The Very Best of The Doors (2007 album)

The Very Best of the Doors is the ninth compilation album by the rock band 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).

The Very Best of the Doors
Greatest hits album by the Doors
Released	September 25, 2007 (2007-09-25)
Recorded	1966–1971
Genre	Psychedelic rock, blues rock, acid rock
Length	78:53 (single disc version) 140:36 (double disc version)
Label	Elektra Rhino
Producer	Paul A. Rothchild, Bruce Botnick, The Doors
The Doors chronology
Legacy: The Absolute Best (2003) The Very Best of the Doors (2007) The Future Starts Here: The Essential Doors Hits (2008)

Album history

Originally slated to be released on March 26, 2007, the release date was delayed to September 25, 2007.[1]

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.[2]

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

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]

The album has received positive reviews. AllMusic titled its review "Amazing" and called the album "an amazing greatest hits".[3]

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.

Single CD version (also known as in the U.S. The Future Starts Here: The Essential Doors Hits (2008)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"Break On Through (To the Other Side)"	Jim Morrison	The Doors, 1967	2:28
2.	"Light My Fire"	Robby Krieger	The Doors	7:00
3.	"Love Me Two Times"	Krieger	Strange Days, 1967	3:16
4.	"Hello, I Love You"	Morrison	Waiting for the Sun, 1968	2:40
5.	"People Are Strange"	Morrison, Krieger	Strange Days	2:12
6.	"Strange Days"	Morrison	Strange Days	3:09
7.	"Riders on the Storm"		L.A. Woman, 1971	7:08
8.	"L.A. Woman"	Morrison	L.A. Woman	8:00
9.	"Touch Me"	Krieger (credited as such on the original album)	The Soft Parade, 1969	3:13
10.	"Roadhouse Blues"	Morrison (credited as such on the original album (along with the other members as one separate group))	Morrison Hotel, 1970	4:07
11.	"Peace Frog"	Morrison, Krieger (credited as such on the original album)	Morrison Hotel	2:58
12.	"Love Street"	Morrison	Waiting for the Sun	2:57
13.	"The Crystal Ship"	Morrison	The Doors	2:35
14.	"Soul Kitchen"	Morrison	The Doors	3:33
15.	"Love Her Madly"	Krieger	L.A. Woman	3:40
16.	"Back Door Man"	Willie Dixon, Chester Burnett (credited as such on the original album (except for Chester))	The Doors	3:33
17.	"Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)"	Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill (credited as such on the original album)	The Doors	3:17
18.	"Moonlight Drive"	Morrison	Strange Days	3:04
19.	"The Unknown Soldier"		Waiting for the Sun	4:03
20.	"The End" (edited version from the film Apocalypse Now)		Originally from The Doors	6:28

Double CD version

Disc 1 (Both UK and U.S. versions)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"Break On Through (To the Other Side)"	Morrison	The Doors	2:28
2.	"Strange Days"	Morrison	Strange Days	3:09
3.	"Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)"	Brecht, Weill (credited as such on the original album)	The Doors	3:17
4.	"Love Me Two Times"	Krieger	Strange Days	3:16
5.	"Light My Fire"	Krieger	The Doors	7:00
6.	"Spanish Caravan"		Waiting for the Sun	3:01
7.	"The Crystal Ship"	Morrison	The Doors	2:35
8.	"The Unknown Soldier"		Waiting for the Sun	4:03
9.	"The End"		The Doors	11:41
10.	"People Are Strange"	Morrison, Krieger	Strange Days	2:12
11.	"Back Door Man"	Dixon, Burnett (credited as such on the original album (except for Burnett))	The Doors	3:33
12.	"Moonlight Drive"	Morrison	Strange Days	3:04
13.	"End of the Night"	Morrison	The Doors	2:51
14.	"Five to One"	Morrison	Waiting for the Sun	4:32
15.	"When the Music's Over"		Strange Days	11:05

