Waiting for the Sun
Encyclopedia
Waiting for the Sun is the third studio album
by the American rock
band The Doors
. It was released in 1968 and became the band's first and only number one album and spawned their second US number one single, "Hello, I Love You
". It also became the band's first hit album in the UK, where it peaked at #16 in the chart. With the exception of two songs, the material for this album was written after the band's initial songs from the formation of the group had been recorded for their debut album and second album, Strange Days
. The highlight of this album was supposed to be the lengthy theatrical piece "Celebration of the Lizard
", but in the end only the "Not to Touch the Earth
" section was used.
The song "Waiting for the Sun" would not appear on an album until Morrison Hotel
.
" was intended to take up an entire album side, but the group was never able to get it right (they would revisit it later in its full-length form on their 1970 album Absolutely Live
).
Many fans have suggested once "Celebration of the Lizard" was shelved, two of the band's earliest tracks were resurrected and re-recorded for use to fill in the void, those tracks being "Hello, I Love You
" and "Summer's Almost Gone
". These two tracks had been recorded in an earlier arrangement for the band's original 1965 demo. Waiting for the Sun ended up as the shortest studio album by the band.
"Celebration of the Lizard" and two early takes of "Not to Touch the Earth" were included as bonus tracks on the 40th anniversary expanded edition release of this album.
Though a strong album lyrically, musically it has often been criticized for its softer, mellow sound, a departure from the edgier, more ambitious sound for which the band had become well-known (and notorious). Nonetheless, the album contains some rarely disputed classics, most notably the menacing "Five to One
", the controversial anti-war anthem "The Unknown Soldier
", and the evocative "Not to Touch the Earth".
The title track "Waiting for the Sun" was left off this album, but would be included on the 1970 album Morrison Hotel
.
This album marked keyboardist Ray Manzarek's transition from Vox Continental organ to Gibson G101, the organ he is best known for playing live. The US monophonic pressing - though only a fold down of the stereo mix to mono - is one of the rarest pop/rock LPs and has been sought after by collectors for years.
, Robby Krieger
, Ray Manzarek
and Jim Morrison
).
Side one
Side two
Additional musicians
Technical staff and artwork
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the American rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
. It was released in 1968 and became the band's first and only number one album and spawned their second US number one single, "Hello, I Love You
Hello, I Love You
"Hello, I Love You" is a song by The Doors from their 1968 album Waiting for the Sun. It was released as a single that same year, reaching number one in the United States and selling over a million copies in the U.S. alone. In Canada, it hit number one as well...
". It also became the band's first hit album in the UK, where it peaked at #16 in the chart. With the exception of two songs, the material for this album was written after the band's initial songs from the formation of the group had been recorded for their debut album and second album, Strange Days
Strange Days (album)
Strange Days is the second album released by American rock band The Doors. The album was a commercial success, earning a gold record and reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Despite this, the album's producer, Paul Rothchild, considered it a commercial failure, even if it was an...
. The highlight of this album was supposed to be the lengthy theatrical piece "Celebration of the Lizard
Celebration of the Lizard
"Celebration of the Lizard" is an epic performance piece written by Jim Morrison, frontman of The Doors. Composed as a series of poems, they include musical sections, spoken verse, and passages of allegorical storytelling.-Poems:*Lions in the Street...
", but in the end only the "Not to Touch the Earth
Not to Touch the Earth
"Not to Touch the Earth" is a 1968 song by The Doors from their album Waiting for the Sun. It stems from Jim Morrison's poem, "Celebration of the Lizard". A recording of the complete poem was attempted at the sessions for the album, but only the musical passage Not to Touch the Earth was deemed fit...
" section was used.
The song "Waiting for the Sun" would not appear on an album until Morrison Hotel
Morrison Hotel
Morrison Hotel is The Doors' fifth album. It was released in 1970. After their experimental work The Soft Parade was not as well received as anticipated, the group went back to basics and back to their roots...
.
Structure
The track "Celebration of the LizardCelebration of the Lizard
"Celebration of the Lizard" is an epic performance piece written by Jim Morrison, frontman of The Doors. Composed as a series of poems, they include musical sections, spoken verse, and passages of allegorical storytelling.-Poems:*Lions in the Street...
" was intended to take up an entire album side, but the group was never able to get it right (they would revisit it later in its full-length form on their 1970 album Absolutely Live
Absolutely Live (The Doors album)
Absolutely Live is the first live album released by American rock band The Doors in July 1970. Many shows were recorded during the 1970 tour to create the "Absolutely Live" album. The Doors producer, and long time collaborator Paul Rothchild painstakingly edited the album from many different shows...
).
Many fans have suggested once "Celebration of the Lizard" was shelved, two of the band's earliest tracks were resurrected and re-recorded for use to fill in the void, those tracks being "Hello, I Love You
Hello, I Love You
"Hello, I Love You" is a song by The Doors from their 1968 album Waiting for the Sun. It was released as a single that same year, reaching number one in the United States and selling over a million copies in the U.S. alone. In Canada, it hit number one as well...
