THE DOORS - LOVE HER MADLY

Released: March 1971

Charts:  US: #11 

"Love Her Madly," released in March 1971, was the first single from the Doors’ album “L.A. Woman”, their last with Jim Morrison. The song was one of the Doors' highest-charting hits, reaching No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 in Canada. It was issued shortly before Morrison left for Paris, where he died in July 1971. Morrison performed "Love Her Madly" live only twice, at shows in Dallas and New Orleans in December 1970.

Robby Krieger wrote "Love Her Madly" on his recently purchased Gibson 335 acoustic 12-string guitar. The lyrics reflect his relationship with his girlfriend, Lynn Veres, who often threatened to leave during arguments, slamming the door with such force that the house would shake. Krieger met Lynn, then a go-go dancer, at the Ondine Club in New York City. Although she had a brief fling with Jim Morrison, she ultimately ended up with Krieger, and the two married in 1972, remaining together thereafter.

"Love Her Madly" showcases Jim Morrison’s smoother vocal style, influenced by his admiration for Frank Sinatra. Guitarist Robby Krieger noted that Morrison especially enjoyed singing the line:

"All your love is gone, so sing a lonely song  

Of a deep blue dream, seven horses seem  

To. Be. On. The. Mark."

Morrison suggested including cryptic elements to intrigue listeners, even if they didn’t have specific meanings. The "seven horses" reference symbolized luck and connected to Morrison’s interest in horse racing from his days in Florida, while "on the mark" fit with the song's steady, rhythmic structure.

The Doors’ producer, Paul A. Rothchild, left the “L.A. Woman” sessions because he felt the song “Love Her Madly” sounded like cocktail music, which he criticized heavily despite its commercial success. Although guitarist Robby Krieger has claimed Rothchild was actually referring to "Riders on the Storm," Rothchild himself later confirmed that "Love Her Madly" was indeed the song that prompted his departure. After Rothchild left, the Doors decided to produce the album themselves, with longtime engineer Bruce Botnick. This led to a more relaxed, collaborative recording environment where the band played together live without overdubs, completing the album in just two weeks.

The B-side of "Love Her Madly," titled "You Need Meat (Don't Go No Further)," is notable as the only Doors studio track from Jim Morrison's era that features Ray Manzarek on lead vocals. It’s also one of only three non-album B-sides by the band, alongside "Who Scared You?" and the rare post-Morrison track "Treetrunk." "You Need Meat" first appeared on an album in the “Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine” compilation.