Dear Friends,
I’m kind of a mess right now.
Rhondi is in Maine dealing with some really tough stuff and here I am not able to do a whole lot except listen and pray. The latter is a tough one because I pray to the universe and that’s the most powerful, unknowable thing I can accept as totally real in my life. Maybe God is the universe.
I just want what is best for Doug, but I also want my Doug back and I’m afraid that won’t happen. Doug is Rhondi’s dad and our children’s grandfather and cousin and friend to a great many people I love, but he’s also been an amazing father-in-law and friend and someone I truly enjoy spending time with in this life. The idea of not having that is scary and sad and lonely.
Universe, I don’t want to know what you have planned, but please stop sending these dark clouds. Send us some light. Send us some love and let Doug know how loved he truly is.
*****
I don’t really have anything else to say today except if you are reading this, there is a really good chance you are someone I love, so thank you.
*****
Today I wanted to write about L.A. Woman by the Doors. Maybe because I am in a pretty sad place right now, I wanted to invite an old friend to sit with me for a while. That old friend almost as old as I am.
L.A. Woman, like much of The Doors music is a comfortable shoe or a tattered, yet incredibly soft blanket. The Doors are comfort food for my soul and have been swirling around my personal cosmos my entire life. I have my Dad to thank for this, and because of this, thank you, Dad, it is.
There is a certain opulence in how L.A. Woman sounds. Maybe it is the whole vibe throughout the record that just oozes Los Angeles. There is also the big bass sound on several of the songs that is really bass and not just Ray Manzarek’s left hand feeding fat tones to his keyboard like so many slabs of meat.
The way “The Changeling” comes in with Jerry Scheff’s bouncing, roadhouse bass line dancing with Manzarek’s keys is sofa king good.
“I live uptown, I live downtown, I live all around. I had money, I had none, I had money, I had none, but I never been so broke that I couldn’t leave town.”
I love that opening salvo from Mr. Mojo Risin (Jim Morrison). He even gets a great little Morrison-scream in there that reminds me every time I hear it that once he was primal, alive, and not giving two fucks about anything but just being.
Robby Krieger also just rules on “The Changeling,” too. Hell, even John Densmore’s drums are great. The whole band is just killing it on the song and it’s the first song on the record. I hear it and I’m completely satisfied.
I might even need a cigarette afterward.
Then “Love Her Madly” comes on and I am reminded that the Doors were also a pretty great Top 40 pop band when they wanted to be. There is nothing subversive about “Love Her Madly” and there is almost Ventures-esque peppiness to Manzarek’s keyboards.
It’s a great song, though. I turn it up every time I hear it.
“Been Down So Long” is Krieger’s moment. There are several Doors’ songs that kind of have this sound, but the guitar sets it apart. He’s just on fire.
“Cars Hiss By My Window” allows you to catch your breath before “L.A. Women” unleashes itself onto the world. The former is a little blues romp that works, I guess, but it’s not the finest moment of the band. Let’s talk about the latter.
“L.A. Woman” is probably among my all-time favorite songs. I don’t mean to be wishy washy, but it definitely makes my top 100. I sure miss my friend, Patrick Hodges, right now. He was the guy for discussions about top 100 songs. Somewhere, he might be smiling right now.
One of the things that really made me love “L.A. Woman” a lot more was a cover thing Jane’s Addiction did in the early 90s called “L.A. Medley” where they played a portion of the song as well as “Nausea” by X and “Lexicon Devil” by the Germs. After hearing the way Jane’s did it, I started listening more closely to how the Doors played it.
The lyrics are so good and, again, Krieger just rules on this song. I’m such a fan of his stuff. If I taught older students, I would play them this when talking about alliteration.
“L.A. woman’s gonna have to do.”
Manzarek kind of shine here, too. That piano bit before Morrison sings, “I see you hair is burning…” is awesome. The lyrics also just take off there, too. One of Morrison’s best moments.
“Motel Money Murder Madness.” ‘Nuff said.
The B side of the record holds up, too. “L’America” has another great guitar riff and maybe one of the eeriest beginnings of any Doors song. Densmore made some cool choices here with the drumbeat, too. It’s almost punk rock and then a roadhouse, bluesy song breaks out for a little bit here and there. Totally all over the place and super interesting.
“Hyacinth House” has some nifty bass work and Morrison’s trademark baritone. I picture him in the studio standing almost straight up while he sings this one for some reason. I don’t really know why.
I’m guessing “Crawling King Snake” was the first John Lee Hooker song I ever heard back in the day. It’s another strong one, though, and Side B keeps marching on. The thing about L.A. Woman is that it is the last real Doors record and they went out strong. It could have been very different, too.
“The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)” is a great song title. I’ve had a soft spot for this one for a long time. It would get them cancelled now, but I don’t care. There is a bad word in there, but it was 1971. There were worse things being said back then.
“Riders on the Storm” is another favorite of mine. It’s such a beautiful song. I think I will just leave this one right here. “Into this house we’re born…”
*****
See you tomorrow.
Peace to you all.
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