" and "Summer's Almost Gone
Summer's Almost Gone
"Summer's Almost Gone" is the fourth track on Waiting for the Sun, the third album by American rock band The Doors. The song was covered by pianist George Winston on his album Night Divides the Day - The Music of the Doors....
". These two tracks had been recorded in an earlier arrangement for the band's original 1965 demo. Waiting for the Sun ended up as the shortest studio album by the band.
"Celebration of the Lizard" and two early takes of "Not to Touch the Earth" were included as bonus tracks on the 40th anniversary expanded edition release of this album.
Though a strong album lyrically, musically it has often been criticized for its softer, mellow sound, a departure from the edgier, more ambitious sound for which the band had become well-known (and notorious). Nonetheless, the album contains some rarely disputed classics, most notably the menacing "Five to One
Five To One
"Five to One" is a song by The Doors, from their 1968 album Waiting for the Sun.-Origin:"Five to one" is rumored to be the approximate ratio of whites to blacks, old to young, or non-pot smokers to pot smokers in the US in 1967, depending on whom you ask. A further urban legend has it as the ratio...
", the controversial anti-war anthem "The Unknown Soldier
The Unknown Soldier (song)
"The Unknown Soldier" was the first single from The Doors' 1968 album Waiting for the Sun, and was also the subject of one of the band's few music videos.-Lyrics:...
", and the evocative "Not to Touch the Earth".
The title track "Waiting for the Sun" was left off this album, but would be included on the 1970 album Morrison Hotel
Morrison Hotel
Morrison Hotel is The Doors' fifth album. It was released in 1970. After their experimental work The Soft Parade was not as well received as anticipated, the group went back to basics and back to their roots...
.
This album marked keyboardist Ray Manzarek's transition from Vox Continental organ to Gibson G101, the organ he is best known for playing live. The US monophonic pressing - though only a fold down of the stereo mix to mono - is one of the rarest pop/rock LPs and has been sought after by collectors for years.
Track listing
All songs written by The Doors (John DensmoreJohn Densmore
John Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
, Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger
Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
, Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
and Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
).
Side one
- "Hello, I Love YouHello, I Love You"Hello, I Love You" is a song by The Doors from their 1968 album Waiting for the Sun. It was released as a single that same year, reaching number one in the United States and selling over a million copies in the U.S. alone. In Canada, it hit number one as well...
" – 2:14- The 40th Anniversary Mix includes a longer fade-out making it 2:37.
- "Love StreetLove Street"Love Street" is a 1968 song by The Doors which appears on their album Waiting For The Sun. The song was originally a poem written by singer Jim Morrison about the street in Laurel Canyon, California, where he lived with his girlfriend Pamela Courson. Their address was 8021 Rothdell Trail...
" – 2:53 - "Not to Touch the EarthNot to Touch the Earth"Not to Touch the Earth" is a 1968 song by The Doors from their album Waiting for the Sun. It stems from Jim Morrison's poem, "Celebration of the Lizard". A recording of the complete poem was attempted at the sessions for the album, but only the musical passage Not to Touch the Earth was deemed fit...
" – 3:56 - "Summer's Almost GoneSummer's Almost Gone"Summer's Almost Gone" is the fourth track on Waiting for the Sun, the third album by American rock band The Doors. The song was covered by pianist George Winston on his album Night Divides the Day - The Music of the Doors....
" – 3:22 - "Wintertime LoveWintertime Love"Wintertime Love" is the fifth track on Waiting for the Sun, the third album by American rock band The Doors. The song was unusual for the band, as it is a waltz performed in a softer style. The only other appearance of the song is on the two-disc Australian compilation The Best of the Doors....
" – 1:54 - "The Unknown SoldierThe Unknown Soldier (song)"The Unknown Soldier" was the first single from The Doors' 1968 album Waiting for the Sun, and was also the subject of one of the band's few music videos.-Lyrics:...
" – 3:23
Side two
- "Spanish CaravanSpanish Caravan"Spanish Caravan" is a song by The Doors from the album Waiting for the Sun released in 1968. Its basic flamenco track is an established form of flamenco music known as Granadinas.The beginning riff was taken from Asturias , a classical piece of music by a Spanish composer Isaac Albeniz...
" – 3:03 - "My Wild LoveMy Wild Love"My Wild Love" is a song written by all the members of The Doors. It is included in their third album Waiting for the Sun and it is their only song performed in a capella. Jim Morrison's vocals are backed up by the band members vocals, performing different sorts of sounds with their mouths and...
" – 3:01 - "We Could Be So Good TogetherWe Could Be So Good Together"We Could Be So Good Together" is a song by American rock band The Doors, appearing as the ninth song on their 1968 album, Waiting for the Sun, but was initially released as the B-side of the single The Unknown Soldier...
