Roadhouse Blues

"Roadhouse Blues"
"Roadhouse Blues"
Promotional single by Status Quo
from the album Piledriver
Released	1972
Genre	Hard rock
Length	7:26
Label	Vertigo
Composer(s)	The Doors
Lyricist(s)	Jim Morrison

"Roadhouse Blues"
"Roadhouse Blues"
Single by the Doors
from the album Morrison Hotel
A-side	"You Make Me Real"
Released	March 1970
Recorded	November 4–5, 1969
Studio	Elektra, Los Angeles
Genre	Blues rock
Length	4:04 (album version); 3:49 (single version);
Label	Elektra
Composer(s)	The Doors
Lyricist(s)	Jim Morrison
Producer(s)	Paul A. Rothchild
The Doors singles chronology
Audio sample
	file; help;

"Roadhouse Blues" is a song by the American rock band the Doors from their 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was released as the B-side of "You Make Me Real", which peaked at No. 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[5] and No. 41 in Canada.^[6] "Roadhouse Blues" charted in its own right on the Cash Box Top 100, peaking at No. 76.^[7] The song became a concert staple for the group and it has been covered by numerous artists.

Quick Facts Single by the Doors, from the album Morrison Hotel ...

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Hailed by sound engineer Bruce Botnick as "the all-time American bar band song,"^[8] "Roadhouse Blues"–despite its relatively unsuccessful chart peak–received strong airplay on rock radio stations.^[9] The song's title was considered for the name of the album, but it was eventually changed.^[8] It was ranked the 153rd top classic-rock song by Q104,3,^[10] and the eleventh best rock song of all time by Time Out.^[11]

The song was recorded over two days, from November 4 to 5, 1969. Producer Paul A. Rothchild insisted on several takes, some of which were included on the 2006 reissue.^[12] Jim Morrison, who was apparently intoxicated during the sessions, flubbed several lyrics and kept repeating the phrase "Money beats soul every time".^[13]

There was more progress on the second day when resident guitarist Lonnie Mack (then employed as an Elektra Records A&R representative) joined in to play bass; Ray Neapolitan, the regular bassist during the Morrison Hotel sessions, was stuck in traffic.^[12]^[14] Although there has been speculation that Mack also contributed the guitar solo, he confirmed that he had played bass and nothing else.^[15] While Mack had stopped working as a professional musician at the time, he decided to return to his career following the session.^[16]

Guitarist Robby Krieger is responsible for all guitar parts on "Roadhouse Blues"; Morrison shouts "Do it, Robby, do it!" at the start of the guitar solo.^[17] Ray Manzarek switched from a Wurlitzer electric piano to a tack piano.^[12] Ex–Lovin' Spoonful frontman John Sebastian contributed harmonica (listed as "G. Puglese" for contractual reasons).^[12]

Alice Cooper claimed that he was the inspiration for the line "Woke up this morning and I got myself a beer", as stated on his Planet Rock morning show: "We were sitting there drinking and Jim comes in and he flops down ... I said that I had got up this morning and got myself a beer and while we're talking he just writes that down. So they go in and they're doing the song and the next thing I hear is 'Woke up this morning and I got myself a beer' and I went 'I just said that a second ago!'"^[18]

A live version appeared on the album An American Prayer, released several years after Morrison died,^[19] and that version can be heard again on In Concert. In this version, Morrison talks for a short while to a female audience member about his Zodiac sign and, with a sudden, ironic twist that causes the audience to erupt in laughter, denounces his belief in it.^[20] The song was also featured twice in the movie The Doors; the studio version in the film, and the aforementioned live one over the end credits.

A studio version of the song with John Lee Hooker sharing vocals with Morrison can be found on the 2000 tribute album Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors.^[21] A studio rehearsal of the song with Ray Manzarek on lead vocals was recorded on May 6, 1969.^[22] This version was finally released on The Soft Parade: 50th Anniversary Edition in 2019.^[23] "Roadhouse Blues" was also performed by the surviving members and Eddie Vedder at the Doors' Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1993.^[24]

The Doors

Jim Morrison – vocals
Robby Krieger – guitar
Ray Manzarek – tack piano
John Densmore – drums

Additional musicians

Lonnie Mack – bass
John Sebastian – harmonica

More information Region, Certification ...


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Italy (FIMI)^[25] sales since 2009	Gold	35,000^‡
United States (RIAA)^[26]	Platinum	1,000,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

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More information Chart (1970), Peak position ...

Chart (1970)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[27]	44
Canada (RPM)	41
US Billboard Hot 100^[5]	50
US Cash Box Top 100	76

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Quick Facts Promotional single by Status Quo, from the album Piledriver ...

