Artist.......: The Doors
Album........: Singles Box Japan Edition
Label........: Wea Japan
Genre........: Rock
Catnr........: n/a
Source.......: CD Single (1-2 tracks)
Rip.date.....: 2013-08-01
Str.date.....: 2013-07-02
Quality......: 233kbps/44.1kHz/Joint Stereo
Url..........: http://thedoors.com/japan7
track title time
Disc 1/14
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1. Light My Fire 2:57
2. The Crystal Ship 2:32
Disc 2/14
--------
1. People Are Strange 2:14
2. Unhappy Girl 1:56
Disc 3/14
--------
1. Love Me Two Times 3:18
2. Moonlight Drive 3:02
Disc 4/14
--------
1. The Unknown Soldier 3:16
2. We Could Be So Good Together 2:24
Disc 5/14
--------
1. Hello, I Love You (Won't You Tell Me Your 2:18
Name)
2. Love Street 2:50
Disc 6/14
--------
1. Touch Me 3:16
2. Wild Child 2:37
Disc 7/14
--------
1. Tell All The People 3:36
2. Easy Ride 2:41
Disc 8/14
--------
1. Runnin' Blue 2:29
2. Do It 3:09
Disc 9/14
--------
1. Land Ho! 3:00
2. You Make Me Real 2:51
Disc 10/14
--------
1. Love Her Madly 2:55
2. (You Need Meat) Don't Go No Further 3:40
Disc 11/14
--------
1. Riders On The Storm 5:00
2. Changeling 3:27
Disc 12/14
--------
1. Tightrope Ride 3:41
2. Variety Is The Spice Of Life 2:49
Disc 13/14
--------
1. Get Up And Dance 2:40
2. Treetrunk 3:00
Disc 14/14
--------
1. The Mosquito 2:52
2. It Slipped My Mind 3:11
Runtime 83:41
Size 142.40
Release Notes:
The Singles Box Japan Edition is the CD reproduction of all vinyl singles
released by The Doors between 1967 and 1972. As four of 18 US singles were
never released in Japan, the singles box includes 14 singles. Strictly
speaking, this is the first time 17 of the 28 tracks are released on the CD
format and outside of Japan it is available exclusively at The Doors online
store: www.thedoors.com/japan7
Since all the original singles were released by Nippon Victor (now Victor
Entertainment Inc), the faithful reproduction of them has certain limitations,
but we have managed to use the Elektra Blue Guitar-man labels that were used
exclusively in Japan.
The first Doors single, æBreak On ThroughÆ b/w æEnd Of The NightÆ (EK-45611)
with the picture sleeve, was released on 4 January 1967 by Elektra Records in
the US. Monaural on both sides, the single was released in the UK, Germany and
France but unfortunately never in Japan.
So let us discuss chronologically the records released by Nippon Victor, who had
the distribution rights for the Elektra label.
1) æLight My FireÆ b/w æThe Crystal ShipÆ (JET-1778 / released 25 July 1967)
The debut single in Japan. As with the US pressing, æLight My FireÆ is the
edited short version, and both sides were monaural. The hand-tinted picture
sleeve of the famous early promotional photograph shows its age, and was used
for the original issue, released before the single became number one in the US
on 29 July 1967. After the single became a US chart hit, it was subsequently
reissued in Japan on 25 August of the same year, sporting the same photograph as
the first album on the sleeve (included in this set as the bonus sleeve).
However, the single did not become a huge hit in Japan, and The Doors did not
become a top band immediately. It would take another year for the bandÆs
popularity to fully flourish.
It must be said that the Japanese title æHeart Ni Hi Wo TsuketeÆ is arguably one
of the best titles in the history of foreign music in Japan.
2) æPeople Are StrangeÆ b/w æUnhappy GirlÆ (JET-1797 / released 25 November
1967)
The single from the second album Strange Days was a US smash hit, climbing the
chart at number 12. The opening line of the song æwhen youÆre strangeÆ became
the title of the 2010 Doors documentary film, and the Japanese title of the song
Maboroshi No Sekai was used for the film as well. Both songs from the single
are monaural mixes.
