[1] Strange Days (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 3:05
[2] You're Lost Little Girl (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 3:01
[3] Love Me Two Times (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 3:23
[4] Unhappy Girl (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 2:00
[5] Horse Latitudes (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 1:30
[6] Moonlight Drive (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 3:00
[7] People Are Strange (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 2:10
[8] My Eyes Have Seen You (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 2:22
[9] I Can't See Your Face in My Mind (Doors) (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 3:18
[10] When the Music's Over (Morrison/Manzarek/Krieger/Densmore) - 11:00
ROBBIE KRIEGER - Guitar, Digital Remastering
JIM MORRISON - Vocals, Digital Remastering
RAY MANZAREK - Keyboards, Marimba, Vocals, Digital Remastering
JOHN DENSMORE - Drums, Digital Remastering
DOUG LUBAHN - Ocassional Bass
BRUCE BOTNICK - Engineer, Mastering, Digital Remastering
JAC HOLZMAN - Production Supervisor
PAUL ROTHCHILD - Mastering, Digital Remastering
WILLIAM S. HARVEY - Artwork, Art Direction, Concept, Cover Design
JOEL BRODSKY - Photography
1967 LP Elektra EKS-74014
1967 LP Dunhill 1026
1992 CD DCC 1026
1997 LP DCC 2045
1999 CS Elektra TC5 2-74014
1999 CD Elektra 2-74014
2000 CD Wea International 62548
2001 CD Wea International 6152
Many of the songs on Strange Days had been written around the same time
as the ones that appeared on The Doors, and with hindsight one has the
sense that the best of the batch had already been cherry-picked for the
debut album. For that reason, the band's second effort isn't as
consistently stunning as their debut, though overall it's a very
successful continuation of the themes of their classic album. Besides
the hit "Strange Days," highlights included the funky "Moonlight
Drive," the eerie "You're Lost Little Girl," and the jerkily rhythmic
"Love Me Two Times," which gave the band a small chart single. "My Eyes
Have Seen You" and "I Can't See Your Face In My Mind" are minor but
pleasing entries in the group's repertoire that share a subdued Eastern
psychedelic air. The eleven-minute "When the Music's Over" would often
be featured as a live showstopper, yet it also illustrated their
tendency to occasionally slip into drawn-out bombast.
Richie Unterberger
"You're Lost Little Girl" is a delicately haunting ballad from the
Doors' second album, Strange Days, a well-crafted song, blending a
beautifully rendered vocal melody by Jim Morrison with subtly textured
musical backing. The Doors display an ability to gracefully range from
minimalist mood piece to light-tempered rock in their own inimitable
style all within a standard three-minute pop song. Beginning with a
creeping bass line and a gently chiming circular guitar riff from
Robbie Krieger, singer Jim Morrison sets the tone with a somber intro
vocal, beautifully crooning, "You're lost little girl/You're lost
little girl/You're lost/Tell me who/Are you?" The drums kick in for the
chorus with a light, straight beat as Morrison's vocals rise with
emotion, singing, "I think that you know what to do/Impossible?/Yes,
but it's true," Ray Manzarek adding texture with his organ. The groove
lurches into a staccato break for the third line of the chorus, the
band accenting each chord in unison as Morrison draws out the line "I
think that you know what to do, yeah" with stately conviction. Krieger
contributes a delicately smooth guitar solo, milky soft notes floating
above the music. The song gently builds through the last chorus,
Densmore and company leaning into their instruments, Morrison repeating
the chorus with increased fervor, until giving way once again to the
song's haunting intro for the close.
Tom Maginnis
"Moonlight Drive" is one of the Doors' earliest original compositions.