" – 2:26 - "Yes, the River Knows" – 2:36
- "Five to OneFive To One"Five to One" is a song by The Doors, from their 1968 album Waiting for the Sun.-Origin:"Five to one" is rumored to be the approximate ratio of whites to blacks, old to young, or non-pot smokers to pot smokers in the US in 1967, depending on whom you ask. A further urban legend has it as the ratio...
" – 4:26
40th Anniversary Edition CD bonus tracks
- "Albinoni'sTomaso AlbinoniTomaso Giovanni Albinoni was an Italian Baroque composer. While famous in his day as an opera composer, he is mainly remembered today for his instrumental music, such as the concertos, some of which are regularly recorded.-Biography:Born in Venice, Republic of Venice, to Antonio Albinoni, a...
Adagio in G minorAdagio in G minorThe Adagio in G minor for violin, strings and organ continuo, is a neo-Baroque composition popularly attributed to the 18th-century Venetian master Tomaso Albinoni, but composed by the 20th-century musicologist and Albinoni biographer Remo Giazotto and based on the disputed discovery of a...
" – 4:32 - "Not to Touch the Earth" (Dialogue) – 0:38
- "Not to Touch the Earth" (Take 1) – 4:05
- "Not to Touch the Earth" (Take 2) – 4:18
- "Celebration of the Lizard (An Experiment/Work in Progress)Celebration of the Lizard"Celebration of the Lizard" is an epic performance piece written by Jim Morrison, frontman of The Doors. Composed as a series of poems, they include musical sections, spoken verse, and passages of allegorical storytelling.-Poems:*Lions in the Street...
" – 17:09
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Billboard Pop Albums (Billboard 200) | 1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | "The Unknown Soldier The Unknown Soldier (song) "The Unknown Soldier" was the first single from The Doors' 1968 album Waiting for the Sun, and was also the subject of one of the band's few music videos.-Lyrics:... " B-side: "We Could Be So Good Together" |
Pop Singles | 39 |
| 1968 | "Hello, I Love You Hello, I Love You "Hello, I Love You" is a song by The Doors from their 1968 album Waiting for the Sun. It was released as a single that same year, reaching number one in the United States and selling over a million copies in the U.S. alone. In Canada, it hit number one as well... " B-side: "Love Street" |
Pop Singles | 1 |
Personnel
The Doors- Jim MorrisonJim MorrisonJames Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the... - Ray ManzarekRay ManzarekRaymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
– Gibson G-101Gibson G-101The Gibson G-101 is a model of combo organ, one of many makes and models of transistorized portable organs, most popularly used in rock & roll bands of the mid- and late 1960s, designed for use on stage or in the studio, for players that transported them frequently between performances.The...
organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
on tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 11, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
on tracks 2, 4, 10, harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
on track 5, Vox ContinentalVox ContinentalThe Vox Continental is a transistor-based combo organ that was introduced in 1962. Known for its thin, bright, breathy sound, the "Connie," as it was affectionately known, was designed to be used by touring musicians...
organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
on track 9, backing vocals - Robby KriegerRobby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - John DensmoreJohn DensmoreJohn Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional musicians
- Douglas LubahnDouglass LubahnDouglass Lubahn is a psychedelic-rock/jazz-rock bassist who has played with some internationally famous bands. His work is featured on several albums recorded by The Doors.-Brief History:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
on tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 - Kerry Magness - bass guitar on track 6
- Leroy VinnegarLeroy VinnegarLeroy Vinnegar was an American jazz bassist.Born in Indianapolis, the self-taught Vinnegar established his reputation in Los Angeles during the 1950s and 1960s. His trademark was the rhythmic "walking" bass line, a steady series of ascending or descending notes, and it brought him the nickname...
- acoustic bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
on track 7
Technical staff and artwork
- Bruce BotnickBruce BotnickBruce Botnick is an American audio engineer and record producer, best known for his work with The Doors, and with Love. He engineered Love's first two albums, and co-produced their third album, Forever Changes, with the band's singer-songwriter, Arthur Lee.In November 1970, he took over production...
- engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Paul FerraraPaul FerraraPaul Ferrara is an American photographer known for his relation with singer Jim Morrison of the band The Doors . He started as The Doors still photographer and his first production was a souvenir book that was sold at concerts. Many of the iconic images of Morrison’s persona were created by...
- front cover photograph - William S. Harvey - art direction & design
- Jac HolzmanJac HolzmanJac Holzman was the founder, chief executive officer and head of both Elektra Records and Nonesuch Records.-Biography:He founded Elektra Records in his St. John's College dorm room in 1950 and Nonesuch Records in 1964...
- production supervisor - Paul A. RothchildPaul A. RothchildPaul A. Rothchild was a prominent American record producer of the late 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:Born in Brooklyn, New York, Rothchild grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey and graduated from Teaneck High School in 1953....
- producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Guy Webster - back cover photograph