Full Circle (The Doors album)

Full Circle
Studio album by The Doors
Released	August 1972
Recorded	Spring 1972
Genre	Blues rock, funk rock, jazz fusion
Length	40:05
Label	Elektra
Producer	The Doors
The Doors chronology
Other Voices (1971) Full Circle (1972) An American Prayer (1978)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	C

Full Circle is the eighth studio album by The Doors released in 1972. It is the second album after Jim Morrison's death, and also their last album together before they broke up. The album includes "The Mosquito", the last hit single by the band. Keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger took Morrison's place as lead singer. Also, unlike their earlier work, bassists were collaboratively used on every track.

Track listing

Side one

1. "Get Up and Dance" (Krieger, Manzarek) – 2:26
2. "4 Billion Souls" (Krieger) – 3:18
3. "Verdilac" (Krieger, Manzarek) – 5:40
4. "Hardwood Floor" (Krieger) – 3:38
5. "Good Rockin" (Roy Brown) – 4:22

Side two

1. "The Mosquito" (Densmore, Krieger, Manzarek) – 5:16
2. "The Piano Bird" (Conrad, Densmore) – 5:50
3. "It Slipped My Mind" (Krieger) – 3:11
4. "The Peking King and the New York Queen" (Manzarek) – 6:25

B-Side

In 1972, The Doors released "Get Up and Dance" as a single in the UK; the B-Side was the non-album "Tree Trunk", one of only three non-album studio tracks released by the band.

According to Robby Krieger, the track was left off the album because "it sounded too commercial." This is the song's only official release.

CD releases

The Doors have largely disregarded the two post-Morrison albums, with no official American CD releases of the albums. Full Circle was released on CD October 23, 2006 by the Timeless Holland label, along with the previous (post-Morrison) Doors album Other Voices.

It is relatively easy to find unofficial CD copies of Full Circle and Other Voices on the Internet, but most of these vinyl-to-CD transfers do not contain the single-only "Tree Trunk", except for the Howling Wolf Records 2010 release of the two albums on one CD. This release also featured the single versions of "The Mosquito" and "The Piano Bird."

The Doors management has stated they are not in possession of the master tapes to the two post-Morrison albums, but remastered tracks from both of the post-Morrison albums can nevertheless be found on later official releases. The only track from Full Circle the Doors have reissued is "The Mosquito". The track was released in 2000 as "No Me Moleste Mosquito" on the double-disc version of The Best of the Doors.

On September 27, 2011, The Doors finally gave Full Circle, along with Other Voices, its first official reissue that's currently available only for digital download via stores such as iTunes, Amazon.com and eMusic. It is not known whether the original master tapes were used in these reissues.

Personnel

The Doors

• Ray Manzarek – lead vocals, keyboards, keyboard bass
• Robby Krieger – lead vocals, guitar, harmonica
• John Densmore – drums, flute

Additional personnel

• Chico Batera – percussion on "Piano Bird" and "The Peking King and the New York Queen"
• Jack Conrad – bass on "4 Billion Souls", "Good Rockin", "The Piano Bird" and "The Peking King and the New York Queen"
• Chris Ethridge – bass on "Get Up and Dance"
• Venetta Fields – vocals
• Bobbye Hall – percussion on "Verdilac", "The Piano Bird" and "The Peking King and the New York Queen"
• Clydie King – vocals
• Charles Larkey – bass on "Verdilac" and "The Piano Bird"
• Charles Lloyd – tenor saxophone on "Verdilac"
• Melissa MacKay – vocals
• Leland Sklar – bass on "Hardwood Floor", "The Mosquito" and "It Slipped My Mind"

Technical staff and artwork

• The Doors – producer
• Henry Lewy – engineer
• Pacific Eye & Ear – cover concept
• Joe Garnett – cover illustration

Chart information

Album

Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1972	Pop Albums	68

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1972	"The Mosquito" B-side: "It Slipped My Mind"	Pop Singles	85
1972	"Get Up and Dance" B-side: "Tree Trunk"	Pop Singles	?