The Unknown Soldier March 1968

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

The single release was edited with a different gunshot sound and does not include the cheering crowds nor the tolling bells at the end.
Producer Paul A. Rothchild was so particular about how the song came out that it ultimately took over 130 takes to finish.
Whether this was necessary or just Rothchild starting to think of himself as the most important part of The Doors is unknown
but it was a harbinger of things to come with TSP.



US single 1968
Chart position #39

Morrison's excellent anti war song along the lines of Marillion's Forgotten Son's which would appear in 1983.
The band put out an accompanying 16mm publicity film for the song featuring the band executing Jim on Venice Beach. This was directed by Mark Abramson.





Netherlands May 1968 Charted #23

The song became the band's fourth Top 40 hit in the US, peaking at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, having an 8-week run overall.
"We Could Be So Good Together" served as the flip side.
This position was remarkable as TUS lyrics were perceived as controversial at the time and many radio stations refused to play it.

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

Some of the sounds in this include military drums, commands, and a firing squad.
The firing squad was reproduced on stage with Krieger pointing his guitar at Morrison like a rifle, Densmore dropping a reverb unit to make a loud pop,
and Morrison dropping as if he was shot. In the studio, the gunshot sound was a rimshot played by John Densmore on the snare drum.
Although this conflicts with The Doors drummer saying that a real rifle firing blanks was used to get the effect


France 1968


Canada 1968 Charted #31



West Germany 1968





Sweden 1968



UK June 1968


Philippines 1968



Japan 1968

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

French promo dated 26th March 1968








16-3-1968
Cashbox