THE DOORS’ COVER OF “HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN”

 

Few blues songs have achieved the fame of "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man", a Chicago blues emblem and one of Muddy Waters' most successful recordings (released in 1954).

In the spring of 1966, The Doors performed it at the London Fog in Los Angeles. Not yet famous and having never entered a recording studio, the group was captured in this intimate setting in the months preceding the release of their debut LP.

The Doors' version (link here) is almost twice as long as the original, and while it modifies some musical aspects, it does not deviate too much from the tune written for Muddy Waters by Willie Dixon.

Ray Manzarek is on vocals and electric organ, occasionally replacing Jim Morrison as lead singer during The Doors’ early live shows.

His performance is convincing, if not particularly exciting, and is accompanied by Morrison on backing vocals.

Morrison surprises the listener with some inspiringly simple harmonica fills which culminate in two short solos.

The singer will soon abandon the harmonica for good, but in this case it adds a valuable nuance to the song. This recording provides the best evidence of how The Doors’ singer played the instrument.

It should be noted that the 1954 composition also features the harmonica, played by the legendary Little Walter, widely regarded as one of the greatest harmonica players in history. In The Doors' cover, it is Manzarek's electric organ that plays the rhythmic role of Walter's harmonica in the original.

At the London Fog, we see a reinterpretation of the Muddy Waters tune, which modifies its most famous feature: the verse is rhythmically interrupted by unison stops from all the instruments. During these short pauses, Waters’ voice stands alone, singing the verse lyrics with incisive boldness.

This musical device dates back to the early days of blues and jazz in the 1910s and evolved into more elaborate forms over the following decades.

"Hoochie Coochie Man" is perhaps the most famous example of this technique, which would influence dozens of songs in the years to come.

However, The Doors opted for a different approach, favoring the steady, uninterrupted rhythmic accompaniment provided by John Densmore on drums.

As if to make up for this, the drummer adds a percussive element that was not present in Muddy Waters' track. In fact, Densmore splits the chorus in two with a short, fast drum roll that ends with a dry thump, adding to the pathos of the song's climax.

Krieger's guitar provides a sonic anchor while flowing over the low notes. Starting a few months later, this feature would be guaranteed in concerts by the small keyboard known as Fender Rhodes piano bass played by Manzarek with his left hand while keeping his right hand on the electric organ.

Although lacking solos, the original 1954 version of 'Hoochie Coochie Man' is a landmark document in which at least two notable elements converge.

The first is the aggressive yet skillful arrangement, in which acoustic instruments and a slightly distorted electric guitar interact to create a compelling harmony.

The second is Muddy Waters' voice, which projects the blues into the future with a modern style while still honoring the country blues tradition of his early years.

Alongside listening to Muddy Waters' original track (link here), we recommend the version he played at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960 (link here).

This historic song remains hidden in the folds of The Doors' discography as a 1966 blues cover.

However, it has a certain charm that deserves to be rediscovered, especially as it highlights the musical background of a great band that would finally take off just a few months later.

P.S.: My book "The Doors Through Strange Days"- The most comprehensive journey ever made through The Doors' second LP, is available on Amazon.com, .uk, .mx, .it, etc.

Here’s a link:

Amazon – “The Doors Through Strange Days”