3) æLove Me Two TimesÆ b/w æMoonlight DriveÆ (JET-1816 / released 25 February
1968)
The second single from Strange Days got to number 25 position in the US chart -
so far, three consecutive A-sides were written by Robby Krieger. While both
sides on the US original single were monaural and edited short versions, the
Japanese pressing used the full length stereo versions from the album.
4) æThe Unknown SoldierÆ b/w æWe Could Be So Good TogetherÆ (JET-1841 / released
25 June 1968)
The two songs from Waiting For The Sun preceded the album, climbing the US chart
to number 39. The controversial promotional film featuring the Jim Morrison
shooting scene was aired a number of ties in Japanese TV foreign music programs
at the time. Both songs from the single had different mixes from the album
versions, and the fact that they are monaural makes the songs even more
precious.
5) æHello, I Love YouÆ b/w æLove StreetÆ (JET-1857 / extra release 5 September
1968)
The single that defined the popularity of The Doors in Japan. The single marked
number 20 in the Original Confidence magazine chart, spending 18 weeks and
selling 101,950 copies. The annual chart based on Japanese radio station hit
charts ranked the single at number 27, a dramatic leap from æLight My FireÆsÆ
number 87 position from the previous year. The single was naturally a US number
one hit, and even the B-side æLove StreetÆ ranked at number 81 in the US Cash
Box magazine.
6) æTouch MeÆ b/w æWild ChildÆ (JET-1880 / released 10 February 1969)
The bandÆs biggest hit in Japan. Although the single was prevented from being
number one radio hit by The BeatlesÆ æOb-La-Di, Ob-La-DaÆ, it stayed in the top
ten for over two months, and sold 113,500 copies. It successfully charted at
number seven in the Japanese annual chart. The Music Life magazine readersÆ
poll ranked Ray Manzarek as the 6th instrumentalist, Jim Morrison as the 4th
male vocalist, and the band was number 3 after The Beatles and The Rolling
Stones û it was the peak of the bandÆs popularity. It was rather ironic,
considering there was a wave of anti-Doors in their homeland following the Miami
incident. Meanwhile, æTouch MeÆ has a different mix from the album.
7) æTell All The PeopleÆ b/w æEasy RideÆ (JET-1909 / released 25 August 1969)
All four singles from the bandÆs fourth album Soft Parade had A-sides written by
Robby Krieger, this being the third. The single got to number 57, and climbed
up to number 11 in the Bunka Hoso radio All Japan Pop 20 chart.
Incidentally in February, around the time when æTouch MeÆ was released in Japan,
æWishful SinfulÆ b/w æWho Scared YouÆ (EK-45656) was released in the US, and
charted at number 44. The single was never released in Japan, but was included
in the 4-track EP Tell All The People (SJET-533).The B-side track æEasy RideÆ
was written by Jim Morrison, who suggested the song to be the A-side.
8) æRunninÆ BlueÆ b/w æDo ItÆ (JET-1926 / released 25 November 1969)
The opening line that mourns the late Otis Redding was reputedly written and
sung by Morrison just two weeks after ReddingÆs death in December 1967. The
single got to number 64 in the US chart. While it was never a hit in Japan, the
band was voted number four in the Music Life magazine readersÆ poll, with
Manzarek, Morrison and John Densmore making their entrance with their individual
roles.
The B-side track æDo ItÆ is the album version, featuring the intro rap by
Densmore and Manzarek which was cut from the US single.
9)ÆLand Ho!Æ b/w æYou Make Me RealÆ (JET-1966 / released 25 May 1970)
This song written by Krieger was probably considered the most commercial and
single-worthy song from the Morrison Hotel album, and was released for the
Japanese market only. The song fades out earlier, which makes it a shorter and
a rare version indeed. The single was released in the US backed with æRoadhouse
BluesÆ (EK-45685), both tracks monaural, and reached number 50 in the national
chart. æRoadhouse BluesÆ was originally planned as the B- side for the Japanese
pressing too.
As æYou Make Me RealÆ is the stereo album version, you do not hear Morrison
saying ôCome on!ö in the intro.
