Just rediscoved this eerily, somber song. Played the vinyl out of it when I was a teen. Funny how some things sound different as time goes by. A great song, one of the best on L.A. Woman. Does anyone like this? It kind of reminds me of "Winter".

Hyacinth House
What are they doing in the Hyacinth House?
What are they doing in the Hyacinth House?
To please the lions this day

I need a brand new friend who doesn't bother me
I need a brand new friend who doesn't trouble me
I need someone, yeah, who doesn't need me

I see the bathroom is clear
I think that somebody's near
I'm sure that someone is following me, oh yeah

Why did you throw the Jack of Hearts away?
Why did you throw the Jack of Hearts away?
It was the only card in the deck that I had left to play

And I'll say it again, I need a brand new friend
And I'll say it again, I need a brand new friend
And I'll say it again, I need a brand new friend, the end

Love that song - have you heard the demo version? I think it was on the Essential Rarities recrd from a few years ago (and I presume it's on the LA Woman re-issue).

Great song. The demo version on the box set with just Jim, acoustic guitar and percussion is even better than the album version IMO:

Excellent song indeed.

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The Ghost Of Good taste
Love that song - have you heard the demo version? I think it was on the Essential Rarities recrd from a few years ago (and I presume it's on the LA Woman re-issue).

I read somewhere that it is a superior version. No I have not heard it yet. But I will now.

I don't know if I would say superior, but it's definitely worth hearing. I always enjoy hearing songs as they develop, and the HH demo is certainly an example of a great band "workshopping" & growing a new song. I'm glad to be living in an era of widely circulated bonus tracks and outtakes.

<<Does anyone like this?>>

It's the best song on a great album imo.

<<I think it was on the Essential Rarities recrd>>

It is, and yes it's a pretty fine demo.

Great song, great album. Personally though, Riders On The Storm is the best on the album,
and one of the best they ever wrote/recorded. L.A. Woman (the song) is 2nd best on the album,
followed by Love Her Madly, and then Hyacinth House. Not one bad song on the album in my book,
and it's a shame that it had to be their last with Morrison.

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The Ghost Of Good taste
I don't know if I would say superior, but it's definitely worth hearing.

After listening to the demo I would agree with that. The guitar work and Manzarek's keyboards are just awesome.

doors related images i shot recently (and i love this song!)

[www.flickr.com]

[www.flickr.com]

great song, great CD. I really liked Morrison's voice on LA Woman and Morrison Hotel albums. Way deeper and more bluesy than the earlier yelping.

I also really, really like the LA Woman album - and especially Hyacinth House; even though all other albums by The Doors are....not for me



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-11-10 22:25 by Erik_Snow.

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The Sicilian

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The Ghost Of Good taste
I don't know if I would say superior, but it's definitely worth hearing.

After listening to the demo I would agree with that. The guitar work and Manzarek's keyboards are just awesome.

If you haven't already, check out the demos for The Spy & Queen Of The Highway -those, I would say, are superior to the album versions. They're like cocktail lounge versions, really neat.

was just listening to the album a few daze ago - tremendous album, but this is among the weakest songs on it....

Love The Changling and Been Down So Long.. Loved hearing the Doors go in such a bluesy direction.

By the way, the San Francisco 1967 Live at the Matrix show is being released soon. There was a version of this released with only a few songs but this is the full show. This is it below..

Rhino and Bright Midnight Archives present LIVE AT THE MATRIX 1967, the latest installment in The Doors’ acclaimed series of archival concert releases. This two-disc addition to the band’s live canon contains two club shows witnessed by few, but bootlegged by many. Restored and carefully mastered from first generation tapes acquired by Elektra Records and The Doors 40 years ago, these historic shows never sounded better.

LIVE AT THE MATRIX 1967
Track Listing

Disc One
1. “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”
2. “Soul Kitchen”
3. “Money”
4. “The Crystal Ship”
5. “Twentieth Century Fox”
6. “I’m A King Bee”
7. “Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)”
8. “Summer’s Almost Gone”
9. “Light My Fire”
10. “Get Out Of My Life, Woman”
11. “Back Door Man”
12. “Who Do You Love”
13. “The End”

Disc Two
1. “Unhappy Girl”
2. “Moonlight Drive”
3. “Woman Is A Devil/Rock Me”
4. “People Are Strange”
5. “Close To You”
6. “My Eyes Have Seen You”
7. “Crawling King Snake”
8. “I Can’t See Your Face In My Mind”
9. “Summertime”
10. “When The Music’s Over”
11. “Gloria”

The Matrix stuff is fantastic - I've had a bootleg of those sets for a while, and it's cool to hear the young, hungry Doors, in top shape from playing live nightly for a long stretch. I may have to pick up the legit release...

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Hound Dog
Love The Changling and Been Down So Long.. Loved hearing the Doors go in such a bluesy direction.

By the way, the San Francisco 1967 Live at the Matrix show is being released soon. There was a version of this released with only a few songs but this is the full show. This is it below..

Rhino and Bright Midnight Archives present LIVE AT THE MATRIX 1967, the latest installment in The Doors’ acclaimed series of archival concert releases. This two-disc addition to the band’s live canon contains two club shows witnessed by few, but bootlegged by many. Restored and carefully mastered from first generation tapes acquired by Elektra Records and The Doors 40 years ago, these historic shows never sounded better.