Ray Manzarek claims this to be one of the songs Jim Morrison sang to
him when they first met on a beach in Los Angeles before the group's
conception. The song was even recorded on the group's earliest demo
recordings at Trans World Pacific Studios on September 2nd of 1965,
before Robbie Krieger had joined the band, Manzarek doubling on
keyboards and guitar. The song was also part of the group's earliest
live sets, usually played in a much longer form, clocking in at over
six minutes, but for some reason the song was not recorded for the
group's smash hit debut album, The Doors, and did not surface until it
was released as an album track on the follow-up LP, Strange Days, as
well as a B-side to the "Love Me Two Times" single, released in
November of 1967. The studio version was shorted to a tighter three
minutes and is marked by the addition of Robbie Krieger's silky slide
guitar work, laying down long rising and descending notes. The music is
centered on the funky, staggered jounce of Ray Manzarek's piano,
supported by the slight martial tap and roll of John Densmore's snare
drum. Morrison gives his rather cosmic lyrics a sensuous, inviting
character as he languishes in deep tones, "Let's swim to the moon/Let's
climb through the tide/Penetrate the evening/That the city sleeps to
hide." The band kick into the full, mid-tempo groove with a quick
three-chord accent, Morrison picking up on the increase energy, his
voice opening up as he reaches deeper for the notes, "Surrender to the
waiting worlds/That lap against our side/Nothing left open/And no time
to decide/We've stepped into a river/On our moonlight drive." Krieger
contributes an expertly played slide guitar solo, slinking and weeping
notes emanating from his instrument, deftly playing off the vocal
melody. Momentum continues to rise, the band stomping more heavily
through the last verse. Morrison reaches new levels of intensity, his
voice transforming into a harsh shout as he belts out the final lines,
"It's easy to love you/As I watch you glide/We're falling through wet
forests/On our moonlight drive." As the track slowly fades, Morrison
begins to ad-lib, mumbling close on the microphone, "Come on, baby
gonna take a little ride/Goin' down by the ocean side/Gonna get real
close/Get real tight/Baby gonna drown tonight/Goin' down, down, down."
Even darker than their purple-hued debut, the Doors' follow-up, Strange
Days, closed 1967 with an ominous flourish. Highlighted mostly by
short, radio-friendly tunes such as the bluesy "Love Me Two Times" and
the cabaret-style "People Are Strange" and featuring a smattering of
edgy recitations ("Horse Latitudes") and smoky rockers ("My Eyes Have
Seen You"), the album features a centerpiece that was another ambitious
extended track, "When the Music's Over." On it, Morrison railed at
everything from organized religion to pollution, and his rallying
cry--"We want the world, and we want it now!"--became a call to arms
for the counterculture rising up around the band.
Billy Altman - Amazon.com
Welchen CD-Klang will der Fan von Welt? Stets den besten
natürlich. Das neue kalifornische Label DCC geht dafür, wie
MFSL, den goldenen Weg und überzieht CDs mit güldener
Reflexionsschicht. Bei den Doors, trotz Rauschfahne, mit exzellentem
Resultat: Gegenüber der digital remasterten Strange Days-Version
klingen das träumerische You're Lost Little Girl, das harsche Love
Me Two Times wie das Epos When The Music's Over deutlich runder. Wer
Sehnsucht nach analogem Sound hat, erlebt sein goldenes Wunder.
Das zweite Album der Doors, profitiert im Vergleich zur immerhin neu-
gemasterten Standard-CD (stereoplay 8/88) in den genannten Kritereien
von Hoffmans technischer Meisterschaft.
The Doors are an amazing group. Each of them are highly competent and
talented musicians, yet music is only secondary to what they are doing.
