RhinoAn expanded 50th anniversary reissue of The Doors‘ fifth studio album, Morrison Hotel, will be released on October 9.
Morrison Hotel: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition will be available as a two-CD/one-LP set that features a newly remastered version of the album on one CD, a CD of unreleased studio outtakes, and the original album pressed on 180-gram vinyl.
Released in February 1970, Morrison Hotel peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200, and featured the enduring Doors tune “Roadhouse Blues,” as well as such gems as “Waiting for the Sun,” “Peace Frog,” “Indian Summer” and “Maggie M’Gill.” The album has sold over 1 million copies in the U.S.
The reissue’s bonus CD features 19 outtakes, including multiple takes of “Roadhouse Blues,” “Queen of the Highway” and “Peace Frog,” a version of the rarity “I Will Never Be Untrue” and the band jamming on renditions of the classic Motown tune “Money (That’s What I Want)” and B.B. King‘s “Rock Me.”
The “Roadhouse Blues” outtakes feature recordings from three different sessions. Early takes feature session musician Harvey Brooks on bass, while later takes feature guitar great Lonnie Mack playing bass and The Lovin’ Spoonful‘s John Sebastian on harmonica.
Longtime Doors engineer Bruce Botnick, who remastered the reissue, notes, “There are many takes, different arrangements, false starts, and insightful studio conversations between the band — who were in the studio — and producer Paul Rothchild — who was in the control room. It’s like being a fly on the wall.”
An outtake that combines versions of the songs “Peace Frog” and “Blue Sunday” has been released as an advance track that’s available now as a digital download and for streaming.
The reissue features liner notes penned by acclaimed rock journalist David Fricke.
Here’s the full track list of Morrison Hotel deluxe reissue’s CDs:
Disc One: The Original Album
Side One: Hard Rock Cafe
“Roadhouse Blues”
“Waiting for the Sun”
“You Make Me Real”
“Peace Frog”
“Blue Sunday”
“Ship of Fools”
Side Two: Morrison Hotel
“Land Ho!”
“The Spy”
“Queen of the Highway”
“Indian Summer”
“Maggie M’Gill”
Disc Two: Mysterious Union
Black Dressed in Leather (“Queen of the Highway” Sessions)
First Session (11/15/68)
“Queen of the Highway” (Take 1, She Was a Princess)*
“Queen of the Highway” (Various Takes)*
“Queen of the Highway” (Take 44, He Was a Monster)*
Second Session (1/16/69)
“Queen of the Highway” (Take 12, No One Could Save Her)*
“Queen of the Highway” (Take 14, Save The Blind Tiger)*
Third Session (Date Unknown)
“Queen of the Highway” (Take 1, American Boy – American Girl)*
“Queen of the Highway” (Takes 5, 6 & 9, Dancing Through the Midnight Whirlpool)*
“Queen of the Highway” (Take 14, Start It All Over)*
“I Will Never Be Untrue”*
“Queen of the Highway” (Take Unknown)*
Money Beats Soul (“Roadhouse Blues” Sessions)
First Session
“Roadhouse Blues” (Take 14, Keep Your Eyes on the Road)*
“Money (That’s What I Want)”*
“Rock Me Baby”*
Second Session
“Roadhouse Blues” (Takes 6 & 7, Your Hands Upon the Wheel)*
“Roadhouse Blues” (Take 8, We’re Goin’ to the Roadhouse)*
Third Session
“Roadhouse Blues” (Takes 1 & 2, We’re Gonna Have a Real Good Time)*
“Roadhouse Blues” (Takes 5, 6 & 14, Let It Roll Baby Roll)*
Dawn’s Highway (“Peace Frog/Blue Sunday” Session)
“Peace Frog/Blue Sunday” (Take 4)*
“Peace Frog” (Take 12)*
* = previously unreleased.
By Matt Friedlander
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