Shake Out
Touch Me - The Doors (Blast from the Past Tuesday)
The first time I ever saw a video of the Doors performing live, I had to do a double take. Here’s a band who had so much raw, ruthless power…. and they looked like that? Of course Jim Morrison fit the description of the type of guy who could muster up the vocal prowess to roar the way he did, the type of guy who could start a domino effect of screams all the way through an audience with a quick glance. But the rest of them… I mean this in the best way, but the rest of The Doors look like they got all A’s in school, like Morrison approached them one day, took their lunch money, and told them they were in a band now. Case in point:
Again, I mean no disrespect. The discrepancy between the looks of Morrison and the rest of them is exactly what drew me to watch lots of performances by them, what drew me to listen to lots of their music. While it’s been a great ride, my number one from them will always and forever be 1969’s classic “Touch Me”.
I feel like this song represents the band through and through. You’ve got tougher, more rebellious elements like smashing drums and raw vocals balanced with traditional, more intellectual elements like soft strings and a strong brass section. I’d venture to call this song an epic, because it really takes you on a journey throughout. You have virtually no idea how it’ll shake out at the very beginning, and I’d bet money that when listening for the first time you could not predict how it ends up.
One thing I really love in this song is how Jim Morrison actually sings — he had this brand of rapsy speaking-to-the-beat that worked for lots of other songs, but it’s nice to hear him get all nice and croon at the “I’m gonna love you/til the heaven stops the rain” bit. Another thing I always hear when I listen to this one is how everything gets more intense. All the instruments build on the energy from each other — Morrison’s voice gets more fervent, the saxophone has a sick solo, the organ absolutely shreds, the bass and drums lock into each other and totally kill — by the end of the song, I’m almost out of breath just listening to it!
“Touch Me” is a classic. Simple lyrics, simple message, and simple instruments that fit together perfectly. It’s a track that gives as much energy as it takes, one that’ll have you up and at ‘em within the first few minutes. The Doors are the prime example of a band that I love to see in action, and this song is no different — some of them may look meek, but once you spin “Touch Me”, you’ll see the fire that’s been in them all along!
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