They are violently anti-commercial in their stance and their approach,
and yet the finished product is highly commercial. And it would also
appear that vocalist Jim Morrison is making a direct appeal to the
pubescent market, but upon closer examination, it turns out that he is
not. As musicians, the Doors are very good. Their excellence of
musician-ship, however, is not seen as individuals, because they do
nothing really new or different as soloists. Their excellence is
together as a group—the total effect they achieve. The group is
original and highly evocative. Many of the chord progressions and
figures are easily recognizable from their first album. Except for the
addition of an occasional bass, the instrumentation is nearly identical
to the previous LP. Through very logical development, they have
improved their original methods and techniques with more effective
instrumentation (a variety of keyboard sounds, a lot of slide guitar,
and strongly musical electronic bridges). They have not attempted to
make any big changes in direction or music (like so many groups
mistakenly feel obligated to), but have refined and enriched their
previous efforts. Consequently their new album has all the power and
energy of the first LP, but is more subtle, more intricate and much
more effective. On a track like "Unhappy Girl," the various
instrumental pieces and the vocal combine perfectly. The effect is
overwhelming. "I Can't See Your Face in My Mind" is the only
disappointing song on the record; it's mild without justification. "My
Eyes Have Seen You," "Strange Days," and "Love Me Two Times," all have
the same commercial potential of "Light My Fire." They are heavy,
evocative and climactic pieces. As was strongly hinted in their first
album, the Doors conceive their efforts primarily in terms of drama
rather than in terms of music. The music is not meant to be
particularly virtuoso or experimental. It is played to be dramatically
meaningful. Before they formed as a group, the Doors were,
individually, students at the UCLA drama school. It was a unique
qualification. Beginning with long hair and patterns of dress, rock and
roll has become increasingly visual. Jimi Hendrix and the Who seem
practically primitive next to the Doors. Rock and roll has become
theatre. Many people don't care to see Jim Morrison making it with his
microphone in the manner of Mick Jagger nor do they especially want to
watch him writhing on the floor. If they don't, then they suggest he is
selling out to commercialism, has an old-fashioned concept of rock and
roll or something. However, what's actually taking place on stage, and
what Morrison is doing, is about 3000-years old fashioned and very
contemporary in approach. Music is very sensual and it is particularly
obvious in rock and roll. Morrison is just not making any bones about
it. He's just doing what comes naturally. One must think of the Doors
in a theatrical rather than a musical way. Their whole album,
individual songs and especially the final track are constructed in the
five parts of tragedy. Like Greek drama, you know when the music's over
because there is catharsis. And, as the Doors suggest in their closing
song, "When the Music's Over," you "turn out the light."
Strange days have found us
Strange days have tracked us down
They're going to destroy
Our casual joys
We shall go on playing
Or find a new town
Yeah!
Strange eyes fill strange rooms
Voices will signal their tired end
The hostess is grinning
Her guests sleep from sinning
Hear me talk of sin
And you know this is it
Yeah!
Strange days have found us
And through their strange hours
We linger alone
Bodies confused
Memories misused
As we run from the day
To a strange night of stone
You're lost little girl
You're lost little girl
You're lost little girl
You're lost
Tell me who
Are you?
I think that you know what to do
Impossible? Yes, but it's true
I think that you know what to do, yeah
I'm sure that you know what to do
You're lost little girl
You're lost little girl
You're lost
Tell me who
Are you?
