Not to Touch the Earth

"Not to Touch the Earth"
Single release in 1980 as B-side of "People Are Strange" from Greatest Hits
Song by the Doors
from the album Waiting for the Sun
ReleasedJuly 3, 1968
RecordedFebruary–May 1968
Genre
Length3:54
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)The Doors
Producer(s)Paul A. Rothchild

"Not to Touch the Earth" is a 1968 song by the Doors from their third album Waiting for the Sun. It is part of an extended performance piece called "Celebration of the Lizard" that the band played live multiple times. A 17-minute studio recording of the complete piece was attempted during the sessions for Waiting for the Sun, and the lyrics were printed in their entirety on the gatefold LP sleeve, but only the musical passage "Not to Touch the Earth" was included on the LP.[5][6]

The full 1968 studio recording of "Celebration of the Lizard" was released in 2003 on the Legacy: The Absolute Best compilation[7] and the 40th Anniversary Edition CD re-issue of Waiting for the Sun.[8]

  1. ^ a b Goldsmith, Melissa Ursula Dawn (2020). Listen to Classic Rock! Exploring a Musical Genre. ABC-CLIO. pp. 93–94. ISBN 978-1440865787.
  2. ^ Berman, Stuart (December 5, 2006). "The Doors: Perception Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  3. ^ Wall, Mick (October 30, 2014). Love Becomes a Funeral Pyre. UK: Hachette. p. 201. ISBN 978-1409151258. 'Not To Touch the Earth' ... nearly four minutes of avant-rock.
  4. ^ Pipes, Rusty (January 2002). "Part 4 of The Golden Age of Art Rock". Cosmik Debris Magazine. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved March 26, 2021. Even "Not to Touch the Earth" ... are good examples of Art Rock
  5. ^ Weidman, Rich (October 1, 2011). The Doors FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Kings of Acid Rock. Backbeat Books. p. 197. ISBN 978-1617131103.
  6. ^ Moskowitz, David (2015). The 100 Greatest Bands of All Time: A Guide to the Legends Who Rocked the World. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood. p. 223. ISBN 978-1440803390.
  7. ^ Peterson, Gary (2003). Legacy: The Absolute Best (CD booklet). The Doors. Burbank, California: Elektra Records. R2 73889.
  8. ^ Waiting for the Sun (liner notes). The Doors. Rhino Records. 2007. R2-101191.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)