Runnin' Blue
Encyclopedia
Runnin' Blue is a song by the American rock band The Doors
, the seventh track on their album The Soft Parade
. In 1969 it peaked at #64 on Billboard magazine's Pop Singles chart.
Robby Krieger
shares vocals with Morrison for the chorus of the track, one of the few songs before Morrison's death to do so.
It is also notable for Jim Morrison's introduction, a tribute to the then recently-deceased Otis Redding
:
Poor Otis, dead and gone
Left me here to sing his song
Pretty little girl with the red dress on
Poor Otis, dead and gone.
The lyrics and melody of this brief a cappella introduction was taken from a Lead Belly track entitled Po' Howard (or Poor Howard on some compilations) where Jim replaced the name 'Howard' with 'Otis'. Sometimes this introduction was played at the end of another Doors' song, "When the Music's Over
". There are other lyrical references to Otis Redding's song "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" throughout this song.
Notable bluegrass musician Jesse McReynolds plays the mandolin in this song.
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 seventh track on their album The Soft Parade
The Soft Parade
The Soft Parade is the fourth studio album by The Doors, released in 1969.The album met with some controversy among fans and critics due to its inclusion of brass and string instrument arrangements, as opposed to the more stripped-down sound of their earlier recordings...
. In 1969 it peaked at #64 on Billboard magazine's Pop Singles chart.
Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger
Robert 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."...
shares vocals with Morrison for the chorus of the track, one of the few songs before Morrison's death to do so.
It is also notable for Jim Morrison's introduction, a tribute to the then recently-deceased Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
:
Poor Otis, dead and gone
Left me here to sing his song
Pretty little girl with the red dress on
Poor Otis, dead and gone.
The lyrics and melody of this brief a cappella introduction was taken from a Lead Belly track entitled Po' Howard (or Poor Howard on some compilations) where Jim replaced the name 'Howard' with 'Otis'. Sometimes this introduction was played at the end of another Doors' song, "When the Music's Over
When the Music's Over
"When the Music's Over" is a song by American rock band The Doors, featured on their 1967 album Strange Days. The song, at almost eleven minutes long, is their third longest recorded song, behind "The End", at 11:42, and "Celebration of the Lizard", at 17:01...
". There are other lyrical references to Otis Redding's song "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" throughout this song.
Notable bluegrass musician Jesse McReynolds plays the mandolin in this song.