I think that you know what to do
Impossible? Yes, but it's true
I think that you know what to do, girl
I'm sure that you know what to do
You're lost little girl
You're lost little girl
You're lost
LOVE ME TWO TIMES
Love me two time,baby,love me twice today
Love me two time,girl,I'm goin' away
Love me two time girl,one for tomorrow,
one just for today
Love me two times
I'm goin' away
Love me one time,could not speak
Love me one time,yea,my knees got weak
Love me two time,girl,lasts me all through the week
Love me two times,I'm goin' away
Love me two times,I'm goin' away
Alright,yea
Love me one time,could not speak
Love me one time,baby,yeah,my knees got weak
Love me two times,girl,lasts me all through the week
Love me two times,I'm goin' away
Love me two time,babe
Love me twice today
Love me two time,babe,'cause im goin' away
Love me two time,girl,one for tomorrow,
one just for today
Love me two times,I'm goin' away
Love me two times I'm goin' away
Love me two times I'm goin' away
UNHAPPY GIRL
Unhappy girl, Left all alone
Playing solitaire
Playing warden to your soul
You are locked in a prison
Of your own devise
And you can't believe
What it does to me
To see you
Crying
Unhappy girl
Tear your web away
Saw thru all your bars
Melt your cell today
You are caught in a prison
Of your own devise
Unhappy girl
Fly fast away
Don't miss your chance
To swim in mystery
You are dying in a prison
Of your own devise
HORSE LATITUDES
When the still sea conspires an armor
And her sullen and aborted
Currents breed tiny monsters
True sailing is dead
Awkward instant
And the first animal is jettisoned
Legs furiously pumping
Their stiff green gallop
And heads bob up
Poise
Delicate
Pause
Consent
In mute nostril agony
Carefully refined
And sealed over
MOONLIGHT DRIVE
Let's swim to the moon, uh huh
Let's climb through the tide
Penetrate the evenin' that the
City sleeps to hide
Let's swim out tonight, love
It's our turn to try
Parked beside the ocean
On our moonlight drive
Let's swim to the moon, uh huh
Let's climb through the tide
Surrender to the waiting worlds
That lap against our side
Nothin' left open
And no time to decide
We've stepped into a river
On our moonlight drive
Let's swim to the moon
Let's climb through the tide
You reach your hand to hold me
But I can't be your guide
Easy, I love you
As I watch you glide
Falling through wet forests
On our moonlight drive, baby
Moonlight drive
Come on, baby, gonna take a little ride
Down, down by the ocean side
Gonna get real close
Get real tight
Baby gonna drown tonight
Goin' down, down, down
PEOPLE ARE STRANGE
People are strange when you're a stranger
Faces look ugly when you're alone
Women seem wicked when you're unwanted
Streets are uneven when you're down
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange X3
People are strange when you're a stranger
Faces look ugly when you're alone
Women seem wicked when you're unwanted
Streets are uneven when you're down
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange X3
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you're strange
No one remembers your name
When you're strange X3
MY EYES HAVE SEEN YOU
My eyes have seen you X3
Stand in your door
When we meet inside
Show me some more X3
My eyes have seen you X3
Turn and stare
Fix your hair
Move upstairs X3
My eyes have seen you X3
Free from disguise
Gazing on a city under
Television skies X3
My eyes have seen you X2
Eyes have seen you
Let them photograph your soul
Memorize your alleys
On an endless roll
Endless roll X15
I CAN'T SEE YOUR FACE IN MY MIND
I can't see your face in my mind
I can't see your face in my mind
Carnival dogs
Consume the lines
Can't see your face in my mind
Don't you cry
Baby, please don't cry
And don't look at me
With your eyes
I can't seem to find the right lie
I can't seem to find the right lie
Insanity's horse
Adorns the sky
Can't seem to find the right lie
Carnival dogs
Consume the lines
Can't see your face in my mind
Don't you cry
Baby, please don't cry
I won't need your picture
Until we say goodbye
WHEN THE MUSIC'S OVER
Yeah, c'mon
When the music's over
When the music's over, yeah, When the music's over
Turn out the lights, Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights, yeah
When the music's over X3
Turn out the lights X3
For the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end X3
Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside
The face in the mirror won't stop
The girl in the window won't drop
A feast of friends, "Alive!" she cried
Waitin' for me, Outside!
Before I sink, Into the big sleep
I want to hear, I want to hear
The scream of the butterfly
Come back, baby, Back into my arm
We're gettin' tired of hangin' around
Waitin' around with our heads to the ground
I hear a very gentle sound, Very near yet very far
Very soft, yeah, very clear, Come today, come today
What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down
I hear a very gentle sound
With your ear down to the ground
We want the world and we want it... X2
Now, Now?, Now!
Persian night, babe, See the light, babe
Save us!, Jesus!, Save us!
So when the music's over
When the music's over, yeah
When the music's over
Turn out the lights X3
Well the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end X3