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The Changeling (song)

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"The Changeling"
Single by the Doors
from the album L.A. Woman
A-side"Riders on the Storm"
Released
  • April 1971 (1971-04) (album)
  • June 1971 (single)
RecordedDecember 1970
StudioThe Doors' Workshop, Los Angeles, California
Genre
Length
  • 3:27 (single version)[3]
  • 4:20 (album version)[4]
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)The Doors
Producer(s)
The Doors singles chronology
"Love Her Madly"
(1971) 		"The Changeling"
(1971) 		"Tightrope Ride"
(1971)

"The Changeling" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. It appears as the opening track on their sixth album and final with Jim Morrison, L.A. Woman. Released in April 1971, as the B-side of "Riders on the Storm", the single peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[5]

Background

"The Changeling" was the first song that the band recorded during the sessions for L.A. Woman.[6] The song's title was taken from one of Morrison's 1968 notebooks,[7] and refers to the "changeling", a legendary human-like creature found in folklore throughout Europe. Writer James Riordan has noted that the song's mention of changeling, or spirit child, may be another reference to Morrison's difficult childhood.[8] The funky James Brown-esque composition also appears to anticipate the singer's departure from Los Angeles with the line "I'm leavin' town on the midnight train".[9] Doors' keyboardist Ray Manzarek explained:

The lyrics are prophetic. "I've lived uptown. I've lived downtown, but I've never been so broke that I couldn't leave town." He'd lived on the beach and in the hills. He'd had money and been broke. He'd had his L.A. adventure, and he was out.[10]

Musically, "The Changeling" blends blues rock[1] and funk music.[11] The opening verse is written and performed in the key of A Minor,[12] with the continuation being interpreted in the key of A Major.[13] During the recording session, Morrison remarked "I hate to spook anybody, but this is my favorite number. Play your ass off, boy."[14]

Release and reception

"The Changeling" was first released in April 1971, sequenced as the opening track on the A-side of L.A. Woman.[4][15] The band wanted the song to be the album's first single, but Elektra Records president Jac Holzman overruled the group's decision in favor of "Love Her Madly" and the non-album B-side "(You Need Meat) Don't Go No Further".[7][10] However, later in June 1971 it was issued as the B-side of "Riders on the Storm", edited to 3:27.[3] The track was also performed live by the Doors at State Fair Music Hall in Dallas on December 11, 1970.[16] This live version appears on the 2003 album Boot Yer Butt: The Doors Bootlegs.[17]

On November 25, 1990, when disc jockey Bruce Van Dyke played the song on his radio station one day, a man called in saying, "Why doesn't anyone play this?"[18] Upon its release, "The Changeling" has received comments in several album reviews of L.A. Woman. Writing for AllMusic, critic Richie Unterberger described the song as one of "their better little-heeded album tracks".[19] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone called it a "garage-style classic".[20] Holzman acknowledged it as a "tribute to James Brown",[6] while Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine labeled it a "James Brown funk swagger".[21]

Rolling Stone critic Narendra Kusnur considered it one of Morrison's 10 most underrated songs, particularly praising Manzarek's Hammond organ playing and Morrison's vocal performance.[22] The Guardian cited it as the 16th best Doors track, describing it "a James Brown-reminiscent funk-rock strut heavy on groove and grit."[2]

Personnel

The Doors

Additional musicians

References

  1. ^ a b "The Top 20 Albums of 1971". The Independent. February 12, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021. On his last album, Jim Morrison's voice was just the right side of wasted and therefore perfect for the blues rock direction of L.A. Woman, exemplified by opening track 'The Changeling'.
  2. ^ a b c Zaleski, Annie (June 24, 2021). "The Doors' Greatest Songs – Ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved July 3, 2022. ... 'The Changeling', a James Brown-reminiscent funk-rock strut heavy on groove and grit.
  3. ^ a b "Riders on the Storm" / "Changeling" (single label). The Doors. Elektra Records. 1971. EKS-45738-B.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ a b L.A. Woman (Liner notes). The Doors. Elektra Records. 1971. Back cover. EKS-75011.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ "The Doors: 'Riders on the Storm' Chart History – Hot 100". Billboard. September 3, 1971. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  6. ^ a b The Doors (2011). Mr. Mojo Risin': The Story of L.A. Woman. Eagle Rock Entertainment. Event occurs at 7:19 ("Changeling"); 56:04 (Holzman).
  7. ^ a b Bell, Max. "L.A. Woman and the last days of Jim Morrison". Teamrock.com. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
  8. ^ Riordan, James; Prochnicky, Jerry (October 30, 1992). Break on Through: The Life and Death of Jim Morrison. HarperCollins. pp. 429–430. ISBN 978-0-688-11915-7.
  9. ^ McLee, David (2003). Legacy: The Absolute Best (CD booklet). Rhino Records. R2-73889.
  10. ^ a b Weiss, Jeff (January 19, 2012). "L.A. Woman: Track List". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  11. ^ Gaar, Gillian G. (March 14, 2017). "The 15 Best Songs by the Doors". Paste Magazine. Retrieved April 14, 2021. This track from 1971's L.A. Woman is a nice slice of funk.
  12. ^ "Digital Sheet Music – 'The Changeling'". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. 25 May 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  13. ^ "Digital Sheet Music – 'The Changeling'". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. 25 January 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  14. ^ Wisnicki, Nathan (May 6, 2012). "L.A. Woman (40th Anniversary Edition)". PopMatters. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  15. ^ Sundling, Doug (1996). The Doors: Artistic Vision. Castle Communications. p. 146. ISBN 1-86074-139-8.
  16. ^ Bray, Ryan (December 13, 2013). "Jim Morrison's Final Show with the Doors". consequence.net. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  17. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Boot Yer Butt – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
  18. ^ Barton, David (November 25, 1990). "Desert Station is a Rare Oasis for True Lovers of Classic Rock". The Sacramento Bee. p. 186. Retrieved November 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "L.A. Woman – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  20. ^ Hermes, Will (February 2, 2012). "L.A Woman (40th Anniversary Edition) – The Doors". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  21. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (April 17, 2007). "The Doors: L.A. Woman". Slant Magazine. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  22. ^ Kusnur, Narendra (July 3, 2021). "On his 50th Death Anniversary: The Underrated Gems of Jim Morrison". Rolling Stone India. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  23. ^ Terrail, Johan (2013). CAMION BLANC: The Doors Analyse des Influences (in French). p. 20. ISBN 978-2357794177.
  24. ^ a b Gerstenmeyer, Heinz (2001). The Doors – Sounds for Your Soul – Die Musik Der Doors (in German). p. 165. ISBN 978-3-8311-2057-4.
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