I don't know how I never noticed this, but after watching Ray, I realized the intro piano to "Hit the Road" is basically a carbon copy of The Doors' "Break on Through", did Morrison rip Ray off?

No, Morrison did not rip off Ray Charles.

It is quite possible that Ray Manzarek did, though.

well whatever, does anyone know? or at least see what I'm saying? I mean it's a mirror image (if you can have a mirror image of music)

Are you sure you're thinking of Hit The Road, or is it What'd I Say?

"Break on Through" was a huge song for The Doors, I am sure I would have heard of it being a rip-off.

Speaking of "Rip-offs", Val Kilmer deserved an oscar nomination for "Tombstone"...

He was robbed...

No I'm pretty sure it was hit the road. If you've seen the movie it was the scene with the 3 background singers. I think it was their first gig with Ray and he just kind of played that song on a whim, they had tambourines and didn't quite know what to do. It was whatever that song was.

Well if it was anyone taking inspiration from anyone, it was probably the Doors.

First off Hit the Road was made in 1961, which makes it almost 6 years older than the Doors debut.

The Doors also took inspiration from everyone, Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill, John Lee Hooker etc etc, so its not surprising that they might have a Ray Charles sample.

Im a HUGE Doors fan .. but I have never heard the 1961 Hit the Road and I am not DLing music anymore .. but I will see what I can dig up.

just watch Ray, it's a great movie.

SirWelker, the scene you are talking about is "What'd I Say."

OK, yeah just went and watched it. You're right. So do you agree? It sounds just like it.

[This message has been edited by SirWelker (edited 3/1/2005 11:23a).]

good ear welker. while the little riffs are pretty similar, what probably stands out the most and makes them seem identical is the use of the wurlitzer electric piano.

quote:

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wurlitzer electric piano

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Where is my gun...?

whats the problem loco?

[This message has been edited by Professor Frick (edited 3/1/2005 1:10p).]

I have a problem when the wurlitzer becomes to dominate.

Just one example:

I saw Seth James at Greune Hall and the dude on the keyboard ruined the show. I think he thought everyone came to see him.

ahhh i see.



by the way, little bit of trivia: "What'd i say", released in '59, was the first hit song to use the Wurlitzer, which was invented in the early 50's.

Cool fact Professor. Thanks

This cogent, thought-provoking thread made we want to listen to my Doors CDs and I did.

So let’s see…

Jim Morrison always sounded just like Jim Morrison.

No reason to ever change that, he was so strong.

But the keyboard on “Break on Through” really does sound like Ray Charles’ electric piano on “What’d I Say?”

And “Riders on the Storm” cops the same moody, minor key sound as The Vicounts’ “Harlem Nocturne.”

Plus “Love Her Madly” sort of begins like Dire Straits’ “The Sultans of Swing.”

“When The Music’s Over” has the same opening vibe as Mungo Santamaria’s “Watermelon Man.”

“Roadhouse Blues” resembles Canned Heat (or Muddy Waters or John Lee Hooker) on steroids.

“Spanish Caravan” starts out as flamenco as Carlos Montoya.

“Strange Days” comes on as paranoid and creepy as anything that Alice Cooper’s backup band or David Bowie’s Spiders from Mars ever tried to play.

"Love Me Two Times" would make a good attention-grabbing ring tone for a cell phone.

I think Annie “Sweet dreams are made of these…” Lennox could do a great breathy, atmospheric cover of “The Crystal Ship.”

“The End” sounds like a requiem that Mozart might have written had he started out in a Simi Valley garage band, instead of being a classically trained wonderkind from Salzburg.

“L. A. Woman” sounds to me like something The Cars might have done before the invention of synthesizers allowed them the thicker, layered sound they made famous.

"Five To One" kicks off with a drum part that's a little like a slower version of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” but, after the other Door musicians come in grooving, you realize that this would make a great Talking Heads song with the wild-eyed and quirky David Byrne going psycho killer on your ass.

If the late, great Del Shannon had been a trippy druggie, instead of a depressed alkie, when he wrote “Runaway,” that song with its minor key and cheesy organ lead could have been along the lines of “Light My Fire.”

Hey, “Alabama Song” would fit great as Pontius Pilate’s over the top, foppish showstopper in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” if all the references to whiskey were changed to wine.

Morrison always sounded like Morrison, but Ray Manzarek, Robby Kreiger and John Densmore always sounded different, drawing from many styles.

They “invented” some riffs, copped some others, turned stuff around, channeled stuff from dudes that had come before and presaged many folks that came along later.

They were eclectically way too cool.

Doors that, as their name promises, opened into many different rooms.



Jim Morrison admittedly had a great voice and wrote great poetry, but if he hadn’t teamed up with the others he could have spent his life on the Venice beach front, screaming out his words and never being heard above the noise of the surf.

The Doors were a cool total package with Morrison out front as the mesmerizing focal point and the other three supporting him with great and varied music, characterized by savvy ensemble play, superb dynamics and an impressive palette of sonic colorings.

IMHO, The Eagles only visited "Hotel California" briefly.

They spent a whole lot of time elsewhere.

So, if I'm booking the gig, The Doors could play in that hotel's lounge/bar for eternity.



Ain’t music wonderful?!!!







Gig 'em, FAST FRED '65.

Before the world wide web, village idiots usually stayed in their own village.

[This message has been edited by FAST FRED (edited 3/1/2005 11:34p).]

good post