Waiting for the Sun: The Doors’ “Morrison Hotel” Goes Deluxe in October
The Doors went back to basics when they checked into Morrison Hotel for their 1970 studio album. The band’s fifth LP, it’s now being reissued by Rhino on October 9 as a 2-CD/1-LP 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. This release follows the label’s similar reissues for The Doors’ first four albums including The Soft Parade which expanded their sound to include orchestration. Morrison Hotel got them back to blues-rock in striking fashion.
The box set features original engineer Bruce Botnick’s remastered version of the 1970 album produced by Paul Rothschild on both CD and vinyl. While Morrison Hotel didn’t yield any major chart hits – “You Make Me Real” b/w “Roadhouse Blues” only made it to No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 – it’s since been recognized as a powerful full-length album statement. Henry Diltz’s cover photography has since become one of rock’s most familiar images. The LP made it to No. 4 on the albums chart, and became the band’s highest-charting album in the United Kingdom with its No. 12 berth.
The new box set expands the original album with a second disc of 19 outtakes – totaling more than one hour’s worth of session material. Botnick states in the press release, “There are many takes, different arrangements, false starts, and insightful studio conversations between the band – who were in the studio – and producer Paul Rothchild – who was in the control room. It’s like being a fly on the wall.”
Disc Two kicks off with three sessions for “Queen of the Highway” and continues with another three for “Roadhouse Blues,” arguably the album’s most beloved track. The latter song evolved with different bass players including Soft Parade veteran Harvey Brooks and Lonnie Mack. The pseudonymous John Sebastian (appearing as “G. Puglese”) appeared on the final take with Mack on bass. The disc concludes with the “Peace Frog”/”Blue Sunday” session. Along the way, the set presents the previously released outtake “I Will Never Be Untrue” (indicated here as in an unissued version or mix) and outtake jams on Barrett Strong’s Motown classic “Money (That’s What I Want)” and B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby.”
David Fricke has penned the liner notes which place the album in the context of its creation, when legal troubles plagued Jim Morrison and threatened to curtail the band’s activity. The Morrison Hotel: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is due from Rhino on October 9. You’ll find pre-order links and the track listing below!
The Doors, Morrison Hotel: Deluxe Edition (Elektra/Rhino, 2020) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1: The Original Album (Elektra EKS-75007, 1970)
Side One: Hard Rock Cafe
- “Roadhouse Blues”
- “Waiting For The Sun”
- “You Make Me Real”
- “Peace Frog”
- “Blue Sunday”
- “Ship Of Fools”
Side Two: Morrison Hotel
- “Land Ho!”
- “The Spy”
- “Queen Of The Highway”
- “Indian Summer”
- “Maggie M’Gill”
CD 2: Mysterious Union
Black Dressed In Leather (“Queen Of The Highway” Sessions)
First Session (11/15/68)
- “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 1, She Was A Princess) *
- “Queen Of The Highway” (Various Takes) *
- “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 44, He Was A Monster) *
Second Session (1/16/69)
- “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 12, No One Could Save Her) *
- “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 14, Save The Blind Tiger) *
Third Session (Date Unknown)
- “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 1, American Boy – American Girl) *
- “Queen Of The Highway” (Takes 5, 6 & 9, Dancing Through The Midnight Whirlpool) *
- “Queen Of The Highway” (Take 14, Start It All Over) *
- “I Will Never Be Untrue” *
- “Queen Of The Highway” (Take Unknown) *
Money Beats Soul (“Roadhouse Blues” Sessions)
First Session
- “Roadhouse Blues” (Take 14, Keep Your Eyes On The Road) *
- “Money (That’s What I Want)” *
- “Rock Me Baby” *
Second Session
- “Roadhouse Blues” (Takes 6 & 7, Your Hands Upon The Wheel) *
- “Roadhouse Blues” (Take 8, We’re Goin’ To The Roadhouse) *
Third Session
- “Roadhouse Blues” (Takes 1 & 2, We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time) *
- “Roadhouse Blues” (Takes 5, 6 & 14, Let It Roll Baby Roll) *
Dawn’s Highway (Peace Frog/Blue Sunday Session)
- “Peace Frog/Blue Sunday” (Take 4) *
- “Peace Frog” (Take 12) *
LP Track Listing
Side One: Hard Rock Cafe
- “Roadhouse Blues”
- “Waiting For The Sun”
- “You Make Me Real”
- “Peace Frog”
- “Blue Sunday”
- “Ship Of Fools”
Side Two: Morrison Hotel
- “Land Ho!”
- “The Spy”
- “Queen Of The Highway”
- “Indian Summer”
- “Maggie M’Gill”
(*) previously unreleased
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3 thoughts on “Waiting for the Sun: The Doors’ “Morrison Hotel” Goes Deluxe in October”
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No sale for me if it is only available with the vinyl edition. What’s with the record companies and this vinyl & CD type release. I might be interested in a double or single CD release. But even then the most recent CD releases sound pretty good already. I was fooled once by The Eagles 25th Anniversary “Hell Freezes Over” CD release. The liner notes and all the graphics are exactly the same as the 1994 version.
It’s The Doors, Bill .
Just get your hands on it . You know as well as I do, you won’t have any regrets.
I have never bought a cd/vinyl combo and never will. Worst marketing move by the greedy record companies. Thank god for streaming!!!