The Doors are continuing their campaign to expand their studio output with a deluxe edition of their 1971 album, L.A. Woman, for its 50th Anniversary. The new 3-CD/1-LP collection, released December 3, 2021, via Rhino, includes more than two hours of previously unreleased session outtakes.
While the album is best known for its two singles, “Love Her Madly” and “Riders on the Storm,” it also includes such classic rock favorites as the title track and “The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat).” The Sunset Sound outtake of “Riders on the Storm” was released on Sept. 1, the day of the announcement; listen to it and many other tracks below.
On Oct. 1, “L.A. Woman (Pt. 2)” from the sessions, was released in advance of the new collection.
L.A. Woman: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition includes the original album newly remastered by The Doors’ longtime engineer and mixer Bruce Botnick, two bonus discs of unreleased studio outtakes, and the stereo mix of the original album on 180-gram virgin vinyl.
From the Sept. 1 announcement: For this new collection, the original album has been expanded with more than two hours of unreleased recordings taken from the sessions for L.A. Woman, allowing the listener to experience the progression of each song as it developed in the studio. An early demo for “Hyacinth House” recorded at Robby Krieger’s home studio in 1969 is also included.
The outtakes feature Jim Morrison, John Densmore, Krieger, and Ray Manzarek working in the studio with two additional musicians. The first was rhythm guitarist Marc Benno, who worked with Leon Russell in the Asylum Choir. The other was bassist Jerry Scheff, who was a member of Elvis Presley’s TCB band.
Listen to the extended session for “Love Her Madly”
Densmore reveals that “Riders on the Storm” was inspired from the band’s jamming on “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky.” Listen to him, Krieger and Manzarek reminisce about the genesis of the track.
Listen to the Sunset Sound outtake of “Riders on the Storm”
The official video for the track debuted on Dec. 3, the day the 50th Anniversary edition was released. Plenty of Doors easter eggs are hidden throughout the video, including a sign for Barney’s Beanery (one of Morrison’s favorite West Hollywood bars); a woman tied to a streetlight recalling the image found inside the original L.A. Woman gatefold sleeve; plus, a glimpse of the Alta Cienega Motel where Morrison lived in Room 32 from 1968 to 1970.
Among the outtakes of album tracks, you can also hear the band ripping through the kinds of classic blues songs that Morrison once described as “original blues.” They include takes of Junior Parker’s “Mystery Train,” John Lee Hooker’s “Crawling King Snake,” Big Joe Williams’ “Baby Please Don’t Go,” and “Get Out Of My Life Woman,” Lee Dorsey’s funky 1966 classic, written by his producer Allen Toussaint.
In the collection’s extensive liner notes, rock journalist David Fricke explores the whirlwind making of the album, which would be the last with Morrison, who died in Paris a few months after its release. “Morrison may never have come back to The Doors,” he writes. “But with his death, L.A. Woman became rebirth, achievement, and finale, all at once. It’s the blues too – original blues, as Morrison promised. Fifty years later, there is still nothing like it.”
See the complete track listing below the pre-order links.
L.A. Woman: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Track Listing
CD 1: Original Stereo Mix Remastered
“The Changeling”
“Love Her Madly”
“Been Down So Long”
“Cars Hiss By My Window”
“L.A. Woman”
“L’America”
“Hyacinth House”
“Crawling King Snake”
“The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)”
“Riders On The Storm”
Bonus Tracks
“Hyacinth House” – Demo
“Riders On The Storm” – Sunset Sound Version *
“The Changeling” was the first song recorded by The Doors for L.A. Woman, inspired by a phrase Jim Morrison wrote in a 1968 journal.
CD 2: L.A. Woman Sessions, Part 1
“The Changeling” *
“Love Her Madly” *
“Riders On The Storm” *
“L.A. Woman” (Part 1) *
Listen to the work-in-progress of the title cut
CD 3: L.A. Woman Sessions, Part 2
“L.A. Woman” (Part 2) *
“She Smells So Nice” *
“Rock Me Baby” *
“Mr. Mojo Risin’” *
“Baby Please Don’t Go” *
“L.A. Woman” (Part 3) *
“Been Down So Long” *
“Get Out Of My Life Woman” *
“Crawling King Snake” *
“The Bastard Son Of Jimmy & Mama Reed (Cars Hiss By My Window)” *
“Been Down So Long” *
“Mystery Train” *
“The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)” *
Listen to a instrumental session of “The WASP” and the 2021 remaster of the original
L.A. Woman (Original Stereo Mix Remastered) LP Track Listing
Side One
“The Changeling”
“Love Her Madly”
“Been Down So Long”
“Cars Hiss By My Window”
“L.A. Woman”
Side Two
“L’America”
“Hyacinth House”
“Crawling King Snake”
“The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)”
“Riders On The Storm”
Related: Our Album Rewind of L.A. Woman
4 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationWhat is it about the Doors music? It’s so unpretentious, and that’s saying a lot considering who their singer was. There are times over the course of their records that their music came across as almost corny, in the context of other rock records of the time and beyond. But, always, you had to love them for the forthright courage and confidence they had in their music. And truth be told, while I was listening to and loving every record they put out back in the day originally, I find myself loving their music, and what they were, even more when their songs come on the radio these days. Robbie Krieger was always a unique guitar player, especially in the era of the guitar players he came from. I can’t imagine who his influences were, but while you always associate that tabletop organ sound with the Doors, in truth, it’s Krieger’s original guitar parts and sound that really give the Doors much of their musical personality. Just try to imagine how they’d sound with a more traditional rock guitarist, and you’ll see what I mean. There’s not really ANY rock guitarist like him.
Very cool to hear an alternate take of the great song LA woman this is truly a gem to hear some thing for the first time it’s almost like discovering some lost treasure
why did rhino get cold feet and hold back the 8 cd complete session box set? it was supposed to issued 10 years ago..
Robbie Krieger’s guitar style was heavily influenced by his background in flamenco guitar. Listen to “Spanish Caravan”, for example.