You Make Me Real
| "You Make Me Real" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by the Doors | ||||
| from the album Morrison Hotel | ||||
| B-side | "Roadhouse Blues" | |||
| Released | March 1970 | |||
| Recorded | 1969–1970 | |||
| Studio | Elektra Sound Recorders, Los Angeles | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:50 (album version)[5] | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Composer(s) | Jim Morrison | |||
| Producer(s) | Paul A. Rothchild | |||
| The Doors singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"You Make Me Real" is a song written by Jim Morrison that was first released on the Doors 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was also released as the only single from the album, reaching No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100, but was ultimately surpassed in popularity by its B-side, "Roadhouse Blues".[3] In France the single was issued with "Peace Frog" as the B-side.
Music and lyrics
"You Make Me Real" is one of several hard rock songs on Morrison Hotel.[1] Rock critic David Fricke called it a "three-minute preview of the garage-blues napalm the Doors would take into arenas throughout 1970."[3][4] Tony Thompson compared it to the "ragged frat rock" of Rick & the Ravens and to the "'keep 'em dancing' rock 'n' roll" of Billy Lee Riley.[4] The song's composition had started in 1966 and the group performed it regularly when they were the house band at the Whisky a Go Go.[6] The track begins with Ray Manzarek's keyboards, followed by Krieger's guitar, before Morrison's vocals begin.[1] Krieger plays a guitar solo in the middle of the song.[1]
Like parts of "Roadhouse Blues" and several other Doors songs, "You Make Me Real" was inspired by Morrison's girlfriend Pamela Courson.[3] The lyrics incorporate sexual innuendo such as the line "So let me slide in your tender sunken sea."[3] In the refrain Morrison sings "You make me real, you make me feel, like lovers feel, you make me throw away mistaken misery, make me free, love, make me free" and the song ends with Morrison loudly exclaiming "Make me free."[1]
Reception
On the other hand, music journalist Gillian G. Gaar considered "You Make Me Real" to be weaker than its B-side, "Roadhouse Blues".[11] Tony Thompson said that is not one of the Doors' great songs and wonders why it was chosen over "Roadhouse Blues" and other Morrison Hotel tracks to be the lead single from the album.[4]
Personnel
According to Heinz Gerstenmeyer:[16]
The Doors
- Jim Morrison – vocals
- Wurlitzer piano, tack piano
- Robby Krieger – guitar
- John Densmore – drums
Additional musicians
- Ray Neapolitan – bass
Other releases
"You Make Me Real" was included on the Doors' 2003
References
- ^ Rolling Stone India. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ a b Jurek, Thom. "Morrison Hotel". AllMusic. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-1617131141.
- ^ ISBN 978-1789521375.
- ^ Morrison Hotel (Liner notes). The Doors. Elektra Records. 1970. Back cover. EKS-75007.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - Goldmine Magazine. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
- ^ "Cash Box Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. March 28, 1970. p. 28. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). Billboard. April 4, 1970. p. 60. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ "Single Picks of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 28, 1970. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box. May 9, 1970. p. 4. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-1627887052.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - May 23, 1970" (PDF).
- ^ Harris, Lew (March 15, 1970). "Doors Discover Blues on Morrison Hotel". Chicago Tribune. p. 4-section 5. Retrieved March 11, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Baker, Robb (January 22, 1970). "It's All The Doors Should Be". Chicago Tribune. p. 8-section 2. Retrieved March 11, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ISBN 978-0743201698.
- ISBN 978-3-8311-2057-4.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Legacy: The Absolute Best". AllMusic. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ Eder, Bruce. "Alive, She Cried". AllMusic. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
- ^ a b Simpson, Dave (December 8, 2016). "The Doors: London Fog 1966 review – embryonic sound of stars in the making". The Guardian. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
