"The Unknown Soldier" is the first single from the Doors' 1968 album Waiting for the Sun and released in March of that year by Elektra Records. An accompanying 16mm publicity film for the song featuring the band was directed and produced by Edward Dephoure and Mark Abramson. The song became the band's fourth Top 40 hit in the US, peaking at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained upon the Billboard Hot 100 list for eight weeks.
"The Unknown Soldier" has been perceived as Jim Morrison's reaction to the Vietnam War and the way that conflict was portrayed in American media at the time.[2] According to author Richie Weidman, Morrison was inspired to write the lyrics after visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at the Arlington National Cemetery, on November 25, 1967; the same day in which the band performed at the Hilton Hotel, International Ballroom.[3]
Karl Dallas of Melody Maker formulated that the song is "an apocalyptic piece which seems to sum up the Vietnam-nourished at the centre of American life."[4] Lines such as "Breakfast where the news is read/ Television children fed/ Unborn living, living dead/ Bullets strike the helmet's head", concerned the way news of the war was being presented in the living rooms of ordinary people.[2] The track ends with sounds of crowds cheering and bells tolling, representing an ecstatic celebration of a war being over.[5]
Composition
Matthew Greenwald of AllMusic described "The Unknown Soldier" as one of the Doors' "most complex recordings".[5] He analyzed the song's musical structure as moving into various distinctly different sections before erupting into a coda:
It opens with an eerie organ intro before moving into a jazzy first verse... A brilliant and dramatic middle section is actually a studio-recreated firing squad, complete with shots. The second verse is a slightly harder-rocking version of the first. The song then erupts into a climatic, extended coda, which is the audio re-creation of the celebration of either victory or the END of war.[5]
The released single was edited in which a different gunshot sound was used and does not include the cheering crowds nor the tolling bells at the end. Reportedly, producer Paul A. Rothchild was so particular about how the song came out that it ultimately took over 130 takes to finish.[7] Upon completion, the song became the band's fourth Top 40 hit in the US, peaking at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, and enjoying an 8-week appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 list overall.[8] "We Could Be So Good Together" served as the B-side. However, the lyrics were controversial at the time and many radio stations refused to play it.[3][9]
The Doors on Danish Television in 1968 where they made a cinematic performance of the song
The song's promotional film received enthusiastic comments at the Fillmore East, and it's been publicized ever since as one of the first music videos in rock history.[3] When playing the track in live concerts, the Doors usually approached a cinematic performance, with Jim Morrison getting shot by Robby Krieger onstage, representing the death of the soldier that is mentioned in the lyrics.[3] Critic Charles S. Gardner of Bridgeport Telegram, reviewing the Doors concert in JFK Stadium, called "The Unknown Soldier" a "desperately anti-war ballad climaxing with Morrison's being thrown to the floor in a burst of exploding electronic feedback".[3]
The New Musical Express identified the song to be the standout of the first side of Waiting for the Sun.[10]Billboard described the single as "one of the most unusual and intriguing disks of the week in both arrangement and material" that "should prove a top chart item."[11]Cash Box said that the "strong beat, instrumental majesty and a midway break unlike any dramatic effect on a single put together a smash outing," and also praised the "sheer passion" of the song.[12]
In retrospect, Richie Unterberger declared "The Unknown Soldier" as one of the "first-rate tunes" of the album. He described it as "spooky" and "uncompromisingly forceful as anything the band did."[13]
^Nelson, Michael; Leas, Ryan (July 29, 2015). "The Doors Albums From Worst To Best". Stereogum. Retrieved July 8, 2022.
^ abWhitaker, Sterling (May 20, 2013). "The Doors, 'Unknown Soldier' – Songs About Soldiers". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
^ abcdeWeidman, Rich (2011). The Doors FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Kings of Acid Rock. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 194–195. ISBN978-1617131141.
^"The Hot 100 – May 18, 1968". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2016.
^Simpson, Dave (June 17, 2015). "The Doors: 10 of the Best". The Guardian. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
^"Waiting for the Sun Review". New Musical Express. July 13, 1968. Retrieved February 21, 2021 – via Thedoors.com.
