THE DOORS’ RECORD “THE CHANGELING”: FROM SLOW BLUES TO ROCK FUNK

 

A favorite among The Doors' fans, “The Changeling” is an unusual addition to the Californian group's catalogue.

Like the rest of the "L.A. Woman" LP, it was recorded in late 1970 and boldly opens the band's final album with Morrison alive. It was later released as the dynamic B-side to the dark and fascinating single 'Riders on the Storm' in June 1971.

The song is an eclectic and unusual musical adaptation of a Jim Morrison poem from a few years earlier. However, the singer intended it to be a blues with a classic verse - verse - chorus structure.

This can be heard in one of the tracks rehearsed after the concert at the Aquarius Theatre in Los Angeles on 21 July 1969. In fact, the day after their two successful performances at the Aquarius Theatre (on the first and second nights), the group used the theatre's space for a free and informal jam session.

The rehearsals that took place in this setting featured, among other tunes, some languid blues in which Morrison sang verses and word sequences that had come to him from songs or poems not yet considered for proper arrangement.

In the second part of the recording, Morrison can be heard jokingly asking himself "Jim, are you singing?" and then replying, "I don't know, let me ask him". He shakes his maracas aimlessly while Krieger's guitar sketches some vague chords in the background.

This extremely relaxed and laid-back atmosphere accommodates the two verses, bridge and chorus of what would be recorded one year and five months later as 'The Changeling' (listen to the section of the 22 July '69 jam session from min. 0:08 to min. 0:56. Link here).

In this early version from the summer of 1969, Krieger's uncertain and barely hinted-at guitar accompaniment suggests that, at that time, the two musicians were developing blues ideas inspired by Morrison, but these were still in their early stages.

This is confirmed by the next track on this unofficial recording, which features the main theme from "Cars Hiss By My Window", another Morrison blues destined to appear on the “L.A. Woman” album.

There are no more concrete traces of 'The Changeling' until the December 1970 sessions, when the song was rehearsed several times in a completely different form: the version that would shortly after appear on "L.A. Woman".

In the studio, the arrangement and nature of the song changed entirely, presenting listeners with a funk-influenced rock tune.

The funk genre gained considerable popularity among the American public during the late 1960s, so it is not surprising that The Doors were familiar with several funk songs. At the forefront of the funk movement since its inception in 1964 was James Brown, who released the remarkable single 'Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved (Parts 1 and 2)' in the same month that the 'L.A. Woman' recording sessions began.

James Brown’s aforementioned single has no direct connection to 'The Changeling', but it illustrates the musical landscape from which The Doors drew inspiration in this instance.

Compared to the quiet blues version of 1969, the structure of 'The Changeling' is enriched on the LP by the addition of an energetic rock middle eight with an edgy and resolute profile (listen from min. 1:36 to min. 2:00, for example).

Funk partially inspires its progression, with three stops placed on as many short, aggressively sung phrases. Morrison's high-pitched, short scream is the combative culmination of this middle section and nicely completes the composition, continuing in the urgent funk-rock style described above.

In addition to the middle eight, three other elements of "The Changeling" are reminiscent of funk.

The most obvious of these is the riff played repeatedly by Manzarek's Hammond organ and, to a lesser extent, Jerry Scheff's bass in the verses (listen from min. 0:01 to min. 1:12 or from min. 2:09 to min. 2:40).

The second element is the 'wah-wah' distortion exhibited by Krieger's guitar in the bridge-chorus-middle eight sequence (listen from min. 1:13 to min. 2:08, for example). This guitar pedal was popular among funk guitarists in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 'The Changeling', it plays a rhythmic role, providing brief, elastic, stinging waves that counterbalance the dense fluidity of the Hammond organ.

The third sonic element that is reminiscent of the funk genre in this track by The Doors is the abrupt changes in rhythm between sections, which funk often uses to increase the impact of different passages on the listener. These breaks are emphasized by Densmore's drums and can be heard between the verse and the bridge (listen at min. 1:12), and between the chorus and the middle eight (listen at min. 1:36).

However, the funk influence resulting from these three factors is filtered through the band's distinctive rock sensibility, adding a new dynamic and creative nuance to the quartet's discography.

The rock nature of the song is particularly evident in the chorus (listen from min. 1:19 to min. 1:35, for example), where Morrison delivers the main line of the lyrics: 'I'm a changeling, see me change!'. This statement vibrates intensely and is driven forward by Densmore's ostinato snare drum and the swirling Hammond organ, which together create a sustained, penetrating rhythmic-melodic theme.

Krieger's solo (listen from min. 2:50 to min. 3:22) diversifies the general atmosphere, with his electric guitar describing three long, sinuous lines enhanced by different types of distortion, including the fuzz pedal.

They take turns to draw vivid, abstract curves and parabolas, achieving an almost psychedelic result that pleasantly contrasts with the rest of the track.

The coda (listen from min. 3:45 onwards) sees the tempo accelerate, accompanied by an increasingly urgent vocal line. The slightly redundant hand clapping is a noticeable feature, having almost disappeared from the British and American scenes after 1965. It is revived here without much success.

Morrison's vocal performance is undoubtedly excellent, ranking as the best on the “L.A. Woman” LP (along with that of the title track).

His vocals are deep, raspy and boldly expressive, fitting the sudden changes in vocal pace perfectly. He expresses himself admirably in an unprecedented musical context, with a dark, grave timbre endowed with a harsh background note that vividly displays the personal transformation experienced by the singer and suggested by the song’s title.

The poet and singer of The Doors wrote simple and succinct lyrics that recount his own changing pattern over the last three years. Through the places he lived in Los Angeles and the economic shifts he experienced, he wants to symbolize the perpetual mutability of human nature and the unpredictable events that shape it.

As a consequence, the radical and rapid transformation of Morrison's appearance and attitude between 1967 and 1970 is often associated with the lyrics of this composition.

An alternate version of 'The Changeling' is included on the special edition of 'L.A. Woman' released to celebrate the album's 40th anniversary (here’s the link to the alternate version of the track).

Although less polished and effective than the album track and featuring a less convincing vocal performance, it is still interesting and demonstrates Morrison's deep affection for the song. Before playing it, he asks the other band members to play with great commitment (literally to "play their asses off") because it is "my favorite number" on the album.

'The Changeling' sees The Doors boldly and courageously step out of the confines of their previous music, becoming the only instance in which the band experiments with funk influences applied to rock.

Overall, the composition is very original and tasteful, exciting in its unfolding, and the lyrics sung by Morrison are among the most autobiographical in his repertoire.

While this is not the terrain on which the band could best convey its artistic message, the song introduces listeners to new exciting sounds in The Doors' discography.

Although the California-based band was approaching the end of its career, this tune showed that they knew how to tread the path of innovation and contamination with genres different from their artistic background. Moreover, they did so with vibrant vitality and persuasive incisiveness.

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

Here’s a link:

Amazon – “The Doors Through Strange Days”