The Soft Parade

Description

At a time when Rock is becoming much harder and more minimalist (notably at Elektra with the Stooges and the MC5), and the music of the Doors is not unrelated, the band surprises everyone in July 1969 with The Soft Parade, largely thanks to guitarist Robby Krieger, with his string and brass arrangements (and even saxophone solos) that bring richness and more syncopated rhythms, as in the stunning "Touch Me," which had already reached No. 3 on February 15, just days before, ironically, Jim Morrison was accused of exposing himself in public. This direction is due to producer Paul Rothchild, who aimed to salvage songs he found weak, and against the general opinion of his sound engineer Bruce Botnick and Elektra head Jac Holzman. The musicians, disinterested in the issue, found the atmosphere disastrous during the sessions, with Morrison becoming completely uncontrollable. So much so that their initial agreement was broken: the tracks were no longer credited jointly, but only to Krieger or Morrison. Nevertheless, The Soft Parade was a commercial success even greater than the previous album, and its concept has been rehabilitated over time. Aside from "Touch Me," it contains some gems like Morrison's "Wild Child" and Krieger's "Wishful Sinful," as well as a curious tribute to Otis Redding, a mix of soul and country by Krieger: "Runnin' Blue."