Summer's Almost Gone

"Summer's Almost Gone" was one of the first songs Morrison wrote. It was one of the songs that he played for Manzarek when they met at Venice Beach in July 1965, a meeting that ultimately led to the formation of the Doors. On September 2, 1965, an early version of the Doors, before Krieger joined, recorded the song for a demo at World Pacific Studios in Los Angeles. ==Music and lyrics==

Classic Rock contributor Rob Hughes described the song as "ephemeral", and as a "woozy folk blues with a balmy seasonal air. The song has a 12-bar blues structure. Hughes described the instrumentation as being "happily lopsided, as if time's axis has slipped into a fanciful psychedelic dream" and said that "Morrison sings like he's immersed in a vision." According to Hughes, lyrics such as "Where will we be when the summer's gone" generate a "bittersweet note" reflecting the waning of youthful optimism and suggesting that the future will not be as good. ==Reception==

Hughes considered "Summer's Almost Gone" to be one of the Doors' most underrated songs. Thompson called it a "trippy little sleeper that will grow on the listener with repeated listens." Allmusic critic Richie Unterberger described it as "fine melodic ballad rock." The Doors FAQ author Rich Weidman described "Summer's Almost Gone" and the song that follows it on Waiting for the Sun, Kreiger's "Wintertime Love", as being perfect compliments. ==Live performances==

"Summer's Almost Gone" was part of the Doors' early live repertoire. After Morrison's death, Manzarek and Kreiger played "Summer's Almost Gone", with Ian Astbury as the lead singer and Stewart Copeland replacing an injured Densmore on drums, at a September 6, 2002 concert at the California Speedway in Fontana, California. This concert was the genesis of the group The Doors of the 21st Century, later renamed Manzarek–Krieger. ==References==