Roadhouse Blues

For The Punisher episode, see Roadhouse Blues (The Punisher).
"Roadhouse Blues"
Single by the Doors
from the album Morrison Hotel
A-side"You Make Me Real"
ReleasedMarch 1970 (1970-03)
RecordedNovember 4–5, 1969
StudioElektra, Los Angeles
GenreBlues rock[1][2][3]
Length
  • 4:04 (album version)[4]
  • 3:49 (single version)
LabelElektra
Composer(s)The Doors
Lyricist(s)Jim Morrison
Producer(s)Paul A. Rothchild
The Doors singles chronology
"Runnin' Blue"
(1969) 		"Roadhouse Blues"
(1970) 		"Love Her Madly"
(1971)
Audio sample

"Roadhouse Blues" is a song by the American rock band the Doors from their 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was released as the B-side of "You Make Me Real", which peaked at No. 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100[5] and No. 41 in Canada.[6] "Roadhouse Blues" charted in its own right on the Cash Box Top 100, peaking at No. 76.[7] The song became a concert staple for the group and it has been covered by numerous artists.

Hailed by sound engineer Bruce Botnick as "the all-time American bar band song,"[8] "Roadhouse Blues"–despite its relatively unsuccessful chart peak–received strong airplay on rock radio stations.[9] The song's title was considered for the name of the album, but it was eventually changed.[8] It was ranked the 153rd top classic-rock song by Q104,3,[10] and the eleventh best rock song of all time by Time Out.[11]

  1. ^ Luhrssen & Larson 2017, p. 97.
  2. ^ Goldsmith 2019, p. 95.
  3. ^ Hermann, Andy (September 18, 2001). "The Very Best of the Doors – Review". PopMatters. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  4. ^ 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)
  5. ^ "The Doors Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard.com. 2019. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  6. ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - May 23, 1970" (PDF).
  7. ^ "Cash Box Top 100" (PDF). Cash Box. May 16, 1970. p. 4. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Weidman 2011, p. 214.
  9. ^ Weidman 2011, p. 200.
  10. ^ "The Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time: Dirty Dozenth Edition". Q1043.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  11. ^ Kryza, Andy; Levine, Nick; Kerwin, Bryan (November 4, 2022). "The 28 Best Classic Rock Songs of All Time". Time Out. Retrieved March 23, 2023.