“An insane killer, a lunatic, he’s going to do something bad. Give him a ride, why don’t you? But when the end comes, you realise Jim’s singing a beautiful, romantic song": The story of the Doors' beautifully bleak masterpiece

Jim Morrison of The Doors poses for a portrait circa 1968 in Hollywood, California.

It was the last track recorded for the Doors’ final album with Jim Morrison and indeed the last track the singer cut before his untimely death in July 1971. With its cool jazz influence and use of sound effects, Riders On The Storm was quite unlike anything the band had written before.

It could, under more auspicious circumstances, have opened up new musical tributaries for them. Instead, it served as their elegantly poised swansong.