The Soft Parade

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The Soft Parade is the fourth studio album by The Doors , music release|released in 1969.

The album met with some controversy among fans and critics due to its inclusion of Brass instrument|brass and string instrument arrangements, as opposed to the more stripped-down sound of their earlier recordings. Fans also complained that The Soft Parade followed the lyrical formulas of previous albums, and thus was not very innovative. In reviewing the 40th anniversary remix (for the August 2007 issue of Downbeat Magazine) correspondent Dan Ouellette thought otherwise, declaring it to be "the apex" of the band's creativity.

Due to Jim Morrison's increasing alcoholism and interest in poetry, guitarist Robby Krieger has a stronger presence on The Soft Parade than on any other Doors album from the Morrison era, contributing around half the material, including sharing the lead vocal on the song '' Runnin' Blue .

After this album, the Doors returned to simpler styles on Morrison Hotel and L.A. Woman .

For the first time, the songs were credited to individual members (only Morrison and Krieger are actually listed on the albums sleeve) as Morrison was unhappy with the lyric "get your guns" on the album's first track. He was uncomfortable with the possible perception by some that that was in fact what he wanted listeners to do. Although, on later albums the writing credit would return to the earlier format and regardless of whose lyrics were being used the entire band was credited.

Despite a lukewarm reception, the album became the band's fourth top ten hit album in a row and the single " Touch Me (The Doors song)|Touch Me " was hugely successful.
However, despite making #6 in the US, the album did not chart in the UK, perhaps due to the band's lack of a supporting hit single ("Touch Me" also did not chart).

Track listing

Side one

#" Tell All the People " ( Robby Krieger ) – 3:23
#" Touch Me (The Doors song)|Touch Me " (Krieger) – 3:12
#" Shaman's Blues " ( Jim Morrison ) – 4:49
#" Do It (The Doors song)|Do It " (Morrison, Krieger) – 3:08
#" Easy Ride " (Morrison) – 2:41

Side two

#

" Wild Child (The Doors song)|Wild Child " (Morrison) – 2:38
#" Runnin' Blue " (Krieger) – 2:33
#" Wishful Sinful " (Krieger) – 3:02
#" The Soft Parade (song)|The Soft Parade " (Morrison) – 8:37
#*The 40th Anniversary Mix contains an intro featuring a tenderly sung Morrison poem that extends it to 9:41

40th Anniversary Edition CD bonus tracks

#

"Who Scared You" – 3:58
#" Whiskey, Mystics & Men " (Version 1) – 2:28
#"Whiskey, Mystics and Men" (Version 2) – 3:04
#"Push Push" – 6:05
#*Previously unreleased Doors jam
#"Touch Me" (Dialogue) – 0:28
#"Touch Me" (Take 3) – 3:40

The 40th anniversary reissues were completely remixed along with being remastered. This practice extended to incorporating vocal and instrumental components which were not part of the original album. As Ray Manzarek said, "There are background vocals by Jim Morrison, piano parts of mine that weren't used, and guitar stingers and solos by Robby Krieger that never made the original recordings, that can now be heard for the first time."

Personnel

;The Doors

Jim Morrison – lead vocals , maracas , tambourine

Ray Manzarek – piano , Gibson G-101 organ (music)|organ , Hammond organ on "Wild Child" and "The Soft Parade"

Robby Krieger – guitar , chorus vocal on "Runnin' Blue"

John Densmore – drum kit|drums

;Additional musicians

Curtis Amy – Saxophone|sax solos on "Touch Me"

Reinol Andino – conga

George Bohanan – trombone solo

Harvey Brooks – bass (tracks 1, 2, 6, 8)

Jimmy Buchanan – fiddle on "Running Blue"

Douglass Lubahn|Doug Lubahn – bass

Jesse McReynolds – mandolin

Champ Webb – English horn solo

Paul Harris – orchestral arrangements (tracks 1, 2 ,6 8)

– illustration (inside cover)

Chart positions

Billboard Music Charts (North America)

Album

Year	Chart	Position
1969	Pop Albums	6

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1968	Touch Me " B-side: "Wild Child"	Pop Singles	3
1969	" Wishful Sinful " B-side: "Who Scared You"	Pop Singles	44
1969	" Tell All the People " B-side: "Easy Ride"	Pop Singles	57
1969	" Runnin' Blue " B-side: "Do It"	Pop Singles	64

Whereas the first three Doors albums had two singles pulled from each of them, "The Soft Parade" had a grand total of four, though some of them had initially been released as non-album singles significantly prior to the album's release. The only two songs on the LP that weren't released as either the A or B-side of a single were the title cut and "Shaman's Blues". Only one single would be pulled from the next album, Morrison Hotel . It's also notable that all four singles were written by Robby Krieger, and none by band leader Jim Morrison.

Copyright Citations

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1. Electric Soft Parade 2. Wild Child 3. Robby Krieger

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