You can quote me on that. Inspired by John Lee Hooker’s minimalist blues, powered by another Krieger master riff, and howled by Morrison, The Doors never sounded quite as mean and confident.

“The End”

“The End” was the pride and joy of Jim Morrison. Friends would later claim that this was one of the songs he listened to on repeat in his final days.

It was also The Doors’ first taste of controversy. The elongated composition is, for the most part, a long poem recited by Morrison, which, among other things, touches on murder and incest.

There was plenty of outrage. What it did show, however, was that few other bands were as ambitious as The Doors and as willing to be confrontational just to make a point.

“Riders on the Storm”

“Riders on the Storm” is one of the most hypnotic songs in the whole of rock history. A lot of the credit for that has to go to keyboardist and band leader Ray Manzarek. His jazzy lines tap dance over the country-inspired bass riff. Meanwhile, Morrison’s lyrics reference his difficult childhood in sublimely poetic language.

top songs greatest by the doors

“Break On Through (To the Other Side)”

The Doors were a dangerous band. All these years later, and with so many louder bands that have come and passed, little of this has changed. “Break on Through (To the Other Side)” made them sound like a cross between philosophers and barbarians.

Inspired by Aldous Huxley and practically containing Jim Morrison’s Declaration of Intent, no other song says more about the band. For me, this is the greatest song by The Doors.

About author

Eduard Banulescu is a writer, blogger, and musician. As a content writer, Eduard has contributed to numerous websites and publications, including FootballCoin, Play2Earn, BeIN Crypto, Business2Community, NapoliSerieA, Extra Time Talk, Nitrogen Sports, Bavarian FootballWorks, etc. He has written a book about Nirvana, hosts a music podcasts, and writes weekly content about some of the best, new and old, alternative musicians. Eduard also runs and acts as editor-in-chief of the alternative rock music website www.alt77.com. Mr. Banulescu is also a musician, having played and recorded in various bands and as a solo artist.
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