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Status Quo, while touring in Bielefeld, Germany, in 1970,^[28] heard the Doors' recording shortly after it was released. They were looking for a change of direction, away from their original psychedelic pop style, and were unsure about what to do; after hearing the song in a club, they enjoyed its 12-bar shuffle and thought it would be a good template for future original material.^[29] The group recorded a studio version on the 1972 album Piledriver, with bassist Alan Lancaster taking the lead vocal and featuring an extra verse with three-part harmonies, which the Doors' recording did not have.^[28] The lyrics differed from the original; for instance, "I should have made you" instead of "Ashen lady".^[30] The track was released as a promotional single, with Black Sabbath's "Children of the Grave" on the B-side.^[28]

The song was a regular feature of Quo's live setlist throughout the 1970s, its performance coming towards the end of the show. It was extended to allow a jam session in the middle, featuring snippets of other songs, including the traditional "The Irish Washerwoman" and "Shakin' All Over".^[31]^[32] A 14-minute version appears as the final track on 1977's Live.^[33] In 1992, the live album Live Alive Quo featured "Roadhouse Medley", which blended other songs into the main "Roadhouse Blues" riff.^[34]

"Roadhouse Blues" was revived for the "Frantic Four" tours in 2013.^[35] In 2014, a deluxe reissue of Piledriver included a 15-minute live version, recorded in 1973.^[36]

Personnel

Alan Lancaster – lead vocals, bass
Francis Rossi – lead guitar, backing vocals
Rick Parfitt – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
John Coghlan – drums

Additional musicians

Bob Young – harmonica
Jimmy Horowitz – piano

Citations

[1]
Luhrssen & Larson 2017, p. 97.
[2]
Goldsmith 2019, p. 95.
[3]
Hermann, Andy (September 18, 2001). "The Very Best of the Doors – Review". PopMatters. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
[4]
Morrison Hotel (Liner notes). The Doors. Elektra Records. 1970. Back cover. EKS-75007.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
[5]
"The Doors Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. 2019. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
[6]
"RPM Top 100 Singles - May 23, 1970" (PDF).
[7]
"Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box. May 16, 1970. p. 4. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
[8]
Weidman 2011, p. 214.
[9]
Weidman 2011, p. 200.
[10]
"The Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time: Dirty Dozenth Edition". Q1043.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
[11]
Kryza, Andy; Levine, Nick; Kerwin, Bryan (November 4, 2022). "The 28 Best Classic Rock Songs of All Time". Time Out. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
[12]
Botnick & Fricke 2006, pp. 1, 3, 7.
[13]
Marcus 2012, p. 100.
[14]
Densmore 1990, p. 235.
[15]
CRL Chapter 05. November 1, 2009. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2016 – via YouTube.
[16]
Cianci, Bob (February 11, 2010). "Robbie Krieger – The Doors' Distinctive Fret Master". Premier Guitar.
[17]
Krieger 2021, p. 262.
[18]
"Jim Morrison Quoted Alice Cooper in 'Roadhouse Blues'". Uncut. July 10, 2008. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
[19]
Iyengar, Vik. "The Doors: An American Prayer". AllMusic. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
[20]
The Doors (2007) [1970]. Live In Boston 1970. Bright Midnight Archives.
[21]
"Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
[22]
The Soft Parade (50th Anniversary edition liner notes). The Doors. Rhino Records. 2019.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
[23]
"The Doors: The Soft Parade – 50th Anniversary [Deluxe edition]". Thedoors.com. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
[24]
"The Doors with Eddie Vedder Perform 'Roadhouse Blues'". Rockhall.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
[25]
"Italian single certifications – Doors – Roadhouse Blues" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved July 18, 2021.
[26]
"American single certifications – The Doors – Roadhouse Blues". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 21, 2024.
[27]
"The Doors – Roadhouse Blues". ultratop.be.
[28]
Stroud 2017, p. 78.
[29]
Rossi, Parfitt & Wall 2005, p. 88.
[30]
"Roadhouse Blues". Status Quo. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
[31]
Stroud 2017, p. 113.
[32]
Harrison, Welch & Adler 2012, p. 291.
[33]
"Live! – Status Quo". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
[34]
"Status Quo: Live Alive Quo". AllMusic. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
[35]
"Music review: Status Quo: The Frantic Four Ride Again, Manchester Apollo". The Independent. March 7, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
[36]
"Status Quo: Piledriver [Deluxe Edition]". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2018.

Sources

Botnick, Bruce; Fricke, David (2006). Morrison Hotel (Remastered) (Album notes). The Doors.
Densmore, John (1990). Riders on the Storm: My Life with Jim Morrison and the Doors. Delacorte Press. ISBN 978-0-385-30033-9.
Goldsmith, Melissa Ursula Dawn (2019). Listen to Classic Rock! Exploring a Musical Genre. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1440865787.
Harrison, Scott D.; Welch, Graham F.; Adler, Adam (2012). Perspectives on Males and Singing. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-9-400-72660-4.
Luhrssen, David; Larson, Michael (2017). Encyclopedia of Classic Rock. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1440835148.
Krieger, Robby (2021). Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar with the Doors. Hachette. ISBN 978-0316243544.
Marcus, Greil (2012). The Doors. Faber & Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-27996-8.
Rossi, Francis; Parfitt, Rick; Wall, Mick (2005). XS All Areas: The Status Quo Autobiography. Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-330-41962-8.
Stroud, Graeme (2017). Status Quo: Song by Song. Fonthill Media.
Weidman, Richie (2011). The Doors FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Kings of Acid Rock. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1-61713-017-5.

