Legacy: The Absolute Best

Legacy: The Absolute Best
Greatest hits album by the Doors
Released	August 12, 2003 (2003-08-12)
Recorded	1966–1971
Genre	Rock
Length	155:49
Label	Elektra Rhino
Compiler	The Doors David McLees
The Doors chronology
The Very Best of The Doors (2001) Legacy: The Absolute Best (2003) The Very Best of The Doors (2007)

Legacy: The Absolute Best is a two-disc compilation album by American rock band the Doors. Released in 2003, it includes the uncensored versions of both "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" and "The End". Also included is a previously unreleased studio version of Morrison's epic poetry piece "Celebration of the Lizard," a rehearsal outtake from the band's Waiting for the Sun sessions.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide	[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]

Legacy: The Absolute Best has received perfect ratings in scales from both The New Rolling Stone Album Guide,^[2] and AllMusic.^[1] The latter's critic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, notes in his review:

This [album] winds up giving a thorough overview of the band's peak, whether it's on the familiar hits or on strong album cuts ... There are a couple of omissions ... but there's little question that Legacy is the best Doors compilation yet [as of 2003] assembled.^[1]

All tracks are written by the Doors (John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison), except where noted. Details are taken from the 2003 U.S. Elektra/Rhino CD with discographical annotation by Gary Peterson,^[4] except running times, which are taken from the AllMusic review.^[1] Other releases may show different information.

1. "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" – 2:29
2. "Back Door Man" (Willie Dixon, Chester Burnett) – 3:34
3. "Light My Fire" – 7:08
4. "Twentieth Century Fox" – 2:33
5. "The Crystal Ship" – 2:34
6. "Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" (Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill) – 3:19
7. "Soul Kitchen" – 3:35
8. "The End" – 11:46
9. "Love Me Two Times" – 3:16
10. "People Are Strange" – 2:12
11. "When the Music's Over" – 11:02
12. "My Eyes Have Seen You" – 2:29
13. "Moonlight Drive" – 3:04
14. "Strange Days" – 3:09
15. "Hello, I Love You" – 2:16
16. "The Unknown Soldier" – 3:25
17. "Spanish Caravan" – 3:01
18. "Five to One" – 4:27
19. "Not to Touch the Earth" – 3:54

Original releases

• Tracks 1-8 from The Doors (1967)
• Tracks 9-14 from Strange Days (1967)
• Tracks 15-19 from Waiting for the Sun (1968)

1. "Touch Me" (Krieger) – 3:12
2. "Wild Child" (Morrison) – 2:38
3. "Tell All the People" (Krieger) – 3:21
4. "Wishful Sinful" (Krieger) – 2:58
5. "Roadhouse Blues" (Morrison, the Doors) – 4:04
6. "Waiting for the Sun" (Morrison) – 4:00
7. "You Make Me Real" (Morrison) – 2:53
8. "Peace Frog" (Krieger, Morrison) – 2:58
9. "Love Her Madly" – 3:18
10. "L.A. Woman" – 7:51
11. "Riders on the Storm" – 7:10
12. "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" – 4:15
13. "The Changeling" – 4:21
14. "Gloria" (Van Morrison) – 6:18
15. "Celebration of the Lizard" (Morrison) – 17:01

Original releases

• Tracks 1-4 from The Soft Parade (1969)
• Tracks 5-8 from Morrison Hotel (1970)
• Tracks 9-13 from L.A. Woman (1971)
• Track 14 from Alive, She Cried (1983)
• Track 15 previously unreleased (2003)

Per liner notes:^[4]

The Doors

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

Technical

• Bruce Botnick – remastering, engineering
• Jac Holzman – production supervisor