Riders on the Storm
| "Riders on the Storm" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "The Changeling" |
"Riders on the Storm" is a popular 1971 song by The Doors from the L.A. Woman album, reaching number 14 on the charts. The song was inspired by the song "Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend". It incorporates thunder and rain sound effects and Ray Manzarek's Fender Rhodes electric piano playing which emulates the sound of rain. It is played in the E Dorian mode.
"Riders on the Storm" is loosely based on the notorious spree killer Billy Cook who posed as a hitchhiker and murdered an entire family. According to a widespread urban legend the song was conceived as an allusion to a tragic accident caused by another car's reckless driving, ending in several deaths of Navajo tribesmen as his car hit a truck where they were traveling; an alternative version refers the lyrics' inspiration to a 1930s French Surrealist poem Chevaliers de l'Ouragan (lit. "Riders of the Hurricane") by Louis Aragon.
The song was recorded at the Doors Workshop in December 1970 with the assistance of Bruce Botnick, their longtime engineer who was co-producing the recording sessions. Jim Morrison recorded his main vocals and then whispered the lyrics over them to create the haunting effect. This song was also the last song recorded by the members of The Doors, according to Ray Manzarek, as well as Jim Morrison's last recorded song that was released.
Other uses
Riders on the Storm is also the title of an autobiographical book written by Doors member John Densmore, and the name of Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger's Doors tribute band (formerly called D21C and Doors of the 21st Century before Densmore's lawsuit forced them to drop the famous name).
Cover versions
- Annabel Lamb covered the song in 1983. It charted in the UK peaking at 27 in the NME chart of 24 Sep.
- Creed covered the song at Woodstock 1999 with Robby Krieger. A studio version featuring Krieger can also be found on the tribute album Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors.
- Eric Red has said that The Hitcher was inspired by this song.
- Floater from Portland, Oregon has performed the song numerous times on tour. [citation needed]
- In 2001 Nils Landgren's Funk Unit released a funk version on their album "Fonk da World".
- The song was also remixed by Nightmares on Wax, Lenny Ibizarre, Spacebats, and Baez and Cornell on a Limited Edition Bonus Disc for a 2002 Doors retrospective 'The Best of the Doors' which outsold the original release by going platinum in the UK.
- In July 2004, the alternative rock band Incubus briefly covered the song live after a severe thunderstorm postponed a concert in Indianapolis, IN.
- Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 and Murderdolls also did a cover of this song called Welcome To The Strange.
- A piano version of the song was performed by George Winston, appearing on his tribute album Night Divides the Day - The Music of the Doors.
- Ahn Trio did a cover of the song on their 2002 album Groovebox.
- Ray Manzarek has an instrumental jazzy version of the song on his solo album with Bal.
- Infected Mushroom was contacted to do an official remix of Riders, however their time frame was not suitable. They turned down the offer, but still made an unofficial remix. This remix was leaked on the Internet, but has not been released on any albums.
- In 2005 "Riders" was fused with Blondie's "Rapture" into "Rapture Riders" by Go Home Productions. This unofficial remix was later approved to be included on Blondie's Greatest Hits: Sight + Sound and was a top ten hit on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart. This song was also played in Alias Episode 12: There is Only One Sydney Bristow
- Snoop Dogg recorded a version for Need for Speed: Underground 2, interpolating his own raps and a new beat with the original song.
- Dave Matthews Band covered this song live a few times.
- Andre Nickatina song Powda 4 the Hoes has a slight variation on Riders on the Storm.
In Video Games
As mentioned above, this song was one of the many hit tracks on the popular street racing game, Need for Speed Underground 2, remixed by Snoop Dogg.
On TV
As above Remix played the hit TV show Alias Episode 12: There is Only One Sydney Bristow Riders on the Storm plays in a second season episode of the Wonder Years. Heart of Darkness when kevin has the dream of walking down the tunnel.
