The Very Best of The Doors (2007 album)

Updated on Nov 20, 2023

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Recorded 1966–1971 Artist The Doors Label Rhino Entertainment		Length 78:53 Release date 25 September 2007

Released March 25, 2007 (2007-03-25) The Very Best of the Doors (2007) The Future Starts Here The Essential Doors Hits (2008) Genres Rock music, Psychedelic rock, Blues rock, Acid rock, Progressive rock Producers Paul A. Rothchild, Bruce Botnick Similar The Doors albums, Rock music albums

The doors break on through to the other side

The Very Best of the Doors is the ninth compilation album by the rock group The Doors. It was released on September 25, 2007 to commemorate the band's 40th anniversary. The masters were drawn from the same remixes/remasters used for the 2006 Perception box set and 2007 Doors reissues. Three versions of the album were released. First conceived in the UK, the single CD version of this compilation is only available in the UK. There are minor differences between the U.S. and UK versions of the double CD version (see below).

Break on through to the other side the doors the very best of the doors

Album history

Originally slated to be released on March 26, 2007, the release date was delayed to September 25, 2007.

There was confusion as to the album's title prior to an official announcement. The Doors already have an album called The Very Best of The Doors that was released in 2001, that caused confusion among fans and critics. Several sources, including fan sites, claimed Jim Morrison's The Doors would be the album's title. The album was also put up for pre-sale on some online music merchants' sites under the Jim Morrison's The Doors title.

On June 18, 2007, a message was posted on The Doors' official MySpace page confirming that the title of the album would be The Very Best of The Doors 2007. A spokesperson for Elektra Records has said that the title and theme of The Doors’ ninth compilation album is about "a new beginning and their 40th anniversary."

On September 25, 2007, U.S. retailer Wal-Mart released a special edition of The Very Best of The Doors with an exclusive concert filmed during their world tour in London, England; it also contains a special book with the lyrics of each song.

Promotion

The album was well promoted on the Internet and on music channels. There were many commercials on YouTube and many other websites; one commercial was shown during the week of September 20 on VH1 and MTV.

Critical reception

The album has received positive reviews. AllMusic titled its review "Amazing" and called the album "an amazing greatest hits".

Track listing

All songs composed by the writer but credited to The Doors (John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison) unless otherwise indicated.

The Wal-Mart exclusive

This 2 CD and 1 DVD set contains the UK track listing (even if bought in the U.S.). The DVD highlights performances from Live in Europe 1968.

The package itself is a rectangle. Marketed as a soft/paper book with an overlapping inlay for both CD's. The book features photos, an essay, and lyrics to each song found on the release. The DVD is in the back.

Personnel

Jim Morrison – vocals

Robby Krieger – guitar

Ray Manzarek – piano, organ

John Densmore – drums

Bruce Botnick – co-producer of the L.A. Woman tracks, engineer for all tracks including the former tracks except for disc 2, track 18, remixing job for all releases

Paul A. Rothchild – producer for all tracks except for the L.A. Woman selections

Jerry Scheff – bass guitar on the single disc version tracks 7-8 & 15/disc 2, tracks 2-3, 7-8 (the latter only on UK version), 11, & 14 (both versions)

Larry Knechtel (was uncredited) – bass guitar on the single disc version tracks 2, 14, & 16/disc 1, tracks 5 & 11 and disc 2, tracks 1 (only on U.S. version) & 9 (both versions)

Douglass Lubahn – bass guitar on the single disc versions tracks 3-6, 12, & 18/disc 1, tracks 2, 4, 10, 12, & 14 (both versions) and disc 2, tracks 4 (only on U.S. version), 5 (only on UK version), 6, & 16 (both versions)

Kerry Magness – bass guitar on the single disc version track 19/disc 1, track 8 (both versions)

Leroy Vinnegar – acoustic bass on disc 1, track 6 (both versions)

Curtis Amy – saxophone solo on the single disc version track 9/disc, tracks 4 (only on U.S. version), 11, & 13 (both versions)

George Bohanan – trombone on the single disc version track 9/disc 2, tracks 4 (only on U.S. version), 11, & 13 (both versions)

Harvey Brooks – bass guitar on the single disc version track 9/disc 2, tracks 4 (only on U.S. version), 11, & 13 (both versions)

Jimmy Buchanan – fiddle on the UK version disc 2, track 5

Jesse McReynolds – mandolin on the single disc version track 9 and disc 2, track 13 (both versions)

Champ Webb – English horn solo on the U.S. version disc 2, track 15

Paul Harris – orchestral arrangements on the single disc version track 9 and disc 2, track 11 (both versions)

Lonnie Mack – bass guitar on the single disc version track 10/disc 2, track 19 (both versions)

Ray Neapolitan – bass guitar on the single disc version track 11/disc 2, tracks 10 & 12 (both versions)

John Sebastian (was credited as "G. Puglese") – harmonica on the single disc version track 10/disc 2, track 19 (both versions)

Marc Benno – additional guitar on the single disc version track 8/disc 2, track 11 (both versions)

Songs

Break On Through (to the Other Side)2:28
Strange Days3:09
Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)3:17

References

The Very Best of The Doors (2007 album) Wikipedia

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