Topanga Corral, the site of the Roadhouse venue that served as the inspiration for the song

[FOOTNOTELuhrssenLarson201797-1] [1]
Luhrssen & Larson 2017, p. 97.

[FOOTNOTEGoldsmith201995-2] [2]
Goldsmith 2019, p. 95.

[3] [3]
Hermann, Andy (September 18, 2001). "The Very Best of the Doors – Review". PopMatters. Retrieved July 3, 2022.

[4] [4]
Morrison Hotel (Liner notes). The Doors. Elektra Records. 1970. Back cover. EKS-75007.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[:0-5] [5]
"The Doors Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. 2019. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2019.

[6] [6]
"RPM Top 100 Singles - May 23, 1970" (PDF).

[7] [7]
"Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box. May 16, 1970. p. 4. Retrieved March 11, 2022.

[FOOTNOTEWeidman2011214-8] [8]
Weidman 2011, p. 214.

[FOOTNOTEWeidman2011200-9] [9]
Weidman 2011, p. 200.

[10] [10]
"The Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time: Dirty Dozenth Edition". Q1043.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2022.

[11] [11]
Kryza, Andy; Levine, Nick; Kerwin, Bryan (November 4, 2022). "The 28 Best Classic Rock Songs of All Time". Time Out. Retrieved March 23, 2023.

[FOOTNOTEBotnickFricke20061,_3,_7-12] [12]
Botnick & Fricke 2006, pp. 1, 3, 7.

[FOOTNOTEMarcus2012100-13] [13]
Marcus 2012, p. 100.

[FOOTNOTEDensmore1990235-14] [14]
Densmore 1990, p. 235.

[15] [15]
CRL Chapter 05. November 1, 2009. Archived from the original on December 15, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2016 – via YouTube.

[16] [16]
Cianci, Bob (February 11, 2010). "Robbie Krieger – The Doors' Distinctive Fret Master". Premier Guitar.

[FOOTNOTEKrieger2021262-17] [17]
Krieger 2021, p. 262.

[18] [18]
"Jim Morrison Quoted Alice Cooper in 'Roadhouse Blues'". Uncut. July 10, 2008. Retrieved January 5, 2017.

[19] [19]
Iyengar, Vik. "The Doors: An American Prayer". AllMusic. Retrieved June 26, 2022.

[20] [20]
The Doors (2007) [1970]. Live In Boston 1970. Bright Midnight Archives.

[21] [21]
"Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2018.

[Rhino-22] [22]
The Soft Parade (50th Anniversary edition liner notes). The Doors. Rhino Records. 2019.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[23] [23]
"The Doors: The Soft Parade – 50th Anniversary [Deluxe edition]". Thedoors.com. Retrieved August 15, 2020.

[24] [24]
"The Doors with Eddie Vedder Perform 'Roadhouse Blues'". Rockhall.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2020.

[ItalyDoorsRoadhouse_BluessingleCertRef-25] [25]
"Italian single certifications – Doors – Roadhouse Blues" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved July 18, 2021.

[United_StatesThe_DoorsRoadhouse_BluessingleCertRef-26] [26]
"American single certifications – The Doors – Roadhouse Blues". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 21, 2024.

[27] [27]
"The Doors – Roadhouse Blues". ultratop.be.

[FOOTNOTEStroud201778-28] [28]
Stroud 2017, p. 78.

[FOOTNOTERossiParfittWall200588-29] [29]
Rossi, Parfitt & Wall 2005, p. 88.

[30] [30]
"Roadhouse Blues". Status Quo. Retrieved January 5, 2017.

[FOOTNOTEStroud2017113-31] [31]
Stroud 2017, p. 113.

[FOOTNOTEHarrisonWelchAdler2012291-32] [32]
Harrison, Welch & Adler 2012, p. 291.

[33] [33]
"Live! – Status Quo". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2018.

[34] [34]
"Status Quo: Live Alive Quo". AllMusic. Retrieved January 5, 2018.

[35] [35]
"Music review: Status Quo: The Frantic Four Ride Again, Manchester Apollo". The Independent. March 7, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2018.

[36] [36]
"Status Quo: Piledriver [Deluxe Edition]". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2018.

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Personnel

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Roadhouse Blues

Personnel

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Recording

Other versions

Personnel

Certifications

Charts

Status Quo version

References

External links

"Roadhouse Blues"

Promotional single by Status Quo
from the album Piledriver
Released	1972 (1972)
Genre	Hard rock
Length	7:26
Label	Vertigo
Composer(s)	The Doors
Lyricist(s)	Jim Morrison