Hyacinth House

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"Hyacinth House"
Song by the Doors
from the album L.A. Woman
ReleasedApril 1971
RecordedDecember 1970 – January 1971
StudioThe Doors Workshop, Los Angeles
GenrePop[1]
Length3:10[2]
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)The Doors[2]
Producer(s)

"Hyacinth House" is a song written and performed by the Doors. It appears on the band's final album with frontman Jim Morrison, L.A. Woman (1971). Its lyrics were written by Morrison, while the music was composed by keyboardist Ray Manzarek.

Composition

"Hyacinth House" was recorded on a four track tape machine,[3] contrary to all the other album tracks which were recorded on a professional-quality 8-channel recorder.[4] Morrison recorded his vocals on the studio's bathroom due to the audio's resolution.[5][6]

Polonaise No.6 in A-flat Major, Op. 53
The organ solo borrows partly from Frédéric Chopin's composition.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Withal the other songs on L.A. Woman, the album liner notes list the track's songwriters as the Doors;

ASCAP shows the writers as the individual Doors members.[7] However, the music has also been attributed to keyboardist Ray Manzarek, which references Frédéric Chopin's Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53 during the organ solo,[6][8][9][10] and the lyrics to Morrison, while he was at guitarist Robby Krieger's beach house.[9][11]

Lyrics

The title along with some of the lyrics, refer to the mythological

hyacinth, a plant with a fragrant cluster of flowers.[6]

The lyricism of "Hyacinth House" deeply express Morrison's sorrow. The line "someone who doesn't need me", refers to his troubles with his girlfriend Pamela Courson.[9] Doors' drummer John Densmore said about Morrison's interpretation and lyrics, "He was re-examining, but not with regret. Toward the end, Jim said, 'Probably next time, I'd be a little solitary, Zen gardener working in his garden.' I don't interpret that as a regret, but he had a hunch."[11][12] He therefore acknowledged it as one of Morrison's "saddest songs".[11]

According to Krieger, the line heard in the song's bridge: "I see the bathroom is clear", is a reference to an occurrence when Morrison's friend Babe Hill left the studio's bathroom so Morrison could use it.[6] Krieger has also said that the line "To please the lions" was inspired after Morrison was in Krieger's house and saw a baby bobcat that he had owned.[9][11]

Reception

"Hyacinth House" has been alternately reviewed by both music critics and journalists. In a PopMatters review of the 40th Anniversary edition of L.A. Woman, Nathan Wisnicki commented that Morrison's delivery is "a bit lethargic and flaccid," and found some of the lyrics to be "laughable".[13] The Doors FAQ author Richie Weidman, declared "Hyacinth House" as "one of the strangest Doors' songs ever recorded."[6]

Stereogum critic Michael Nelson, who ranked L.A. Woman the second best Doors album, praised "Hyacinth House" as "secretly one of the Doors' finest songs" and that it "still fits into the universe of L.A. Woman."

Rolling Stone critic Narendra Kusnur considered it to be one of Morrison's 10 most underrated songs, saying that lines like "'I need a brand new friend who doesn't bother me, I need a brand new friend who doesn’t trouble me, I need someone, yeah who doesn’t need me' were charged with emotion, and were an example of Morrison’s intense side."[10]

Personnel

Per 2007 reissue of L.A. Woman CD booklet:[2]

The Doors

Additional musicians

References

  1. ^ a b c Leas, Ryan; Nelson, Michael (July 29, 2015). "The Doors Albums From Worst to Best". Stereogum. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  2. ^
    Rhino Records
    . R2-101155.
  3. ^ Paul, Alan (7 May 2012). "The Doors' Robby Krieger Discusses Some of the Best Tracks on Reissued L.A. Woman Album". Guitar World. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  4. Teamrock.com
    . Retrieved September 3, 2020.
  5. ISBN 978-1-59240-099-7
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-1617131141
    .
  7. ^ "ACE Repertory: Hyacinth House (Work ID: 380142130)". ASCAP. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  8. Rhino Records
    . R2-73889.
  9. ^
    Ultimate Classic Rock
    . Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  10. ^
    Rolling Stone India
    . Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d Weiss, Jeff (January 19, 2012). "L.A. Woman: Track List". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  12. ^ Smith, Rob (April 19, 2021). "The Doors' L.A. Woman: The Story Behind Each Track". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
  13. ^ Wisnicki, Nathan (May 6, 2012). "L.A. Woman (40th Anniversary Edition)". PopMatters. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  14. ISBN 978-3-8311-2057-4
    .
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