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Rock Is Dead (The Doors song)

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Wikipedia article




"'Rock Is Dead'" is a song by the Doors, recorded on February 25, 1969, at Sunset Sound Recorders in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Doors singer Jim Morrison described the recording as "throwing up these old songs in the studio. Blues trips. Rock classics... the whole history of rock musicblues, rock and roll, Latin jazz, surf music". The song credits acknowledge some of the writers of the original songs. It featured session musician Harvey Brooks on bass guitar.

Background



According to biographer Stephen Davis, the song began as a jam in the studio after a night out dining and drinking at a local Mexican restaurant: "the band played free-form R&B, improvising about the death of rock and roll". He added the song was:

A heavily edited version lasting 16:30 was released on 'The Doors: Box Set' in 1997 and the 50th Anniversary Edition of 'The Soft Parade' contains the complete 64:03 version.

Critical reception



In an AllMusic review of 'The Doors Box Set', critic Bruce Eder commented: "the 16-and-half-minute jam/rap (including a reference to 'Mystery Train') from the 'Morrison Hotel' sessions, entitled 'Rock Is Dead,' where, fueled on wine and good food, they let the tape roll on this astonishing extended musical moment. Here, Morrison's singing, two years beforehand, gets fully at the raw, bluesy sound it would acquire for the subsequent 'L.A. Woman' album."

Richie Unterberger in his review of the 50th Anniversary Edition of 'The Soft Parade', noted "The centerpiece of these two bonus discs is 'Rock Is Dead,' an hour-long studio blues jam that has been heavily bootlegged but never released in this complete form. Alternately maddening and compelling, 'Rock Is Dead' is worth the price of admission."

References



Category:The Doors songs

Category:1997 songs

Category:Songs written by Jim Morrison

Category:Songs written by Ray Manzarek

Category:Songs written by Robby Krieger

Category:Songs written by John Densmore

Category:Songs about rock music

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