Album Review – THE DOORS – The Singles (RHINO)
Review by Geoff Jenke
I guess the question is, do we really need another Doors compilation? In this the 50th Anniversary year of The Doors debut album, we now have all 20 U.S. Doors singles, A & B sides, collected on a 2 CD set plus 4 radio broadcasts. For those who love their vinyl, (and have the money to spare) there is the 20 U.S. release vinyl singles collection.
What this type of set usually has to offer is the B sides which are left off most compilations. However, The Doors ‘B” sides were mostly album tracks which avid fans would have on the albums. They only released 3 non-albums ‘B” sides in Who Scared You (B-side to Wishful Sinful), (You Need Meat) Don’t Go Further (B side to Love Her Madly) and Tree Trunk (B side to Get Up and Dance).
However, it does include the singles released from the two non-Jim Morrison Doors Albums Full Circle and Other Voices. Other compilations leave these off for a very good reason. They really are not that good.
The singles set finishes with Roadhouse Blues (Live) b/w Albinoni: Adagio from the American Prayer album and Gloria (Live) b/w Moonlight Drive (live). Both of these tracks are welcome additions to the CD.
To round out the album are the four mono radio broadcasts of Hello I Love You, Touch Me, Wishful Sinful and Tell All the People.
All the classics are here in their abbreviated glory, Light My Fire, Touch Me and Riders of the Storm as releasing singles in the 1960’s meant they had to be around 3 minutes in length to get airplay. Naturally listening to the full album versions is the preferred version.
While it is a complete set, if you are a new or curious fan of the Doors, you could find better compilations. For completism collectors!
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