The Doors - The Soft Parade - is this a great album or what?

[Must_B_Free]

TO be honest I was never that much of a Doors fan - I appreciated them, but think the first two albums are a little "tinny". I loved the more mature LA Woman material, but have heard little else.

I recently started listening to The Soft Parade, because I recall my uncle having the album. Hey - I really like this album.

Follow Me Down - I love this song. Hard hitting song.

Touch Me - I always liked this song - it's a greatest hit. Wonderful key changes.

Shaman's Blues - what a cool song with it's tight stops, swing rythm and cool rif. "Will you try a little try?"

Do It - love the guitar riff and Jim's beseachment.

Running Blue - what's with the Bob Dylan parody? Reminds me of a cut time Grateful dead shuffle.

Wishful Sinful - love this song. love the strings. love the lyrics.
"Wishful, sinful, wicked blue - can't escape the blues"

The Soft Parade - cool ass song with many interesting changes and moods. "Champion socks and a girl named Sandy." Creative like Zappa but with beauty - I guess Morrison wasn't fixated with poop chutes like Zappa was.

I like the image of "leopard on my left tiger on my right" - sounds like some epic fighting hero or a Shaolin priest.

I read much criticism of the album, but from my perspective it seems like a lot of condensed ideas (and good ideas at that) - almost like Brian Wilson's mind blowing up with Smiley Smile - focusing on the hooks and cutting out the unnecessary repetition.

[Coffee Coyote]

1. Zappa's "fixations"

Are far more varied than just about anyone in the history of rock. While he was writing the brilliant "Trouble Every Day" about the Watts riots, young film school student Jim was sleeping in his vomit somewhere in west Hollywood.

I love the Doors, but Jimbo's "genius" was 99% chemical. The drug-free Zappa's was 100% raw intelligence. Scatology was just but ONE of the MILLIONS of provinces of his genius. It is part of the human condition, and just goddamned funny. Besides, the "poop chute" references in his music came well after 1969, so you are chronologically inaccurate, and philosophically parochial.

"Running Blue" isn't parodying Dylan, just playfully paying homage to Otis Redding.

[Toby109]

2. 99% chemical?

Lots of people have indulged in the same drugs Morrison did, probably including Zappa. Few have managed to pen great music as a direct result. And, if what I've read is true, Morrison was more of a boozer.

[madrchsod]

3. i saw frank in chicago

in 68 opening for cream..ya go figure..frank`s guitar playing was amazing and of course the mothers kicked ass,i`m glad i got to see frank that night..and yes cream totally blew everyone away....

[Must_B_Free]

5. frank's guitar playing was amazing in 68?

hmmm... How so?

[Must_B_Free]

4. Two Different Aesthetics

Jim has a natural beauty and intenseness.

Zappa is the essence of freakdom. He had a habit of creative exploration and an unique mixture of serious and comic style.

[Section_43]

6. I like Soft Parade

but I think Waiting for the Sun is better.
Jim was a boozer and into psychedelics, not much of a pill popper, as oppossed to his wife, Pam.
He was a brilliant mind that wasn't built to last. Much like Jimi, Janis, Kurt, etc.

[regnaD kciN]

7. "Touch Me"...

The first song I ever danced to, at a party in 1968.

I still love it, even though the final cadence is lifted from the Ajax detergent ad {"Stronger than dirt!") that was playing on television just beforehand... ;-)