Strange Days

The release in question is the first German pressing of Strange Days by The Doors, issued in October 1967 on the Hit-Ton Schallplatten label under catalog number HT3LP 340046. Hit-Ton was the German licensing outlet handling Elektra product at the time, making this the earliest domestic German market LP of the album. The pressing year aligns with the original US release window, giving this copy genuine period provenance rather than the status of a later European reissue.

The cover art reproduced on this German pressing follows the Joel Brodsky group photograph used across international editions of Strange Days, but the physical object carries its own character. The front cover image is dominated by a surreal street scene: a heavyset man in a zebra-print skirt stands front right, arms raised, while a dwarf crouches low in the foreground center. Behind them, two figures in suits and white masks reach upward juggling red balls against a narrow, gritty urban alleyway. The palette is heavily desaturated, almost sepia in tone with the red accent balls providing the only real color pop. The overall mood is carnivalesque and unsettling, which is entirely intentional. Notably, no member of The Doors appears on this cover, a deliberate artistic decision from the original sessions. The word "Strange Days" and the band name appear in period-appropriate typography positioned in the lower right corner of the image, and the Hit-Ton logo, a small rectangular imprint, sits in the lower right corner of the cover, clearly identifying this as the German domestic edition rather than the US Elektra original. The back cover and label details follow standard Hit-Ton formatting of the era. The vinyl itself, pressed in Germany, typically exhibits the firm, slightly heavier stock characteristic of late-1960s German pressings, which collectors often regard favorably for both durability and sonic qualities. No special insert or inner sleeve beyond standard paper is associated with this pressing.

What separates this copy from the many subsequent German editions of Strange Days is its status as the first domestic pressing for the German market. Hit-Ton handled a number of Elektra titles during this period, and their early pressings are considered period documents rather than reissues. The track sequence is standard and matches the original US configuration: Side One opens with "Strange Days" and runs through "Moonlight Drive," while Side Two leads with "People Are Strange" and closes with the side-long "When The Music's Over." There are no bonus tracks or regional substitutions, which was typical practice for European licensees at the time. For collectors tracking regional variants, this pressing is distinct from later German reissues and compilations such as the Star Collection repackage, or the budget twofer Strange Days / Waiting For the Sun that appeared later in the German market. The People Are Strange / Unhappy Girl single was issued concurrently in Germany to support the album, giving this pressing a clear release context. On Discogs, 255 collectors currently have this pressing listed in their collections against 877 who want it, a want-to-have ratio that signals genuine demand without the item being outright impossible to locate. That said, finding a copy in solid condition with no ring wear, clean labels, and quiet pressing is another matter entirely. The Hit-Ton label identity on this copy is a key authentication point; later pressings moved to different label configurations, so verifying the correct label design is essential before purchasing.

This first German pressing of Strange Days on Hit-Ton, catalog HT3LP 340046, is a legitimate period pressing from 1967 and a worthwhile addition for collectors focused on international variants of The Doors' early catalog. It is not the rarest object in Doors collecting, but the want-to-have ratio on Discogs reflects real collector interest, and a clean copy commands attention. If your focus is on European pressings of the psychedelic rock canon, this belongs alongside the original US Elektra edition rather than being treated as a curiosity. Condition, as always, is everything.