End of the Night

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"End of the Night"
Break On Through To the Other Side.jpg
Single by the Doors
from the album The Doors
A-side"Break On Through (To the Other Side)"
ReleasedJanuary 1967 (1967-01)
RecordedAugust 1966 (1966-08)
StudioSunset Sound Recorders Hollywood, California
GenrePsychedelia[1]
Length2:49[2]
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)The Doors[2]
Producer(s)Paul A. Rothchild
The Doors singles chronology
"End of the Night"
(1967) 		"Light My Fire"
(1967)

"End of the Night" is a song by the American psychedelic rock band the Doors. It was featured on the band's debut album and then released as the B-side to the album's first single, "Break On Through (To the Other Side)".

Composition and lyrics[]

The song was written in the band's early days, before guitarist Robby Krieger had joined the group. It was recorded in 1965 by the band in an attempt to land a deal with Aura Records; however the band failed to get signed. In 1966, when they landed a deal with Elektra Records, the song was recorded for their self-titled debut album.[3]

"End of the Night" is a conventional psychedelic track,[1] notated in the key of E Minor, with Jim Morrison's vocal range spanning from D4 to G5. It is also performed in 4/4 time.[4] The track's unusual slide guitar (played by Krieger) is tuned in a minor tunning.[5][6][7]

Although the songwriting credit was given to all four members of the Doors,[2] the lyrics were written by lead singer Jim Morrison.[8] Its title is derived from the 1932 French novel Journey to the End of the Night by Louis-Ferdinand Celine.[9] The lines "Some are born to sweet delight; some are born to endless night" are lifted from a William Blake poem Auguries of Innocence, written in 1803 and published in 1863.[8]

Release and reception[]

Release and charts[]

The song was chosen as the B-side to the album's first single, "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" and was released in January 1967. The single, however, failed to become a success and only peaked at number 126 in the U.S.[10] After the band's rise to fame the song was rarely played live in concert; it has since been included in box sets released over the years by the band.

Chart (1967) Position
US Billboard Hot 100 126[10]

Critical reception[]

In an AllMusic album review of The Doors, critic Richie Unterberger described the song's melody as being "mysterious".[11] Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine praised Krieger’s guitar solo, for being "sufficiently trippy," but he wrote that the song was "less ambitious (and less successful)" than the other album tracks.[12]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Bamyasi, Eddy (October 7, 2020). "Log #102–4 Doors Albums. Were the Doors Just a Phase One Went". Medium. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c The Doors (Album notes). The Doors. New York City: Elektra Records. 1967. Back cover. ELK-4007.CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  3. ^ Swanson, Dave (September 2, 2015). "The Day the Doors Recorded Their First Demo, But Under a Different Name". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  4. ^ "Digital Sheet Music – The Doors – End of the Night". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. 9 May 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  5. ^ The Doors (2008). Classic Albums: The Doors Extras (DVD). Eagle Rock Entertainment.
  6. ^ Burrluck, Dave (July 8, 2009). "Robby Krieger Talks Guitars and the Doors". Music Radar. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  7. ^ Drozdowski, Ted (October 8, 2010). "The Gibson Interview: Doors Legend Robby Krieger". Legacy Gibson. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Kruth, John (January 4, 2017). "The Doors' Debut Is Still One of the Most Dangerous Albums Ever". Observer Music. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  9. ^ Densmore, John (1990). Riders on the Storm: My Life with Jim Morrison and the Doors. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0307429025.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Whitburn, Joel. Bubbling Under Singles & Albums (1998): 66.
  11. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "The Doors – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  12. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (April 18, 2007). "The Doors: The Doors Album Review". Slant Magazine. Retrieved February 27, 2021.

External links[]

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