L.A. Woman (song)
Encyclopedia
"L.A. Woman" is a song by American
rock band
The Doors
. The song is the title track on their 1971 album L.A. Woman
, the final album with frontman Jim Morrison
before his death.
In the song's coda, Morrison repeats the phrase Mr. Mojo Risin', which is an anagram
of "Jim Morrison".
The song was recorded at The Doors Workshop on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, between December 1970 and January 1971. Morrison recorded his vocal part in the bathroom of the makeshift studio due to the room's natural reverb. Marc Benno
was a second guitarist on the session, Jerry Scheff
played electric bass guitar.
Because of its length (7:49 on the original album, 7:59 on the 40th anniversary re-release) and difficult vocal chord progressions, "L.A. Woman" is considered extremely challenging to sing live. The Doors only performed the song live in its entirety once, at their penultimate concert in Dallas. Faithfully replicating Morrison's performance requires singing at top volume and full voice for the entire song as even the coda is sung at full force. Alcohol abuse and smoking had taken a severe toll on Morrison's voice and the resultant rasp, which gives the song a distinct color, is difficult (and very painful) to duplicate.
The album version begins with a bass riff sounding like God Save the Queen
or My Country Tis of Thee.
and included in the Doors film Dance on Fire.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
. The song is the title track on their 1971 album L.A. Woman
L.A. Woman
The band embarked on a tour to promote the album, although it would only comprise two dates. The first was held in Dallas, Texas on December 11 and reportedly went well. The second performance took place at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 12, 1970, where Morrison apparently had...
, the final album with frontman Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
before his death.
In the song's coda, Morrison repeats the phrase Mr. Mojo Risin', which is an anagram
Anagram
An anagram is a type of word play, the result of rearranging the letters of a word or phrase to produce a new word or phrase, using all the original letters exactly once; e.g., orchestra = carthorse, A decimal point = I'm a dot in place, Tom Marvolo Riddle = I am Lord Voldemort. Someone who...
of "Jim Morrison".
The song was recorded at The Doors Workshop on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, between December 1970 and January 1971. Morrison recorded his vocal part in the bathroom of the makeshift studio due to the room's natural reverb. Marc Benno
Marc Benno
Marc Benno is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Benno was a member of The Asylum Choir with Leon Russell in the late 1960s, and launched a solo career in the early 1970s, with his 1972 effort Ambush being the most commercially successful...
was a second guitarist on the session, Jerry Scheff
Jerry Scheff
Jerry Obern Scheff is an American bassist, perhaps best known for his work with Elvis Presley in the early 1970s as a member of his TCB Band and his work on The Doors' final recordings....
played electric bass guitar.
Because of its length (7:49 on the original album, 7:59 on the 40th anniversary re-release) and difficult vocal chord progressions, "L.A. Woman" is considered extremely challenging to sing live. The Doors only performed the song live in its entirety once, at their penultimate concert in Dallas. Faithfully replicating Morrison's performance requires singing at top volume and full voice for the entire song as even the coda is sung at full force. Alcohol abuse and smoking had taken a severe toll on Morrison's voice and the resultant rasp, which gives the song a distinct color, is difficult (and very painful) to duplicate.
The album version begins with a bass riff sounding like God Save the Queen
God Save the Queen
"God Save the Queen" is an anthem used in a number of Commonwealth realms and British Crown Dependencies. The words of the song, like its title, are adapted to the gender of the current monarch, with "King" replacing "Queen", "he" replacing "she", and so forth, when a king reigns...
or My Country Tis of Thee.
Video
In 1985, 14 years after Morrison's death, Ray Manzarek directed a music video for the song. It was aired on MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and included in the Doors film Dance on Fire.
Lyrics
A yellow sheet of lined A4 paper with the lyrics of L.A. Woman written by Jim Morrison, were auctioned in Berkshire, UK for £13,000 on Aug 4, 2010.Later covers
- The Leningrad CowboysLeningrad CowboysThe Leningrad Cowboys is a Finnish rock band famous for humorously making rock and roll covers of popular songs, exaggerated pompadour hairstyles, long, pointy shoes, often featuring a Russian military band, the Alexandrov Ensemble.-Beginnings:...
covered the song on their 1988 release 1917-1987. - Billy IdolBilly IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
covered this song on his 1990 album Charmed Life. - Tommy Krash. and Sinn are influenced by this song on "Science Girl", the first single on their 2003 album Jailbait.
- A Paul OakenfoldPaul OakenfoldPaul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew...
remix of "L.A. Woman" featured in episode #1.02 of CalifornicationCalifornication (TV series)Californication is an American comedy-drama that premiered on Showtime on August 13, 2007. The show was created by Tom Kapinos. The protagonist, Hank Moody , is a troubled novelist whose move to California, coupled with his writer's block, complicates his relationships with his longtime girlfriend...
. - Jane's AddictionJane's AddictionJane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
covered the song as part of the "L.A. Medley" which also contained the songs "Nausea" by the L.A. based punk rock band X and "Lexicon Devil" from Germs. - ParticleParticle (band)Particle is an American jam band formed in Los Angeles in 2000. The original members were Dave Simmons , Steve Molitz , Eric Gould , and Darren Pujalet . Simmons died shortly after the formation of the band due to a sudden illness. Guitarist Charlie Hitchcock joined shortly thereafter...
covered this song with Robby KriegerRobby KriegerRobert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
, the guitarist from The DoorsThe DoorsThe Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, on their Transformations Live album. - World-music, rock band Days of the NewDays of the NewDays of the New is an American alternative rock band from Louisville, Kentucky, formed in 1995. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Travis Meeks and a variety of supporting musicians...
covered the song for the Doors tribute album, Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The DoorsStoned Immaculate: The Music of the DoorsStoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors is a tribute album dedicated to The Doors. Producer Ralph Sall gathered an assortment of new, classic and iconic artists for the record. Unusually, the surviving members of The Doors played on this "tribute" record. In addition, recordings of Jim Morrison...
. - "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
covered a short segment of the song on his first polka medley, "Polkas on 45", on his second studio album, "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D"Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D is the second studio album by American signer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on February 28, 1984, by Rock 'n Roll Records. The album was one of many produced by former The McCoys guitarist Rick Derringer...
.