LIVE AT THE MATRIX 1967
Track Listing

Disc One
1. “Break On Through (To The Other Side)”
2. “Soul Kitchen”
3. “Money”
4. “The Crystal Ship”
5. “Twentieth Century Fox”
6. “I’m A King Bee”
7. “Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)”
8. “Summer’s Almost Gone”
9. “Light My Fire”
10. “Get Out Of My Life, Woman”
11. “Back Door Man”
12. “Who Do You Love”
13. “The End”

Disc Two
1. “Unhappy Girl”
2. “Moonlight Drive”
3. “Woman Is A Devil/Rock Me”
4. “People Are Strange”
5. “Close To You”
6. “My Eyes Have Seen You”
7. “Crawling King Snake”
8. “I Can’t See Your Face In My Mind”
9. “Summertime”
10. “When The Music’s Over”
11. “Gloria”

figured these tapes would eventually see the official light of day. very odd listening experience....you have some of the doors most instantly-recognized classics being played for an apparently very sparse audience that was completely unfamiliar with them (these shows were before the doors first album)....a smattering of applause follows each performance....

not sure whether whateve sonic improvements to the long-available underground versions of these shows would warrant the investment. rather dull listening, frankly....

I have most of the Bright Midnight releases and while its great to have such perfect sounding Doors shows, many of the later ones Jim is way too drunk to sing. So while they are interesting your almost better off cutting out the BS and making your own disk, or hitting skip a lot. The earlier shows Jim is at least able to perform.

jim was never way too drunk to sing - he worked on it but never quite made it all the way....shane mcgowan, however, took the baton and perfected the artform.

Some rare footage from the L.A. Woman sessions:

EXACTLY T&A, Jimbo, buzzed or straight, ALWAYS made the show interesting. I have everything available live-Legit and Boot- and each show is unique and interesting in it's own way... The one time he probably was too drunk was the NY club show with Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winters, a bit too far gone on that one but that's it. He was pretty buzzed in Miami but was brilliant as usual......Come on HOUND DOG, you want Madonna Las Vegas shows?!?!?!

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HelterSkelter
...The one time he probably was too drunk was the NY club show with Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winters, a bit too far gone on that one...

Popular favorite.

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HelterSkelter
EXACTLY T&A, Jimbo, buzzed or straight, ALWAYS made the show interesting. I have everything available live-Legit and Boot- and each show is unique and interesting in it's own way... The one time he probably was too drunk was the NY club show with Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winters, a bit too far gone on that one but that's it. He was pretty buzzed in Miami but was brilliant as usual......Come on HOUND DOG, you want Madonna Las Vegas shows?!?!?!

it's a pity ol' micky jaggermeister ain't draggin' a bottle of hooch on stage with him anymore....he could stand to loosen up a bit....

one more doors place

[www.flickr.com]

Helter- no way would I want more polished Doors shows. I like that the Doors put out these shows that included tunings, Jim rambling on stage and all that. Just some of the 1970 shows, Boston is one, is not exactly the kind of show you can put on for people unless they are hardcore Doors fans.

And yes T&A, I think Mick having a bottle of whiskey on stage with him like the olds days would do wonders.. hell maybe he'd even be buzzed enough by the end of the show to say lets skip Satisfaction and play @#$%& Blues...

The Doors...what an over hyped, over weight BAD poet, that guy couldn't sing his way out of a sand box....sheesh...Never got it.

Three songs by the Doors are ok...I used to cover them at the insistence of other band members.

Roadhouse...yeah, ok, great lyrics, and a chance for a harp player to blow...

Break on through....probably the best thing they ever did...

Gloria jam..another chance....we did this into roadrunner, louie, louie, et al, in adfinitum...
JR

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HelterSkelter
EXACTLY T&A, Jimbo, buzzed or straight, ALWAYS made the show interesting. I have everything available live-Legit and Boot- and each show is unique and interesting in it's own way... The one time he probably was too drunk was the NY club show with Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Winters, a bit too far gone on that one but that's it. He was pretty buzzed in Miami but was brilliant as usual......Come on HOUND DOG, you want Madonna Las Vegas shows?!?!?!

I love those Aquarius theatre shows in July of 1969. The sound is absolutely awesome. I especially love the between the songs banter and the rehearsal sessions.

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Hound Dog
Helter- no way would I want more polished Doors shows. I like that the Doors put out these shows that included tunings, Jim rambling on stage and all that. Just some of the 1970 shows, Boston is one, is not exactly the kind of show you can put on for people unless they are hardcore Doors fans.

And yes T&A, I think Mick having a bottle of whiskey on stage with him like the olds days would do wonders.. hell maybe he'd even be buzzed enough by the end of the show to say lets skip Satisfaction and play @#$%& Blues...

and then do a morrison/miami69 kinda thing? hide the women and kids!!!!!

While I like The Matrix recordings, I think there are way better '67 shows circulating. Still I do look forward to this official release.

<<not sure whether whateve sonic improvements to the long-available underground versions of these shows would warrant the investment>>

Since 2nd gen versions are already available it might not be such an improvement. I think they run a tad too slow, though.

<<jim was never way too drunk to sing - he worked on it but never quite made it all the way....>>

I think he was pretty close in Miami.

'Hyacinth House' is a lovely song ... a Doors favorite of mine. I like the demo as well, but the version on LA Woman - Manzarek's Bach-style organ lines, Morrison's tea-sweet vocals - it's a beaut. One component of what my be their best album. For me, this album was their 'Sticky Fingers'. Too bad they never had a chance to do a 'Exile on Main St.'