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The Soft Parade

by The Doors

Released: July 18, 1969

Psychedelic rock, art rock, jazz rock, experimental, blues rock

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Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Genre Shift.

The Album

"The Soft Parade" is the fourth studio album by the Doors, released on July 18, 1969, by Elektra Records. This change was accompanied by a greater creative input from guitarist Robby Krieger, as lead singer Jim Morrison focused more on poetry than songwriting. It featured three singles: "Touch Me," "Wishful Sinful," and "Tell All the People," with "Touch Me" becoming a Top 10 hit.

Inside the Recording

Following a demanding tour, the band had limited time for songwriting, leading producer Paul A. Rothchild to suggest a significant stylistic shift by incorporating brass and string arrangements.

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Essential Tracks

Wishful Sinful

It featured three singles: "Touch Me," "Wishful Sinful," and "Tell All the People," with "Touch Me" becoming a Top 10 hit.

The Soft Parade

"The Soft Parade" is the fourth studio album by the Doors, released on July 18, 1969, by Elektra Records.

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The Doors - The Soft Parade

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Then

Reception

The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 but did not resonate as strongly in the UK and Europe, where previous albums had performed better. Despite initial criticism from music reviewers and fans who felt the album veered too much into mainstream territory, The Soft Parade has since seen a slight reevaluation, although it remains one of the Doors' less acclaimed works with Morrison.

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The Complete Album Story

"The Soft Parade" is the fourth studio album by the Doors, released on July 18, 1969, by Elektra Records. Following a demanding tour, the band had limited time for songwriting, leading producer Paul A. Rothchild to suggest a significant stylistic shift by incorporating brass and string arrangements. This change was accompanied by a greater creative input from guitarist Robby Krieger, as lead singer Jim Morrison focused more on poetry than songwriting.

The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 but did not resonate as strongly in the UK and Europe, where previous albums had performed better. It featured three singles: "Touch Me," "Wishful Sinful," and "Tell All the People," with "Touch Me" becoming a Top 10 hit. Despite initial criticism from music reviewers and fans who felt the album veered too much into mainstream territory, The Soft Parade has since seen a slight reevaluation, although it remains one of the Doors' less acclaimed works with Morrison.