Waiting for the Sun
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Waiting for the Sun | ||||
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File:The Doors - Waiting for the Sun.jpg | ||||
Studio album by The Doors | ||||
Released | July 3, 1968 | |||
Recorded | February–May 1968 T.T.G. Hollywood, California using 8-track recording console | |||
Genre | Psychedelic rock | |||
Length | 32:59 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | Paul A. Rothchild | |||
The Doors chronology | ||||
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Singles from Waiting for the Sun | ||||
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Waiting for the Sun is the third studio album by the American rock band The Doors, recorded from February to May 1968 and released in July 1968. It became the band's first and only No. 1 album, spawning their second US number one single, "Hello, I Love You". It also became the band's first hit album in the UK, where it peaked at No. 16 on the chart.
Contents
Background and recording
With the exception of two songs, "Hello, I Love You" and "Summer's Almost Gone", which were recorded for the band's original 1965 demo, the material for Waiting for the Sun was written after the band's initial songs from the formation of the group had been recorded for their debut album and second album Strange Days. [1]
The centerpiece of this album was supposed to be the lengthy theatrical piece "Celebration of the Lizard", but in the end only the "Not to Touch the Earth" section was used. "Celebration of the Lizard" was intended to take up an entire album side, but the group was never able to capture a studio recording that they liked. (The band would revisit it later in its full-length form on their 1970 album Absolutely Live.)
The title track "Waiting for the Sun" was left off this album, but would be included on the 1970 album Morrison Hotel.
This album marked keyboardist Ray Manzarek's transition from a Vox Continental to Gibson G-101, the organ he is best known for playing live. The brighter sound of the Vox does appear on a few songs, most notably "We Could Be So Good Together."
Guitarist Robby Krieger's skills with the flamenco guitar can be found present in "Spanish Caravan", with Granainas intro and a reworking of the melody from the classical piece Asturias (Leyenda) composed by Isaac Albéniz.
Release
Waiting for the Sun was released on July 3, 1968. The album has sold over 9 million copies.{http://classicrock.about.com/od/CtoE/tp/Discography-Of-The-Doors.htm}.
The US monophonic pressing, though only a fold down of the stereo mix to mono, is one of the rarest pop/rock LPs and has been sought after by collectors for years. Waiting for the Sun ended up being the shortest studio album by the band.
A studio run-through of "Celebration of the Lizard" (subtitled "An Experiment/Work in Progress") and two early takes of "Not to Touch the Earth" were included as bonus tracks on the 40th anniversary expanded edition release of this album.
Reception
Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
MusicHound | 3.5/5[3] |
Rolling Stone | (mixed)[4] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
Slant Magazine | [6] |
Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [7] |
Waiting for the Sun has been generally well received by critics, though with most citing it as a step down in quality for the band's earlier records. Jim Miller of Rolling Stone wrote, "After a year and a half of Jim Morrison's posturing, one might logically hope for some sort of musical growth, and if the new record isn't really terrible, it isn't particularly exciting either."[4]
In his retrospective review, Richie Unterberger of AllMusic wrote, "The Doors' 1967 albums had raised expectations so high that their third effort was greeted as a major disappointment. With a few exceptions, the material was much mellower, and while this yielded some fine melodic ballad rock [...] there was no denying that the songwriting was not as impressive as it had been on the first two records."[2] In his review of the 2007 reissue, Sal Cinquemani of Slant wrote "Despite the fact that Morrison was becoming a self-destructing mess, Krieger, Ray Manzarek and John Densmore were never more lucid -- perhaps to compensate. This was a band at its most dexterous, creative, and musically diverse …"[6]
On the cover of the album, Jim Morrison is seen wearing Glen Buxton's black sweater. Having been intoxicated the night before the shooting of the cover photo, the next morning Jim "started freaking out because the band wanted a picture of them at dawn, and he didn't have enough time to go home and get his clothes".
Track listing
All songs written and composed by The Doors (Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore).
Side A | ||
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No. | Title | Length |
1. | "Hello, I Love You" (written by Jim Morrison; the 40th Anniversary Mix includes a longer fade-out, making it 2:39) | 2:14 |
2. | "Love Street" (written by Morrison) | 2:53 |
3. | "Not to Touch the Earth" (written by Morrison) | 3:56 |
4. | "Summer's Almost Gone" (written by Morrison) | 3:22 |
5. | "Wintertime Love" | 1:54 |
6. | "The Unknown Soldier" | 3:23 |
Side B | ||
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No. | Title | Length |
7. | "Spanish Caravan" | 3:03 |
8. | "My Wild Love" | 3:01 |
9. | "We Could Be So Good Together" | 2:26 |
10. | "Yes, the River Knows" (written by Robby Krieger) | 2:36 |
11. | "Five to One" (written by Morrison) | 4:26 |
40th Anniversary Edition CD bonus tracks | ||
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No. | Title | Length |
12. | "Albinoni's Adagio in G minor" (Tomaso Albinoni) | 4:32 |
13. | "Not to Touch the Earth" (Dialogue) | 0:38 |
14. | "Not to Touch the Earth" (Take 1) | 4:05 |
15. | "Not to Touch the Earth" (Take 2) | 4:18 |
16. | "Celebration of the Lizard (An Experiment/Work in Progress)" (written by Morrison) | 17:09 |
Chart positions
Year | Chart | Position |
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1968 | Billboard Pop Albums (Billboard 200) | 1 |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
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1968 | "The Unknown Soldier" B-side: "We Could Be So Good Together" |
Pop Singles | 39 |
1968 | "Hello, I Love You" B-side: "Love Street" |
Pop Singles | 1 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Sales/shipments |
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United States (RIAA)[8] | Platinum | 1,000,000 |
Canada (Music Canada)[9] | Platinum | 100,000 |
France (SNEP)[10] | 2× Gold | 200,000 |
Germany (BVMI)[11] | Gold | 250,000 |
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] | Gold | 100,000 |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
Personnel
- The Doors
- Jim Morrison – lead vocals, percussion
- Ray Manzarek – Gibson G-101 and Vox Continental organs, RMI Electra piano, piano, backing vocals, percussion on "My Wild Love"
- Robby Krieger – guitar, backing vocals, percussion on "My Wild Love"
- John Densmore – drums, backing vocals and percussion on "My Wild Love"
- Additional musicians
- Douglas Lubahn – bass guitar on tracks 1-5, 7, 9, 10, 11
- Kerry Magness – bass guitar on track 6
- Leroy Vinnegar – acoustic bass on track 7
- Technical
- Paul A. Rothchild – production
- Bruce Botnick – engineering
- Paul Ferrara – album cover photograph
- William S. Harvey – sleeve art direction and design
- Jac Holzman – production supervisor
- Guy Webster – back cover photography
References
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External links
- Waiting for the Sun at Discogs (list of releases)
Preceded by | Billboard 200 number-one album September 7–27, 1968 October 5–11, 1968 |
Succeeded by Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits by The Rascals |
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- 1968 albums
- Elektra Records albums
- The Doors albums
- Albums produced by Paul A. Rothchild
- English-language albums
- Asylum Records albums