| "Tell All the People" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single bythe Doors | ||||
| from the albumThe Soft Parade | ||||
| B-side | "Easy Ride" | |||
| Released | June 1969 (1969-06) | |||
| Recorded | November 12 & 20, 1968 | |||
| Genre | Pop[1] | |||
| Length | ||||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Songwriter | Robby Krieger | |||
| Producer | Paul A. Rothchild | |||
| The Doors singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Tell All the People" is a song by American rock bandthe Doors and was written by band guitaristRobby Krieger. It was theA-side backed with "Easy Ride" – an outtake fromWaiting for the Sun recorded in March 1968 – and was released in June 1969. Also known as "Follow Me Down" due to the use of the phrase,[4] it was the third single from the Doors' fourth albumThe Soft Parade. The song's instrumentation incorporatesbrass instruments and otherorchestral instruments.[5]
In the US, "Tell All the People" reached No. 57 on theBillboardHot 100 charts and No. 33 on theCash Box Top 100 chart.[6][7] The US single release of the song contains a longer fade-out and runs few seconds longer than the album version as a result.[2][3]
For the first time on a Doors album, all the songs onThe Soft Parade had individual songwriter credits.[3] Previously, all songs had been credited to the entire group. This change was instigated byJim Morrison, who did not want to be held responsible for the lyrics of "Tell All the People", which includes a line encouraging listeners to "...get your guns." Krieger later said that Morrison was apprehensive of attendees bringing guns to concerts. Krieger refused to change the line.[8][9] When interviewed byJerry Hopkins forRolling Stone, Morrison said: "In the beginning, I wrote most of the songs, the words and music. On each successive album, Robby [Krieger] contributed more songs. Until finally on this album it's almost split between us."[10] According toThe Doors FAQ author Richie Weidman, Morrison's general opinion about "Tell All the People" is that it had "terrible, corny lyrics", but it was overall a "nice song".[4]
The song received a mixed reaction by critics.Creem Magazine called it "innocuous enoughhippie call-to-arms with none of the jumbled wit ofJohn Lennon's 'Come Together'."[4]Rolling Stone critic Alec Dubro also related "Tell All the People" with "Touch Me" as "horn-string showpieces" for lead vocalist Jim Morrison which "stick that idiocy (of the Doors' typicalreductio-ad-absurdum poetry) right up front and surround it", and derided the orchestral accompaniment as "the most cliche-ridden sounds".[11]Cash Box described it as "slow, but rippling with the power of a large supporting group" and as having "a mighty sound."[5]Record World called it "a big new hit – one of [the Doors'] best ever."[12]
Writing forUltimate Classic Rock in a retrospective review, critic Nick DeRiso claims that "Tell All the People" tries "for a (previous Doors hit single) 'Touch Me' kind of alchemy," but instead "comes off as strangely morose."[13] In anAllMusic album review ofThe Soft Parade, criticRichie Unterberger described it as an "uncharacteristically wistful" tune that was "not all that good, and not sung very convincingly by Morrison."[14]
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