10) ÆLove Her MadlyÆ b/w æ(You Need Meat) DonÆt Go No FurtherÆ (JET-2057 / 25
June 1971)
The hit single that marked the return of The Doors in shape, both in the US and
in Japan, where it became number 40 in the 1971 annual foreign music chart.
Like the original issue of æLight My FireÆ, the hand tinted band picture sleeve
has style. The single was released just eight days before MorrisonÆs death.
The sleeve is well known by fanatics for its typo ærenbou (face of love)Æ which
was corrected to æhenbou (transformation)Æ on later pressings.
As the track fades out, the single version is shorter than that of the album,
but it is still a few seconds longer than the US original single.
Also, æDonÆt Go No FurtherÆ on the Japanese single omits the intro counts by
Manzarek.
11) ÆRiders Of The StormÆ b/w æChangelingÆ (JET-2070 / released 5 September
1971)
The posthumous single released in Japan, æRiders On The StormÆ is popular among
collectors for the coolest picture sleeve in the world. The sleeve photograph
is said to be taken at a show in Detroit in May 1970. The song is given a
Japanese only treatment, and has a longer keyboard solo than the US original
single. Both sides are edited versions, but are so well edited that they still
retain the characteristics of the songs.
As with æLove Her MadlyÆ, this single was a cut from L.A. Woman û both became
their biggest hits in a while, entering top 15 in the US chart.
It is well worth noting that the single first appeared in the US hit chart on 3
July 1971, the very day Morrison passed away in Paris.
12) ÆTightrope RideÆ b/w æVariety Is The Spice Of LifeÆ (JET-2097 / released 5
February 1972)
The first single by the new post-Morrison trio version of The Doors. Its
highest chart position in the US was number 71 in the Billboard chart. Manzarek
sings the lead vocals, with lyrics mourning the demise of Morrison. This song
surely is the major turning point in the history of The Doors, and was given the
CD treatment for the first time on The Doors Box Set in 1997. However, the
version presented here is the single edit.
Krieger sings lead for the first time on a single record on æVariety Is The
Spice Of LifeÆ. The same month saw the second single from Other Voices, æShips
w/ SailsÆ b/w æIn The Eye Of The SunÆ (EK-45768), released in the US, but it did
not see a Japanese release. Since the two albums after MorrisonÆs death have
not been officially released on CD, four songs out of the three subsequent
singles are on CD for the first time.
13) ÆGet Up And DanceÆ b/w æTreetrunkÆ (JET-2136 / released 5 September 1972)
This single preceded the bandÆs last album Full Circle, with an A-side pop and
joyous number featuring Chris Etheridge on bass and female chorus. This single
represents the final and biggest shift change in The Doors history.
You can see the new percussion and rhythm guitar player Bobby Ray Henson on the
sleeve. At the time, The Doors would play shows as a 5-piece, featuring Henson
and bass player Jack Conrad.
The B side number æTreetrunkÆ was the last single-only song which was not
available on CD. The song was recorded during Other Voices sessions with Conrad
on bass, but according to Krieger, it was too commercial to include in the
album, thus making its first appearance on this single.
14) ÆThe MosquitoÆ b/w æIt Slipped My MindÆ (JET-2150 / released 25 November
1972)
Another single from Full Circle, and the only Doors single on which Krieger sang
lead on the A-side. æThe MosquitoÆ is the monaural edit version (the album
version was released on CD in a compilation album that came out in 2000).
This song was the biggest hit for the post-Morrison era Doors, achieving success
not in the US but in West Germany (25th position), South America and Turkey
where the single was a smash hit. Each country had its own cover of the song.
On the same month, the last single in the US æThe Piano BirdÆ b/w æGood RockinÆÆ
(EK-45825) saw its release.
The Doors achieved constant success with both albums and singles, but when you
look at the band from the singles point of view, we must take our hats off to
Krieger as the guitarist and the composer of the band. Out of 14 singles / 28
songs, 19 were his compositions (including co-writing credits), approximately
two thirds of the total number, including two big hits that will be remembered
as the rock evergreen classics.
This highly unique compilation reminds you of the fact that The Doors was never
a Jim Morrison one-man band.