The Doors' 1967 Hit 'When the Music's Over' Ranked Among 'Most Underrated Classic Rock Songs'

No, Tool didn't originate the idea of a very long rock song and one that wasn't exactly made for radio airplay. Long before Maynard James Keenan and Tool, other rock bands also had long tracks, and now, one has been named among the most underrated classic rock songs of all time.

In 1967, The Doors unleashed their underground gem "When the Music's Over" to the world. It immediately caught the ears and attention of rock lovers, but it never achieved the massive success of some of the other songs from The Doors.

Oh, and did we mention that it's more than 10 minutes long? Epic.

What Makes This 1967 Hit So Special and Underrated

In a Friday, April 24 feature for Collider, J.S. Gornael lays out what makes this song one of the most underrated in classic rock.

"The Doors was one of the only bands to make an epic north of ten minutes that's legitimately famous, maybe even the most famous of them all: 'The End,'" he notes in the piece. "However, they have another one that's just as worthy of praise. It's called 'When the Music's Over,' which is just about as long as its predecessor but more interested in having fun. And it passes that test with flying colors."

He adds that those who love "psychedelic rock have got to love that section where Morrison basically recites poetry as the rest of the band kind of just chills out in the background. While they sound like they're just riffing, this improvisational tangent never grows dull whatsoever."

This song is just an epic classic rock gem like no other. It really captures the essence of The Doors, a band that could have been so much bigger if Jim Morrison hadn't died, tragically, at 27 years old.

This song, Gornael says, is "every bit as much one of The Doors' most significant achievements."

In a Saturday, April 25, feature for Audio Ink Radio, Lucy Grindons also highlights this song as one of the most underrated in classic rock.

"At the center is Jim Morrison, who treats the song like a stage and a confessional at the same time," she states in the feature. "He doesn't just sing it—he prowls through it."

She adds, "Half preacher, half troublemaker, with that low drawl that sounds like it's been up too late and knows something you don't. There's menace in it, sure, but also a strange kind of invitation. Come closer. See what happens."