Roadhouse Blues


"Roadhouse Blues" is a song by the American rock band the Doors, which appears on the 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was released as the B-side of "You Make Me Real", which peaked at number 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song became a concert staple for the group and it has been covered by numerous artists.

Recording

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 remastered album. Morrison, who was apparently intoxicated, flubbed several lyrics and keep repeating the phrase "Money beats soul every time".
There was more progress on the second day, when resident Elektra Records guitarist Lonnie Mack joined in to play bass. Although there has been speculation that Mack also contributed the guitar solo, he confirmed that he had played bass and nothing else. Mack had quit touring and was working for Elektra at the time, but returned to music after playing bass at the session.
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. Ray Manzarek switched from a Wurlitzer electric piano to a tack piano. Ex-Lovin' Spoonful frontman John Sebastian contributed harmonica.
Alice Cooper claimed 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.

Other versions

A live version appeared on the posthumous album An American Prayer and that same version can be heard again on In Concert and Greatest Hits. On 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. The song was also featured twice in the movie The Doors; the studio version in the film, and the aforementioned live version 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 .

Personnel

The Doors
Additional musicians
, while touring in Bielefeld, Germany, in 1970, 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. 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. The lyrics differed from the original; for instance, "I should have made you" instead of "Ashen lady". The track was released as a promotional single, with Black Sabbath's "Children of the Grave" on the B-side.
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". A 14-minute version appears as the final track on 1977's Live. In 1992, the live album Live Alive Quo featured Roadhouse Medley, which blended other songs into the main Roadhouse Blues riff.
"Roadhouse Blues" was revived for the "Frantic Four" tours in 2013. In 2014, a deluxe reissue of Piledriver included a 15-minute live version, recorded in 1973.

Personnel