The Doors 4th studio album was eight months in the making, due in good part to the fact Jim Morrison was not writing songs during the group's long tour leading into the studio sessions. He contibuted less to this album than he had to any of the previous studio recordings. The addition of orchestral backing and more jazz influenced styling from Ray Manzarek than on the first three albums earned little praise from fans and critics that had come to expect straight-up Rock from Morrison and company.
