The Doors – Strange Days (1967)
Release Date: September 25, 1967
Label: Elektra Records
Producer: Paul A. Rothchild
Genre: Psychedelic rock, acid rock, blues rock
Length: 40:06
Album Credits
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Jim Morrison – Vocals, lyrics
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Ray Manzarek – Keyboards, organ, piano, backing vocals
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Robby Krieger – Guitar, backing vocals
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John Densmore – Drums, percussion
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Paul A. Rothchild – Producer
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Bruce Botnick – Engineer
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William S. Harvey – Art direction, design
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Joel Brodsky – Photography
Cover Art Design
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The cover features a surreal, carnival-inspired photograph of the band in a distorted, dreamlike setting with Morrison in the center.
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Joel Brodsky captured the band with unusual angles, props, and lighting to create a sense of strangeness that matched the album’s title and psychedelic themes.
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The cover conveys the experimental and avant-garde character of the album, blending elements of surrealism and early psychedelic culture.
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Typography is minimalist, keeping the focus on the visual narrative of the photo, emphasizing the mysterious aura surrounding The Doors.
Tracklist
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Strange Days – 3:12
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You’re Lost Little Girl – 3:03
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Love Me Two Times – 3:18
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Unhappy Girl – 2:03
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Horse Latitudes – 1:38
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Moonlight Drive – 3:05
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People Are Strange – 2:13
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My Eyes Have Seen You – 2:28
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I Can’t See Your Face in My Mind – 3:55
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When the Music’s Over – 11:00
Grossing and Ratings
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US Billboard 200 Peak: #3
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UK Albums Chart Peak: #6
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Certifications: 2× Platinum (RIAA, US)
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Critical Reception: 4.5/5 Stars (AllMusic), Rolling Stone praised the album for its experimentation and darker themes
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Legacy Rating: Ranked among classic psychedelic rock albums of the 1960s
Fun Facts
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People Are Strange and Love Me Two Times became hit singles and remain iconic tracks in The Doors’ catalog.
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Horse Latitudes features spoken word by Jim Morrison over eerie musical backing, reflecting his interest in poetry and theatrical performance.
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The album was recorded at TTG Studios, Los Angeles, shortly after the success of their debut album.
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The Doors experimented with unusual instruments, including marimbas and string sections, to create richer textures than on their debut.
Trivia
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When the Music’s Over is an 11-minute epic, exploring apocalyptic and existential themes.
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Morrison wrote much of the album’s lyrics while living a chaotic lifestyle in Los Angeles, inspired by poetry and surrealist art.
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The album’s initial reception was mixed, with some critics finding it darker than their debut, but it has since been hailed as a psychedelic masterpiece.
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Ray Manzarek used a Vox Continental organ extensively, contributing to the album’s signature eerie sound.
Did You Know?
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The title Strange Days reflects Morrison’s fascination with the feeling of alienation and the surreal experiences of 1960s youth culture.
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The album cover photo includes distorted reflections and carnival masks, emphasizing themes of identity and strangeness.
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Jim Morrison considered Strange Days to be more experimental and ambitious than their first album.
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Many tracks, like People Are Strange, capture a mood of outsider perspective and social commentary that became central to The Doors’ image.
Cover Art Design
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The cover of Strange Days features a surreal, circus-like scene with the band members surrounded by street performers, acrobats, and carnival figures. Jim Morrison stands in the center, drawing attention with his dark coat and intense gaze.
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The photograph was taken by Joel Brodsky, who aimed to capture the psychedelic, mysterious, and otherworldly vibe of the album. Brodsky used unusual angles and props to create a sense of disorientation, reinforcing the “strange” theme.
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William S. Harvey, Elektra’s art director, designed the layout, emphasizing the photograph while keeping the album title subtle, letting the image itself convey the mood.
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The cover is recognized as one of the most iconic psychedelic album images, reflecting the experimental, theatrical, and avant-garde aspects of The Doors’ music.
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Symbolism abounds in the artwork: masks, performers, and odd juxtapositions evoke themes of alienation, performance, and the surreal experiences of 1960s youth culture.
