"DO IT" BY THE DOORS: JUST AN UNPRETENTIOUS FILLER?

Considered by many to be a filler in The Doors' catalogue, 'Do It' appeared as track number four on 'The Soft Parade', the band's fourth album, released in July 1969.

While certainly not of the same quality as the many masterpieces the band produced throughout their career, this song contains some interesting musical elements that deserve close attention.

'Do It' was written in autumn 1968 through the combination of guitarist Robby Krieger's riff and Jim Morrison's verses.

In August 1969, the composition was used as the B-side of a single from The Soft Parade (with "Runnin' Blue" as the A-side), but it failed to become a significant hit, peaking at number 64 in the US charts and failing to enter the UK charts.

The song was never included in the quartet's concerts or bootlegs and seemd destined for almost complete musical oblivion.

However, from the outset, it is clear that 'Do It' is no filler but rather offers some rare and stimulating perspectives on The Doors' unmistakable rock sound.

Morrison opens the tune with a sinister laugh, somewhere between malice and drunkenness, announcing the originality of this unusual and evocative journey.

The introduction, which coincides with the first 40 seconds of the track, vividly recalls how the band used to start some songs during concerts, particularly thanks to the singer's abstract, elongated vocals.

During this initial section, the instruments sketch out chords and phrases, projecting them forward before repeatedly interrupting their development, much like a train warming up its engines in preparation for imminent acceleration.

At min. 0:40, a deep glissando traced by the electric guitar propels the band into the rolling, resolute pace of the verse. The latter is driven by the rhythmic-melodic figure played by all the band members (including the vocals).

The rock theme conceived in this way soon reaches its climax in the chorus (from 1:00 to 1:04, for example), where the dark, straightforward march of the vocals suddenly stop with a harsh upward twist.

Robby Krieger (electric guitar) and Ray Manzarek (keyboards) each overdub two parts, enriching the arrangement with integrated layers of sound.

The first guitar, distorted by the fuzz pedal, repeats the main riff of the composition with its low tones during the verse, intervening in the other sections with incisive brushstrokes.

Krieger recorded a second guitar purely for rhythmic purposes, this time settling on higher notes slightly dulled by the reverb applied to them.

The two electric organs played by Manzarek (a Hammond C3 and a Gibson K101, respectively) overlap almost constantly throughout the song, combining the fluid texture of the former with the robust flow of the latter's chords in a suggestive manner.

The Hammond organ emerges from this double sound texture, from min. 1:33 to min. 1:52, when the introduction returns as a musical transition intended to diversify the song (in the absence of a true middle eight).

The best performance within the composition turns out to be that of the rhythm section: John Densmore on drums and Harvey Brooks (a well-known and highly respected sessionman on electric bass).

Although their role remains in the background, it is worth noting how dynamic, exciting and pleasantly complex the pattern constructed by the two musicians is.

Densmore's percussive line is characterized by an irregular and fragmented shuffle, with variations, stops and restarts that enhance its originality.

The drummer effortlessly leads the track along a rhythmically bumpy yet pleasantly articulated rock path, demonstrating technical skill and experimentation while maintaining accessibility.

Also noteworthy is Harvey Brooks' intriguing electric bass theme, which unfortunately is barely audible in the final mix. Nonetheless, it is noteworthy for its elastic creativity.

The song's structure is rather atypical, unfolding in an unconventional sequence: introduction, verse-chorus (x2), return of the introduction, verse, transition, verse, coda.

Alongside the instrumentation described above, Morrison's lyrics are extremely concise, essentially limited to two lines: “Please, please listen to me children” in the verse, and “You are the ones who will rule the world” in the chorus.

Despite its brevity, the lyrics of "Do It" represent an impassioned plea to the social conscience of young people, particularly those involved in the cultural protest movement in the United States in the late 1960s.

It is a call for them to be aware of their responsibility, as the economic and political power will be passed on to them in the not-too-distant future.

These lyrics, which are often underestimated, demonstrate Morrison's interest in the events of his time, as well as his hope for a better future for society, turning this tune into a heartfelt exhortation to his own generation.

Overall, 'Do It' deserves to be re-evaluated not as a song of great beauty, but as a valuable and compelling addition to The Doors' great discography.

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