People Are Strange

Infobox Single
Name = People Are Strange


Artist = The Doors
from Album = Strange Days
B-side = "Unhappy Girl"
Released = September 1967
Format = 7" single
Recorded = May and August 1967
Genre = Blues-rock, Psychedelic rock
Length = 2:12
Label = Elektra
Writer = The Doors
Producer = Paul A. Rothchild
Certification =
Last single = "Light My Fire" (1967)
This single = "People Are Strange" (1967)
Next single = "Love Me Two Times" (1967)

"People Are Strange" is a single released by The Doors in September 1967 (see 1967 in music). It also appears on their second album "Strange Days" which was also released in September 1967. The single peaked at the #12 position of the U.S. Hot 100 chart.cite web | title = The Doors > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles | url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&searchlink=THE|DOORS&samples=1&sql=11:wifqxqe5ldhe~T51 | publisher = Allmusic | accessdate = 2008-05-02 ] It was written by Robby Krieger and Jim Morrison although credit was given to the The Doors evenly.

It was covered to moderate success in 1988 by Echo and the Bunnymen for "The Lost Boys" soundtrack. It was also covered in 2000 by Twiztid on the album "Freek Show". Pianist George Winston also covered the song on his album Night Divides the Day - The Music of the Doors.

Overview

According to its Allmusic review, the song "reflects the group's fascination with the theatrical music of European cabaret."cite web | author = Tom Maginnis | title = People Are Strange > Song Review | url = http://wm02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:0zftxzq0ldte | publisher = Allmusic ] The song is about alienation and being an outsider, and, as the aforementioned review also notices, Jim Morrison may have addressed the song both to the hippie culture, to outsiders in general, and/or to users of drugs such as LSD. The song was written by guitarist Robby Krieger after he and a depressed Morrison had walked to the top of Laurel Canyon. Hoskyns, Barney. "Strange Day". Rhino Entertainment Company 2007 p7.] Drummer John Densmore believes that the song was the manifestation of Morrison's "vulnerability".

Track listing

All tracks written by The Doors.

;Elektra (EK 45621)
#"People Are Strange" – 2:12
#"Unhappy Girl" – 2:00

Chart positions

Personnel

Musicians

*Jim Morrison – vocals
*Ray Manzarek – keyboards
*Robby Krieger – guitar
*John Densmore – drums

Production

*Paul A. Rothchild – producer
*Bruce Botnick – engineer

Cover versions

Echo & the Bunnymen

Infobox Single
Name = People Are Strange


Cover size =
Caption =
Artist = Echo & the Bunnymen
Album = The Lost Boys
A-side =
B-side = "Run, Run, Run
Released = 1987
Format = 7" single
Recorded =
Genre = Post-punk, alternative rock
Length = 3:36
Label = WEA, EastWest
Writer = The Doors
Producer = Ray Manzarek
Last single = "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo" (1987)
This single = "People Are Strange" (1987)
Next single = "The Peel Sessions" (1988)
British group Echo & the Bunnymen recorded a cover version of "People Are Strange" for the soundtrack of the 1987 film "The Lost Boys". It was subsequently released as a single in 1987 (see 1987 in music) reaching number 29 on the UK Singles Chart in February 1988Citation | date = 2006 | editor-last = Roberts | editor-first = David | title = British Hit Singles & Albums | edition = 19th | publisher = HIT Entertainment | isbn = 1-90499-410-5 ] and number 13 on the Irish Singles Chart in 1991.cite web | title = The Irish Charts - All there is to know | url = http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement | publisher = IRMA | year = 2008 | accessdate = 2008-05-02] The song was produced by The Doors' keyboard player, Ray Manzarek. A 12-inch version was released in February 1988 before the single was re-released in 1991. The B-sides were all the same as their previous release, "Bedbugs and Ballyhoo".

Track listings

;7-inch single (WEA YZ175 and WEA YZ567)
#"People Are Strange" (The Doors) – 3:36
#"Run, Run, Run" (Lou Reed) – 3:51

;12-inch single (WEA YZ175T)
#"People Are Strange" (The Doors) – 3:36
#"Run, Run, Run" (Reed) – 3:41
#"Paint It, Black" (Jagger/Richards) – 3:01
#"Friction" (Tom Verlaine) – 4:37

Chart positions

Personnel

Musicians

*Ian McCulloch – vocals, guitar
*Will Sergeant – lead guitar
*Les Pattinson – bass
*Pete de Freitas – drums

Production

*Ray Manzarek – producer ("People Are Strange")
*Lars Aldman – producer ("Run, Run, Run", "Paint It, Black" and "Friction")
*Michael Bergek – engineering ("Run, Run, Run", "Paint It, Black" and "Friction")

Other covers

The song was also covered by Twiztid on their album "Freek Show" which was released in 2000. Pianist George Winston also covered the song on his 2002 album "Night Divides the Day - The Music of the Doors". It was also covered by Stina Nordenstam on her 1998 album of the same name, "People Are Strange". A remix of Nordenstam's cover was also made by UNKLE and Nordenstam and found on UNKLE's box set, "Eden". Evanescence also covered the song numerous times whilst touring on the Family Values Tour 2007. Avant-Garde cover band Taedium Vitae recorded a version of this song in 2007 which was released on their "Grand Theft Audio" album.

References

External links

* [http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/doors/377693/lyrics.jhtml The Doors' lyrics on MTV.com]
* [http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/echo_and_the_bunnymen/5196114/lyrics.jhtml Echo & the Bunnymen's lyrics on MTV.com]
* [http://www.bunnymen.com/Strange.swf Echo & the Bunnymen's promotional video on the band's official website]