Touch Me (The Doors song)

"Touch Me"
Single by The Doors
from the album The Soft Parade
B-side "Wild Child"
Released December 1968
Format 7-inch single
Recorded October 1968
Studio Elektra Sound Recorders, Los Angeles
Length 3:11
Label Elektra
Songwriter(s) Robby Krieger
Producer(s) Paul A. Rothchild
The Doors singles chronology
"Hello, I Love You"
(1968)		 "Touch Me"
(1968)		 "Wishful Sinful"
(1969)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help

"Touch Me" is a song by the Doors from their album The Soft Parade. Written by Robby Krieger, it is notable for its extensive usage of brass and string instruments, including a solo by featured saxophonist Curtis Amy. Ray Manzarek played harpsichord and organ on the song; he also interpolated the guitar riff from the 1967 Four Seasons song "C'mon Marianne" in his part. The song is also noted for the last sung line, "stronger than dirt", which was taken from a contemporary Ajax commercial.

It was released as a single in December 1968 and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 in the Cashbox Top 100 in early 1969 (the band's third American number-one single). The single also did well elsewhere, peaking at No. 1 in the RPM Canadian Singles Chart and at No. 10 in the Kent Music Report in Australia. However, despite the band's commercial success the previous year, "Touch Me" did not chart in the UK Singles Chart.

A remixed version with added bass and compression appeared on a 1974 compilation called Heavy Metal released via Warner Bros. Special Products.

Working titles

According to Bruce Botnick's liner notes the song was initially referred to by its various working titles; "I'm Gonna Love You", from a line in the chorus, or "Hit Me", a reference to blackjack. The opening line was originally "C'mon, hit me ... I'm not afraid", the line thus reflecting the first person vantage point of a blackjack player.[1] Morrison reportedly changed the lyric out of concern that rowdy crowds at their live shows would mistakenly believe that "hit me" was a challenge to physically assault him.

Ajax allusion

At the end of the song, Morrison can be heard saying, "Stronger than dirt", which was the slogan of the Ajax household cleaning company, because the last four notes of "Touch Me" were the same as those in an Ajax commercial and as a mocking criticism of Krieger, John Densmore, and Ray Manzarek wanting to accept an offer from Buick to use "Light My Fire" in a commercial. The deal was aborted when Morrison opposed it. This vocal was omitted on the single version, which was a different mix.

Personnel

The Doors

Additional personnel

Chart history

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[8] Gold 1,000,000^

Rock Band Music Gaming Platform

The song was made available to download on October 26, 2010 for use in the Rock Band 3 music gaming platform in both Basic rhythm, and PRO mode which takes advantage of the use of a real guitar, along with standard MIDI-compatible electronic drum kits / keyboards in addition to vocals.[9][10]

References

  1. ↑ The Doors CDs Remastered
  2. ↑ Flavour of New Zealand, 24 April 1969
  3. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  4. ↑ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 8, 1969
  5. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6104&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062
  6. ↑ Musicoutfitters.com
  7. ↑ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1969
  8. ↑ "American single certifications – Touch Me". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  9. ↑ staff, IGN (2010-10-22). "The Doors Most Loved Songs Kick Off Rock Band 3 DLC". IGN. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
  10. ↑ Snider, Mike (2010-06-10). "Rock Band 3: What's New, What's Notable". USA Today. Retrieved 2012-11-08.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.