^"Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. March 23, 1968. p. 74. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
^"CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. March 23, 1968. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
^Unterberger, Richie. "The Doors: Waiting for the Sun". AllMusic. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
March 14, 2023
unknown, soldier, song, other, uses, unknown, soldier, disambiguation, unknown, soldier, first, single, from, doors, 1968, album, waiting, released, march, that, year, elektra, records, accompanying, 16mm, publicity, film, song, featuring, band, directed, prod. For other uses see Unknown Soldier disambiguation The Unknown Soldier is the first single from the Doors 1968 album Waiting for the Sun and released in March of that year by Elektra Records An accompanying 16mm publicity film for the song featuring the band was directed and produced by Edward Dephoure and Mark Abramson The song became the band s fourth Top 40 hit in the US peaking at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained upon the Billboard Hot 100 list for eight weeks The Unknown Soldier Single by the Doorsfrom the album Waiting for the SunB side We Could Be So Good Together ReleasedMarch 1968 1968 03 RecordedNovember 1967StudioTTG Studios Hollywood CaliforniaGenrePsychedelia 1 Length3 22LabelElektraSongwriter s The DoorsProducer s Paul A RothchildThe Doors singles chronology Love Me Two Times 1967 The Unknown Soldier 1968 Hello I Love You 1968 Contents 1 Lyrics 2 Composition 3 Release and reception 4 See also 5 ReferencesLyrics Edit The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery Virginia which inspired Morrison s lyrics The Unknown Soldier has been perceived as Jim Morrison s reaction to the Vietnam War and the way that conflict was portrayed in American media at the time 2 According to author Richie Weidman Morrison was inspired to write the lyrics after visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery on November 25 1967 the same day in which the band performed at the Hilton Hotel International Ballroom 3 Karl Dallas of Melody Maker formulated that the song is an apocalyptic piece which seems to sum up the Vietnam nourished at the centre of American life 4 Lines such as Breakfast where the news is read Television children fed Unborn living living dead Bullets strike the helmet s head concerned the way news of the war was being presented in the living rooms of ordinary people 2 The track ends with sounds of crowds cheering and bells tolling representing an ecstatic celebration of a war being over 5 Composition EditMatthew Greenwald of AllMusic described The Unknown Soldier as one of the Doors most complex recordings 5 He analyzed the song s musical structure as moving into various distinctly different sections before erupting into a coda It opens with an eerie organ intro before moving into a jazzy first verse A brilliant and dramatic middle section is actually a studio recreated firing squad complete with shots The second verse is a slightly harder rocking version of the first The song then erupts into a climatic extended coda which is the audio re creation of the celebration of either victory or the END of war 5 Release and reception EditChart 1968 Peakposition DateUS Billboard Hot 100 6 39 May 1968The released single was edited in which a different gunshot sound was used and does not include the cheering crowds nor the tolling bells at the end Reportedly producer Paul A Rothchild was so particular about how the song came out that it ultimately took over 130 takes to finish 7 Upon completion the song became the band s fourth Top 40 hit in the US peaking at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and enjoying an 8 week appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 list overall 8 We Could Be So Good Together served as the B side However the lyrics were controversial at the time and many radio stations refused to play it 3 9 The Doors on Danish Television in 1968 where they made a cinematic performance of the song The song s promotional film received enthusiastic comments at the Fillmore East and it s been publicized ever since as one of the first music videos in rock history 3 When playing the track in live concerts the Doors usually approached a cinematic performance with Jim Morrison getting shot by Robby Krieger onstage representing the death of the soldier that is mentioned in the lyrics 3 Critic Charles S Gardner of Bridgeport Telegram reviewing the Doors concert in JFK Stadium called The Unknown Soldier a desperately anti war ballad climaxing with Morrison s being thrown to the floor in a burst of exploding electronic feedback 3 The New Musical Express identified the song to be the standout of the first side of Waiting for the Sun 10 Billboard described the single as one of the most unusual and intriguing disks of the week in both arrangement and material that should prove a top chart item 11 Cash Box said that the strong beat instrumental majesty and a midway break unlike any dramatic effect on a single put together a smash outing and also praised the sheer passion of the song 12 In retrospect Richie Unterberger declared The Unknown Soldier as one of the first rate tunes of the album He described it as spooky and uncompromisingly forceful as anything the band did 13 See also EditList of anti war songsReferences Edit Nelson Michael Leas Ryan July 29 2015 The Doors Albums From Worst To Best Stereogum Retrieved July 8 2022 a b Whitaker Sterling May 20 2013 The Doors Unknown Soldier Songs About Soldiers Ultimate Classic Rock Retrieved July 10 2020 a b c d e Weidman Rich 2011 The Doors FAQ All That s Left to Know About the Kings of Acid Rock Rowman amp Littlefield pp 194 195 ISBN 978 1617131141 Sundling Doug 1990 The Doors Artistic Vision Castle Communications p 87 ISBN 1 86074 139 8 a b c Greenwald Matthew The Doors The Unknown Soldier Review AllMusic Retrieved February 26 2021 The Doors Chart History Hot 100 Billboard com 2019 Archived from the original on May 7 2018 Retrieved August 23 2019 Hopkins Jerry Sugerman Danny 1980 No One Here Gets Out Alive p 179 ISBN 978 0 446 60228 0 The Hot 100 May 18 1968 Billboard Retrieved November 4 2016 Simpson Dave June 17 2015 The Doors 10 of the Best The Guardian Retrieved August 5 2020 Waiting for the Sun Review New Musical Express July 13 1968 Retrieved February 21 2021 via Thedoors com Spotlight Singles PDF Billboard March 23 1968 p 74 Retrieved February 23 2021 CashBox Record Reviews PDF Cash Box March 23 1968 p 18 Retrieved 2022 01 12 Unterberger Richie The Doors Waiting for the Sun AllMusic Retrieved February 21 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Unknown Soldier song amp oldid 1132748641, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