Disc 2 (UK version)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"Bird of Prey"	Morrison	An American Prayer, 1978; released as a bonus track in the 1995 Rhino reissue of the album	1:06
2.	"Love Her Madly"	Krieger	L.A. Woman	3:40
3.	"Riders on the Storm"		L.A. Woman	7:08
4.	"Orange County Suite"	Morrison	Previously found on The Doors: Box Set and later included on Essential Rarities, 1997/1999; was recorded for L.A. Woman, 1970-1971	5:45
5.	"Runnin' Blue"	Krieger (credited as such on the original album)	The Soft Parade	2:29
6.	"Hello, I Love You"	Morrison	Waiting for the Sun	2:40
7.	"The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)"	Morrison	L.A. Woman	4:16
8.	"Stoned Immaculate"	Morrison	An American Prayer	1:36
9.	"Soul Kitchen"	Morrison	The Doors	3:33
10.	"Peace Frog"	Morrison, Krieger (credited as such on the original album)	Morrison Hotel	2:58
11.	"L.A. Woman"	Morrison	L.A. Woman	8:00
12.	"Waiting for the Sun"	Morrison (credited as such on the original album)	Morrison Hotel; originally recorded for the album of the same name	4:03
13.	"Touch Me"	Krieger (credited as such on the original album)	The Soft Parade	3:13
14.	"The Changeling"	Morrison	L.A. Woman	4:26
15.	"Wishful Sinful"	Krieger	The Soft Parade	2:59
16.	"Love Street"	Morrison	Waiting for the Sun	2:57
17.	"The Ghost Song"	Morrison	An American Prayer	4:14
18.	"Whiskey, Mystics and Men"		Previously found on The Doors: Box Set and later included on Essential Rarities; originally recorded in 1969/1977 though other official releases says it was recorded in 1970	2:28
19.	"Roadhouse Blues"	Morrison	Morrison Hotel	4:07

Disc 2 (U.S. version)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Original album	Length
1.	"Twentieth Century Fox"	Morrison	The Doors	2:35
2.	"Love Her Madly"	Krieger	L.A. Woman	3:40
3.	"Riders on the Storm"		L.A. Woman	7:08
4.	"My Eyes Have Seen You"	Morrison	Strange Days	2:29
5.	"Tell All the People"	Krieger (credited as such on the original album)	The Soft Parade	3:21
6.	"Hello, I Love You"	Morrison	Waiting for the Sun	2:40
7.	"The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)"	Morrison	L.A. Woman	4:16
8.	"Not to Touch the Earth"	Morrison	Waiting for the Sun; originally the fifth part of the epic suite "Celebration of the Lizard"	3:59
9.	"Soul Kitchen"	Morrison	The Doors	3:33
10.	"Peace Frog"	Morrison, Krieger (credited as such on the original album)	Morrison Hotel	2:58
11.	"L.A. Woman"	Morrison	L.A. Woman	8:00
12.	"Waiting for the Sun"	Morrison (credited as such on the original album)	Morrison Hotel; originally recorded for the album of the same name	4:03
13.	"Touch Me"	Krieger (credited as such on the original album)	The Soft Parade	3:13
14.	"The Changeling"	Morrison	L.A. Woman	4:26
15.	"Wishful Sinful"	Krieger (credited as such on the original album)	The Soft Parade	2:59
16.	"Love Street"	Morrison	Waiting for the Sun	2:57
17.	"The Ghost Song"	Morrison	An American Prayer	4:14
18.	"Gloria" (live)	Van Morrison	Alive, She Cried, 1983	6:20
19.	"Roadhouse Blues"	Morrison	Morrison Hotel	4:07

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.

DVD

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Light My Fire"	Krieger
2.	"Hello, I Love You"	Morrison
3.	"Spanish Caravan"
4.	"The Unknown Soldier"
5.	"The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" / "Love Me Two Times"	Morrison, Krieger

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 – electric 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)

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[4]	2× Platinum	140,000^^
Belgium (BEA)[5]	Gold	15,000^*
Ireland (IRMA)[6]	Gold	7,500^^
Italy (FIMI)[7]	Platinum	80,000^*
Poland (ZPAV)[8]	Gold	10,000^*
United Kingdom (BPI)[9]	Platinum	300,000^^
United States (RIAA)[10]	Gold	500,000^^
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Date Changed
2. Wal-Mart Special Collection
3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Very Best of the Doors". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
4. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2011 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
5. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2010". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
6. "Irish album certifications – The Doors – The Very Best of The Doors". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
7. "Italian album certifications – Doors – The Very Best of" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 29 June 2013. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "The Very Best of" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
8. "Polish album certifications – The Doors – The Very Best of" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
9. "British album certifications – Doors – The Very Best Of". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type The Very Best Of in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
10. "American album certifications – The Doors – The Very Best of the Doors". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.