THE "STRANGE DAYS" LP’S AFTERMATH: "THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER"

 

The Doors' second album, "Strange Days", was released on 25 September 1967. It reached number two on the US album chart.

Soon after the release of this LP, Jim Morrison conceived another song with a structure completely different to anything that had been released by any band up to that time.

Titled "The Unknown Soldier", it would become the first single released from the band's next album, "Waiting for the Sun".

This great composition was released in March 1968, with "We Could Be So Good Together" as the B-side — another track that would end up on "Waiting for the Sun". It was recorded in November 1967, which indicates that it was composed in the period immediately following the release of "Strange Days".

The structure and features of this song originate from the experience gained by The Doors during the recording of "Strange Days", when the group had more time to spend in the recording studio.

There, they experimented with new instruments, sound effects and distortions. In doing so, they developed a taste for the new musical possibilities offered by sound engineering, which characterize "The Unknown Soldier" so innovatively.

During the "Strange Days" recordings, The Doors discovered a whole new world of sound experimentation. They swiftly built on this discovery to create something unprecedented: "The Unknown Soldier".

The tune was the first piece of contemporary music to include a scene acted out by a musical group. In fact, the central part of the song featured sounds and voices, but no music.

This was an extremely daring and innovative move, combining music and theatre in a smooth and fascinating way within the same musical context. This would not have been possible without the sound developments The Doors experienced during the “Strange Days” sessions.

Despite its high quality, this track did not fare well in the charts, stopping at a disappointing 39th place. Nevertheless, to this day it remains a rare example of politically engaged psychedelic rock mixed with theatre performance and unprecedented, bold studio innovations, offering a great musical experience originating from the immediate artistic and musical aftermath of “Strange Days”.

My book "The Doors Through Strange Days"- The most comprehensive journey ever made through The Doors' second LP, is available on Amazon.com, uk, mx, ca, etc.

Here’s the link: Amazon – “The Doors Through Strange Days”