People Are Strange

"People Are Strange"
Single by The Doors
from the album Strange Days
B-side	Unhappy Girl
Released	September 1967
Format	7" single
Recorded	May and August 1967
Genre	Blues-rock
Length	2:12
Label	Elektra
Writer(s)	The Doors
Producer	Paul A. Rothchild
The Doors singles chronology
"Light My Fire" (1967) "People Are Strange" (1967) "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^[1] and made it to the top ten in the Cash Box charts. It was written by Robby Krieger and Jim Morrison although credit was given to the The Doors evenly.

Overview

According to its Allmusic review, the song "reflects the group's fascination with the theatrical music of European cabaret."^[2] 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.^[2] The song came about after guitarist Robby Krieger and a depressed Morrison had walked to the top of Laurel Canyon.^[3] Drummer John Densmore believes that the song was the manifestation of Morrison's "vulnerability".^[3]

Track listing

All tracks written by The Doors.

Elektra (EK 45621)

1. "People Are Strange" – 2:12
2. "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

"People Are Strange"
Single by Echo & the Bunnymen
from the album The Lost Boys
B-side	"Run, Run, Run
Released	1987
Format	7" single
Genre	Post-punk, alternative rock
Length	3:36
Label	WEA, EastWest
Writer(s)	The Doors
Producer	Ray Manzarek
Echo & the Bunnymen singles chronology
"Bedbugs and Ballyhoo" (1987) "People Are Strange" (1987) 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 1988^[4] and number 13 on the Irish Singles Chart in 1991.^[5] 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)

1. "People Are Strange" (The Doors) – 3:36
2. "Run, Run, Run" (Lou Reed) – 3:51

12-inch single (WEA YZ175T)

1. "People Are Strange" (The Doors) – 3:36
2. "Run, Run, Run" (Reed) – 3:41
3. "Paint It, Black" (Jagger/Richards) – 3:01
4. "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. Butch Walker has also performed a cover of the song for a tribute album to The Doors. Canadian group Johnny Hollow included a cover of the song on their second album, Dirty Hands.

References

External links

• The Doors' lyrics on MTV.com
• Echo & the Bunnymen's lyrics on MTV.com
• Echo & the Bunnymen's promotional video on the band's official website