Soul Kitchen (song)
| "Soul Kitchen" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Doors | |
| from the album The Doors | |
| Released | January 4, 1967 |
| Recorded | August 1966 |
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, hard rock |
| Length | 3:35 |
| Label | Elektra |
| Songwriter(s) | Jim Morrison |
| Producer(s) | Paul A. Rothchild |
| The Doors track listing | |
| |
"Soul Kitchen" is a song by The Doors from their self-titled debut album The Doors. It is the tribute to the soul food restaurant Olivia's in Venice Beach, where Jim Morrison often stayed for a long time, for it reminded him of his home. Because he stayed late, the staff would often kick him out, thus the lines "let me sleep all night, in your soul kitchen."[1]
According to rock critic Greil Marcus, "Soul Kitchen" is The Doors' version of "Gloria" by Van Morrison, a song the Doors often covered in their early days. Marcus writes, "It was a staircase–not, as with "Gloria" in imagery, but in the cadence the two songs shared, slowed down so strongly in "Soul Kitchen" that a sense of deliberation, so physical that it was more body than thought, became the guiding spirit of the song.[2] In a 1967 article in Crawdaddy! magazine, Paul Williams compared it to "Blowin' in the Wind" since both songs had a message, with the message of "Soul Kitchen" being "Learn to forget." He praised the song: "The End” is great to listen to when you’re high (or any other time), but “Soul Kitchen” will get you high, which is obviously much cruder and more important."[3]
In an Allmusic review, Richie Unterberger praised the song's "stomping rock".[4] Georgiy Starostin called it one of the album's weaker songs, but added it "boasts a really memorable melody, with a strange naggin' organ riff that borders on the genial."[5]
Along with many other songs by The Doors, this song appeared in the Forrest Gump film. It also appeared in the 2003 documentary Mayor of the Sunset Strip.[1]
According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is composed in the key of A Major with Jim Morrison's vocal range spanning from E4 to A5.[6]
Cover versions
- The Knack performed the song live in 1978, featuring Ray Manzarek on keyboards. The recording was released as a bonus track on the 2002 reissue of ...But The Little Girls Understand.
- In 1980, the punk band X covered it on their debut album, Los Angeles.[7]
- Echo and the Bunnymen also made a cover that appeared as a bonus track in the 2003 remastered album Echo & the Bunnymen.
- Patti Smith covered the track on her 2007 album, Twelve.[8]
- Adamski created a version entitled "Soul Kitsch Inc" on his Doctor Adamski's Musical Pharmacy album in 1990.[9]
- Buddy Rich covered it on his 1969 live album, Buddy & Soul.[10]
- David Lee Roth covered the track on his 2003 album, Diamond Dave.[11]
Personnel
References
- 1 2 3 "Soul Kitchen by The Doors". Songfacts. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ↑ Marcus, Greil (2013). The Doors: A Lifetime of Listening to Five Mean Years. PublicAffairs. ISBN 1610393309.
- ↑ Williams, Paul (May 1, 1967). "Rock is Rock: A Discussion of Doors Song". Crawdaddy!. TheDoors.com. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ↑ Unterberger, Richie. "The Doors Review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ↑ Starostin, Georgiy. "The Doors". Only Solitaire. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ↑ "Digital Sheet Music – The Doors – Soul Kitchen". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
- ↑ Prato, Greg. "Los Angeles/Wild Gift Review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ↑ Jurek, Thom. "Twelve Review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ↑ "Doctor Adamski's Musical Pharmacy". Allmusic. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ↑ Yanow, Scott. "Buddy & Soul Review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
- ↑ Prato, Greg. "Diamond Dave Review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
External links
