.jpg "The Doors - Absolutely Live (Live) (1970) album front cover")
02.jpg "The Doors - Absolutely Live (Live) (1970) album back cover")
The Doors - Absolutely Live (Live) (1970)
Tracklist, Album Covers Images, Info and Fun Facts
Absolutely Live – The Doors (1970)
Release Date: July 20, 1970
Label: Elektra Records
Producer: Paul A. Rothchild
Genre: Psychedelic rock, blues rock
Length: 77:05
Type: Live album
Album Overview
Absolutely Live is The Doors’ first live album, compiled from performances recorded between 1969 and 1970 in cities including Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Pittsburgh. Producer Paul A. Rothchild assembled the record from multiple shows to create a seamless concert experience rather than documenting one single performance.
The album captures the band at a heavier, blues-driven peak, with extended improvisations and darker, rawer energy than their studio recordings.
Album Credits
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Jim Morrison – Vocals
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Ray Manzarek – Organ, piano bass, keyboards
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Robby Krieger – Guitar
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John Densmore – Drums
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Paul A. Rothchild – Producer
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Bruce Botnick – Recording engineer
Track Highlights
Notable performances include:
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House Announcer
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Who Do You Love (Bo Diddley cover)
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Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)
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Back Door Man
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Love Hides
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Five to One
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Break On Through (To the Other Side)
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The Celebration of the Lizard (first full live release of the long-form Morrison piece)
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Soul Kitchen
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When the Music’s Over
The centerpiece is “Celebration of the Lizard”, finally presented in full after only fragments had appeared on Waiting for the Sun.
Charts & Certification
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US Billboard 200 Peak: #8
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RIAA Certification: Gold (later Platinum)
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Initially received solid but not overwhelming reviews; later praised for capturing the band’s true live intensity.
Cover Art Design
The cover is a grainy black-and-white live photograph of Jim Morrison on stage. He is shown in profile, leaning slightly forward toward the microphone, wearing a dark shirt. His face is partially shadowed, with strong stage lighting hitting one side, creating a stark contrast.
The image is tight and intimate — you see Morrison’s head and upper torso, the microphone stand visible in front of him. The background is mostly dark, suggesting stage depth rather than a visible audience.
At the top, the band’s name appears in large red uppercase letters: THE DOORS.
At the bottom, the album title ABSOLUTELY LIVE is printed in bold yellow uppercase text.
The design is minimal and documentary-like — no surreal imagery, no illustration — just a raw stage moment. It emphasizes authenticity and performance over mystique, fitting for a live album meant to capture their onstage power rather than studio atmosphere.
Photographer: Ron Raffaelli (credited for live photography from this era).
Fun Facts
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The album pieces together performances from at least six different cities.
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Morrison’s onstage poetry and improvisation were far more prominent live than on studio albums.
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Producer Rothchild reportedly spent months editing tapes to build what he considered the “ultimate Doors concert.”
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This album documents the band during Morrison’s increasingly unpredictable late period.
Did You Know?
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The band was under intense scrutiny at the time due to the infamous Miami concert controversy earlier in 1969.
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Many fans consider Absolutely Live a better representation of The Doors than some of their studio albums.
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The heavy blues direction heard here foreshadows their next studio release, L.A. Woman (1971).
