Soul Kitchen (song)

"Soul Kitchen" is a song by the Doors from their self-titled debut album The Doors. Singer Jim Morrison wrote the lyrics as a tribute to the soul food restaurant Olivia's in Venice Beach, California. Because he often stayed too late, the staff had to kick him out, thus the lines "let me sleep all night, in your soul kitchen".

"Soul Kitchen"
Song by the Doors
from the album The Doors
ReleasedJanuary 4, 1967 (1967-01-04)
RecordedAugust 1966
GenrePsychedelic rock
Length3:30[1]
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)The Doors[1]
Producer(s)Paul A. Rothchild

Composition

The song is notated in the key of A Major with Jim Morrison's vocal range spanning from E4 to A5.[2] Like other song from their debut album, the album liner notes list the songwriters as the Doors;[1] the performance rights organization ASCAP shows the writers as the individual Doors members.[3]

Despite the songwriting credit, it was written by Morrison during the summer of 1965.[4] When the band came to record the song for their eponymous debut album, session musician Larry Knechtel joined in to play bass,[5] though in an interview Robby Krieger said that he played the bass.[6] Guitarist Robby Krieger has stated that the song's main riff was inspired by soul singer James Brown.[5]

Critical reception

According to rock critic Greil Marcus, "Soul Kitchen" is the Doors' version of "Gloria" by Van Morrison, a song the Doors often covered in their early days. Marcus writes, "It was a staircase—not, as with 'Gloria' in imagery, but in the cadence the two songs shared, slowed down so strongly in 'Soul Kitchen' that a sense of deliberation, so physical that it was more body than thought, became the guiding spirit of the song."[7]

In a 1967 article in Crawdaddy! magazine, Paul Williams compared it to "Blowin' in the Wind" since both songs had a message, with the message of "Soul Kitchen" being "Learn to forget." He praised the song: "The End” is great to listen to when you’re high (or any other time), but “Soul Kitchen” will get you high, which is obviously much cruder and more important."[8]

In an AllMusic album review, Richie Unterberger praised the song's "stomping rock".[9]

References
  1. The Doors (Album notes). The Doors. New York City: Elektra Records. 1967. Back cover. ELK-4007.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. "Digital Sheet Music – The Doors – Soul Kitchen". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  3. "ACE Repertory: Soul Kitchen (Work ID:41943490)". ASCAP. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  4. Gerstenmeyer, Heinz (2001). The Doors - Sounds for Your Soul - Die Musik Der Doors (in German). ISBN 978-3-8311-2057-4.
  5. The Doors (2008). Classic Albums: The Doors (DVD). Eagle Rock Entertainment.
  6. "Mr. Mojo Risin': The Story of L.A. Woman Q&A and Performance". YouTube. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  7. Marcus, Greil (2013). The Doors: A Lifetime of Listening to Five Mean Years. PublicAffairs. ISBN 978-1610393300.
  8. Williams, Paul (May 1, 1967). "Rock is Rock: A Discussion of Doors Song". Crawdaddy!. TheDoors.com. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
  9. Unterberger, Richie. "The Doors – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
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