Let it roll: The 20 greatest Doors songs, ranked

Critics panned this 1967 song for its juvenile lyrics, but that didn't stop it from becoming a Vietnam classic. A favorite among soldiers, Love Me Two Times is a banger you'll need to rewind for seconds. 

With its spacey melody and lyrics written by Robby Krieger, Spanish Caravan was composed as an excuse for Krieger to show off his talents on flamenco guitar. The result is timeless: a slice of atmosphere that could have been written a thousand years ago or yesterday. 

Thanks to its sunny vibe and upbeat melody, Love Her Madly has proven one of the band's more popular songs. You can hear it in Forrest Gump, Mean Streets, and Bo Didley. 

This is an Oompa Loompa song for alcoholics: a nightclub crawl set to a marching beat, a crooked organ, and a baritone singer who sounds 20-beers deep.  

By 1983, Van Morrison's Gloria had been covered by everyone from Patti Smith to Jimi Hendrix. But it hadn't been covered by Jim Morrison. When the Door's version of Gloria was released in 1983, it blew everyone else out the water: hot, sexy, manic, positively insane. 

A song that helped launch The Doors into superstardom, Riders on the Storm peaked at #11 on the charts and was the closest Morrison ever came to making a film. Seven years after graduating from film school, he wrote this Western-inspired track about a cowboy, a stormy night, and a desert vista. You don't just listen to it; you watch it unfold. 

This ridiculously beautiful song about Morrison's wife never got the recognition it deserves. Even though it radiates warmth, listeners didn't know what to make of a Doors song that was...happy? 

Arguably the most recognizable Doors tune, Hello, I Love You is actually based on a Kinks' song. The chords are so similar that Ray Davies received royalties. That being said, this is a banger through and through. 

A thoroughly 60's track written by Morrison and released on the band's 1971 album L.A. Woman, The Wasp takes us back to a time when creativity actually mattered. This wild mix of blues, poetry, and psychedelia is unlike anything else out there. 

Winds, storms, and frostbite can't keep Morrison from being turned on in this 1970 gem. It's a waltz about finding someone who can keep you warm at night. What's more relatable than that? 

Some say that "Soul Kitchen" refers to Morrison's favorite restaurant in Venice, others say it's about a lover. However you read it, the song's lyrics and Morrison's singing make it a total jam. 

Nearly five decades after its release, this upbeat classic got a revival in Paul Thomas Anderson's film, Licorice Pizza. Who knew a 50-year-old song could be so relevant? 

The band's magnum opus is now most famous for its use in Apocalypse Now, but this eleven-minute heart-of-darkness journey stands on its own. Like a Roman wilderness or a rolling cloud of fog, its mysteries are ancient, indescribable, and terrifying. 

The band's first single. Break on Through is a solid introduction to both their groundbreaking music and their timeless poetry. 

Sad and definitely realistic for anyone who has ever felt alone in a new place, People are Strange is an anthem for introverts. It's clearly resonated with introverted artists: you can hear its influence in every Billie Eilish song and Nick Cave chorus. 

The Psychedelic Sinatra. Morrison applied his smoothest vocal to this playful, Sinatra-esque ballad, which landed at #3 on the charts. For proof of how great Morrison was as a vocalist, google "The Doors performing Touch Me live." Your mind will be blown. 

The title track of The Door's 6th studio album, L.A. Woman is widely regarded by critics and fans alike as one of their best songs. It's a masterclass in tempo, rhythm, mojo, and badāssery. 

A perfect mix of the Door's themes--sex, drugs, death, and ecstasy-- this chart-topper is a complex, ambitious whirling-dervish of organ, bass, guitar, keyboard, spacey solos, and gruff vocals, that whisks you away to another planet. The Doors couldn't get much higher. Could anybody? 

Inspired by the poetry of Paul Simon and Leonard Cohen, The Crystal Ship solidified Morrison as one of the great lyricists. Lines like "Before you slip into unconsciousness/ I'd like to have another kiss" and "The days are bright and filled with pain/Enclose me in your gentle rain" are among the best ever written. 

Fun fact: it's scientifically proven that you will feel at least 10% cooler listening to Roadhouse Blues. You can smell the bar and breathe the smoke just by listening to it. So why not crank up the volume, and let it roll...