Tag: Robbie Krieger

In the early eighties, I joined Columbia House and I would sign up fictional people and get free albums. I would buy the required albums for these fictional people but you would get 6-7 free albums for signing up someone to buy one album. Plus that person would get free albums when they joined. I saw the loophole and took advantage of it but I always paid. I got most of my Doors, Moody Blues, and a few other albums through Columbia House. 

This Robbie Krieger-written song is immediately likable. This Doors song and album differed from many others because of its orchestral arrangement, which includes brass and strings. It was largely arranged by producer Paul Rothchild. It was also very radio-friendly and Morrison’s voice sounded great in this pop backdrop…he did keep his edge up on the track. Many critics and fans saw the track as a sell-out for The Doors. To me, it was just them expanding their sound to a different genre. Plus the solo in the middle is clearly jazz-influenced not heard in many top 40 hits at the time. 

The song was on the Soft Parade album released in 1969. The album peaked at #6 on the Billboard Album Charts and #4 in Canada. The song did really well. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard 100, #1 in Canada, and #6 in New Zealand. 

Soft Parade was their 4th studio album. They would only release two more albums with Morrison, Morrison Motel, and L.A. Woman (my personal favorite). With Soft Parade the band decided to experiment with a more polished, orchestral sound. Producer Paul A. Rothchild and arranger Paul Harris introduced horns, strings, and elaborate arrangements and this song is a good example. The two singles off this album were Touch Me and Wishful Sinful which just missed the top forty at #44.

In the Smothers Brothers clip, you will see Robbie Krieger with a black eye. Ray Manzarek said this: Three rednecks got in a fight with Jim and Robbie down the street from the Doors’ office at a bar and there was pushing and shoving and Robbie Krieger got whacked in the eye. Jim ducked a punch, Robbie wasn’t able to duck the punch. That was 2 days before we went on The Smothers Brothers’ Show. They said to Robbie on the show, Let’s put some make-up on that black eye. You don’t want to be on national television with a black eye. And Robbie said, Yes, I do! No one has ever gone on TV with a black eye. I’m going to be the first! It’s a badge of honor.

Touch Me

Come on, come on, come on, come on
Now touch me, babe
Can’t you see that I am not afraid?
What was that promise that you made?
Why won’t you tell me what she said?
What was that promise that you made?

Now, I’m going to love you
‘Til the heavens stop the rain
I’m going to love you
‘Til the stars fall from the sky
For you and I

Come on, come on, come on, come on
Now touch me, babe
Can’t you see that I am not afraid?
What was that promise that you made?
Why won’t you tell me what she said?
What was that promise that you made?

Now, I’m going to love you
‘Til the heavens stop the rain
I’m going to love you
‘Til the stars fall from the sky
For you and I

I’m going to love you
‘Til the heavens stop the rain
I’m going to love you
‘Til the stars fall from the sky
For you and I

Stronger than dirt