I bought L.A. Woman at a family’s yard sale sometime in the 1980s. If I remember correctly, I paid 10 cents for it. The album was in mint condition, which made that dime a pretty good investment.
Like a lot of teenagers, I went through a Doors phase. They were never one of my absolute favorite bands, but I liked a lot of their music and still do. L.A. Woman ended up being my favorite Doors album, and the first song grabbed me immediately. This song was love at first listen.
L.A. Woman was released in 1971 and would be the final Doors album released during Jim Morrison’s lifetime. It was also a change for the band behind the scenes. Longtime producer Paul Rothchild left before the album was recorded, and the Doors worked with engineer Bruce Botnick to produce it themselves. Much of the album was recorded in the band’s rehearsal space rather than a conventional studio. John Densmore later described the result as raw and simple, almost as if the band had come full circle and become a garage band again.
It is a great example of that sound. It has a dirty, funky groove that starts almost immediately. Morrison sounds different from his younger self on Light My Fire. His voice had become rougher and deeper by this point, and it fits this song perfectly. The band sounds loose, but they are locked together.
I’ve never understood why it wasn’t more popular. It wasn’t released as one of the major singles from the album. Love Her Madly became a hit, and Riders on the Storm followed it into the Top 20. The Changeling ended up as the B-side of the Riders on the Storm single. Even today it tends to be overshadowed by those songs and the title track. AllMusic even describes it as one of the album’s “better little-heeded tracks.”
I got my copy of L.A. Woman for about a dime at a yard sale. Of all the few bargains I’ve found over the years, that one turned out pretty well.
The Changeling
I live uptown
I live downtown
I live all around
I had money, and I had none
I had money, and I had none
But I never been so broke that I couldn’t leave town
I’m a changeling
See me change
I’m a changeling
See me change
I’m the air you breathe
Food you eat
Friends you greet in the sullen street
See me change
See me change
I live uptown
I live downtown
I live all around
I had money, yeah, and I had none
I had money, yeah, and I had none
But I never been so broke that I couldn’t leave town
Well, I’m the air you breathe
Food you eat
Friends you greet in the sullen street
You gotta see me change
See me change
Yeah, I’m leavin’ town
On a midnight train
Gotta see me change
Change, change, change
Change, change, change
Change, change, change
Change, change, change
Change, change, change
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Wow, that’s some bargain. Wonder what it’s worth on Discogs? I am pretty much a greatest hits fan, which is a bit of sacrilege I know. So this song is definitely new to me. Initially thought it was a James Brown tune!
It does have that funk to it.
LA Woman is a masterpiece, but The Changeling never got my attention. The title track, WASP, Riders On The Storm. They were what the album was all about, and still are. But such a great album.
Thanks, Max
It really caught mine while opening up the album for some reason…I like the bass and the drive.
riders on the storm for me!
Even accounting for inflation, 10 cents was a good deal! I had the album in my ‘Doors phase’ early in ’90s but didn’t play it all that much, I did love the two singles and ‘the WASP’ which is one weird yet catchy song. This showed the group was changing back then, who knows what a 1975 Morrison might have been doing or sounding like
I always wondered what he would do…he could have tried to become a full time poet or became a lounge singer…you just don’t know with him…such a wild card.
I guess he said he’d be out of the music biz and writing poetry full time, but someone volatile and fickle as he, he might well have been recording again in a year or so. One might think he’d be headed towards more blues-rock and less psychedelia, but who’s to say?
I know…you just never know with him. I agree he was going more blues but something tells me he would have got bored with that…like he did everything else.
I could see him being very successful as a midnight cowboy.
yep!
While I had known The Doors since the early ’80s – initially because of that Sunday evening oldies radio show back in Germany I’ve mentioned on previous occasions – it took until 1991 and the great Oliver Stone documentary featuring Val Kilmner until I owned Doors music when I got the excellent soundtrack. Subsequently, I got the “Morrison Hotel” album on CD. I never owned any of their other albums, though I taped some on music cassette.
Anyway, when thinking of “L.A. Woman”, the first songs that come to mind are the magnificent “Riders on the Storm” and “Love Her Madly”, in addition to the great title track. “The Changeling” wasn’t on my radar screen. It’s a great song as well!
This is the album that I really liked the best of them…it’s solid…I even like it better really than their debut…it was a different more tougher sound.
I always liked this song, Max and it made a good opener for this album. A changeling is a mythological creature swapped for a human baby, often representing an outcast who does not fit in. Morrison uses the term to describe his fluid identity and constant state of change, his independence from wealth (he had money and he had none), status (friend he has and food he eats), and physical location (living uptown and downtown).
It is a really good song and I wish it would have got played a little more…Morrison was a thinker…you can agree or disagree with him…but he wasn’t a simple personality.
Love this cut and the whole record. You mentioned something about listening to whole albums yesterday, well that was me back when (and today), what I did with a lot of my idle youth. I was a huge Doors fan and this song just makes me want to go for a spin with the whole record. 10 cents? Gotta like that.
Oh yea…best 10 cents I ever spent. This is the song that really hooked me on the album and in some ways them. A great album by them….my favorite by them.
I LOVE this line:
“But I never been so broke that I couldn’t leave town”
Funkadelic and groovy tune. Thanks for the introduction, Max. Hope you are enjoying your Sunday.
Thank you Lisa! I like that line as well…it’s a cool song that doesn’t get noticed.
You are welcome, Max.
(Great line!)
🙂
Love the fact you paid a dime for that album, Max. Small change indeed to enjoy The Changeling, as well as all the other tunes on it!
Best dime ever!
It’s one I’d forgotten. Sums Restless Jim up pretty well. Not one to be tied down, he’s up and gooooone.
Yes…that he did!
My siblings had the “Light My Fire” single, and I remember “Touch Me” being on the radio, but other than that, I really didn’t hear a lot of the Doors until the resurgence with the No One Here Gets Out Alive book. A friend of mine bought their greatest hits album and I taped it. I’ve never really listened to the individual albums. I kind of have to be in the mood for Morrison. “Riders On The Storm” is their best in my opinion. It sets a mood and mines it for all it’s worth. This song is good. Maybe I’ll check the albums out.
This is the album that I would check out…it was a change for them to more blues…loud blues.
Max, I think WordPress once again is placing my comments in limbo on certain sites. I believe I left a comment here which hasn’t appeared yet. Just wanted to give you a heads-up in the event it is stuck elsewhere!
Thanks Bruce….I just saw A LOT! Oh goodness…my fault for not checking! I’ll go through them.
I’ve been off and on WP since 2009 and this has never happened to me. And now, it has been twice in 11 months. I have noticed other things as well when trying to like posts (have to refresh the page), not getting all of the notifications from comment replies on some blogs, etc. Thanks for checking!
It’s also happening a friend of mine that comes here…his was sitting beside yours.
I don’t know if ive heard this much, need to do a Doors deep dive. Love that organ tone.
They do have some interesting album cuts and in this case, B-sides.
I’ve always liked the Doors. Morrison is one of those artists that I wonder what he would have done…I saw an interview once where the organ player said a lot of his playing was influenced by classical pieces.
With Morrison…you never know! More rock, blues, or maybe even a lounge singer with him…he was the ultimate wild card.
For sure!