Morrison Hotel Songs Ranked
Morrison Hotel is the fifth studio album by American rock band the Doors, released on February 9, 1970, by Elektra Records. After the use of brass and string arrangements recommended by producer Paul A. Rothchild on their previous album, The Soft Parade, the Doors returned to their blues-rock style and this album was largely seen as a return to form for the band. The band entered Elektra Sound Recorders in Los Angeles in October 1969 to record the album which is divided into two separately titled sides: “Hard Rock Cafe” and “Morrison Hotel”. Session bassists Lonnie Mack and Ray Neapolitan featured on the album’s songs. The album reached no. 4 on the Billboard 200, and performed better overseas than the preceding album (it was the group’s highest-charting studio album in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at No. 12). The accompanying “You Make Me Real” / “Roadhouse Blues” single peaked at No. 50 in May 1970 on the Billboard 100 chart. The cover photo was taken by Henry Diltz. Here are all of Morrison Hotel songs ranked.
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11. Ship of Fools
“THIS IS my favorite song. MIGHT be because of that the opening line is “The human race was dying out” and that it’s a lyric I can’t QUITE get my head wrapped around, but a catchy tune and I’m guessing is a song about the human stupidity.”
10. Maggie M’Gill
“Maggie M’Gill” takes back the speed and volume that “Indian Summer” lacks off, which makes it a MUCH better ending track than “Indian Summer”. Way to go, The Doors!”
9. Queen of the Highway
“Queen Of The Highway”, had I heard was like “the third hit”, so I thought it was something like “Peace Frog” or “Roadhouse Blues”. It’s not. It’s CLEARLY a The Doors song, just like the two I previously mentioned, but it’s still not like that. It’s not slow either, so they’re all in the same-ish speed, but still, it’s something about it. I love it, though, but then again, I love the whole album.”
See more: The Doors Albums Ranked
8. You Make Me Real
“You Make Me Real”…lovely opening. I love the whisteling, and the piano…or what that instrument is. I can’t explain what’s so great with this song, but I know I love the meaning of the lyrics and what the song stands for. “I really want you. Really do. Really need you baby. Really do”…it’s all classic Lizard King.”
7. Land Ho!
“Land Ho!” is most likely my second favorite…together with “Peace Frog” and “Roadhouse Blues”. So, I guess the songs about something with water are my favorites then…and “Roadhouse Blues”. Now, “Land Ho!” is kinda cheerie and catchy as well, and gets your mood up pretty fast. At least it gets MY mood up”
6. Indian Summer
“Then comes a song I can safely call a ballad. It’s also the “worst” song of the album, but it’s still great. I’m talking about “Indian Summer”. I guess calling it a ballad and the “worst song” on the album, pretty much says it all, I guess.”
5. The Spy
“The Spy” has something to it that I recognize in myself. Might be the line “I’m a spy, in the house of love”, that is repeated several times throughout the song, and the fact of that I feel the same way. It’s pretty low in volume and speed, but not a ballad in my eyes. You probably won’t call it that either.”
See more: The Doors Songs Ranked
4. Blue Sunday
“Blue Sunday” is a song that would usually have been my natural favorite, since I used to be bluer than I am lately. But it’s a lovely ballad, about finding love, even on a “blue sunday”. Really calm and quiet. And awefully nice.”
3. Waiting for the Sun
“Waiting For The Sun” is lovely, and a bit “hard”, if I may call it so. It almost follows the Pixies’ principal – high and low (like either really much energy and high volume on the verses or the choruses, and the oposite on the oposite part).”
2. Roadhouse Blues
“The opening track, “Roadhouse Blues”, is a natural favorite to me, since I play the harmonica myself, and therefore love to find it in songs. And it’s a song that is…not overly bluesy, but a bit, because of the harmonica and that it’s basically one riff for the verses, and one for the choruses. In the special edition of this album that I got, which were “expanded and remastered”, you get lots of versions of this song.”
1. Peace Frog
“EVERY The Doors fan ought to have heard this song before. It’s lovely guitar intro is a rarity to find in The Doors songs, since they’re not all about the guitar, but more into keyboards/organ/keyboard bass/piano…Ray Manzarek, really. But there’s always some guitar as well. But yeah, this song is a really cool song, that I guess is a protest-song against the Vietnam war.”