Absolutely Live

This is the 1996 US pressing of Absolutely Live on Elektra, catalog number 61972-2, issued as an Enhanced CD on October 15, 1996. The companion cassette variant carries catalog number 61972-4, listed separately in this catalog at Absolutely Live (61972-4). This pressing sits within a crowded field of reissues and regional variants, so the 61972-2 identifier is the key distinguishing marker for collectors tracking down this particular version. The digitally remastered source material and Enhanced CD format set it apart from the earlier Elektra pressings cataloged elsewhere on DoorsInfo.

The jewel case packaging presents a cover that is immediately striking in its simplicity and contrast. The front face is dominated by a high-contrast black and white photograph of Jim Morrison, shot from a low angle and catching him mid-performance, microphone stand close, body leaning with that familiar coiled energy. He is wearing what appears to be a dark jacket, and the image has a grainy, documentary quality that suits the live recording context perfectly. Overlaid on this photograph, in bold red capital letters filling the lower right quadrant, is the word LIVE, large enough that it commands the entire visual field. Above it, in smaller yellow-ish text, sits the word ABSOLUTELY, and the Doors logo appears in the upper portion of the cover in white. The red, white, and black color palette is stark and effective, giving the package a more aggressive visual identity than many of the band's studio releases. The back cover carries the standard Elektra corporate layout for the era, with track listing, total playing time of 67 minutes and 18 seconds, catalog number, and the digitally remastered notation. The tray card and jewel case are standard issue for a mid-1990s Elektra release, nothing elaborate, though the front cover image reproduction is clean with good ink saturation. The Enhanced CD functionality adds a data track component that was a period-specific marketing feature Elektra deployed selectively on reissues during this window. There are no additional booklets or inserts of substantial collector note beyond what the standard jewel case accommodates, which is a mild disappointment given the historical weight of the source recordings. For a release carrying performances from 1969 and 1970, a more substantive insert package would have been appropriate, though that was not unusual for Elektra reissues of this era.

The recordings compiled here span live performances captured across the United States between August 1969 and June 1970, drawing from multiple concert sources rather than a single night. The Discogs notes confirm the album was assembled with editing necessary to construct a coherent sequence, though the band and label framed the result as an organic document rather than a polished studio construction. The digitally remastered designation is significant for this 1996 pressing specifically, differentiating it from the original 1970 LP release and earlier CD transfers. Collectors who have tracked down the original Absolutely Live LP pressing will find this remaster offers a noticeably cleaner low-end and better separation in the noisier crowd passages. The track sequence here is substantial at 21 listed entries, with the Celebration of the Lizard suite broken into its component parts across multiple tracks, including Lions In The Street, Wake Up, A Little Game, The Hill Dwellers, Not To Touch The Earth, Names Of The Kingdom, and The Palace Of Exile. Build Me A Woman and Close To You, both relatively uncommon in the band's official live discography, appear here as well. Publishing credits are worth noting for completeness: Who Do You Love, Back Door Man, and Close To You carry Arc Music BMI credits, while Alabama Song is credited to Weill-Brecht-Harms Co. ASCAP, the rest falling under Doors Music Inc. ASCAP. On Discogs, this pressing shows 592 collectors reporting ownership against 141 want-list entries, a ratio that puts it firmly in the available-but-sought category rather than anything approaching scarcity. Collectors chasing other regional or format variants of this title should cross-reference the related entries at Absolutely Live (Reel-to-Reel), Absolutely Live (8-track), and Absolutely Live (Cassette) to ensure they are acquiring the correct pressing for their needs.

The 1996 Elektra US pressing of Absolutely Live at catalog number 61972-2 is a solid, officially sanctioned remaster on Enhanced CD with reasonable availability in the current market. The Discogs numbers confirm it is not scarce, and patient buyers should have no difficulty sourcing a clean copy at fair value. It belongs in any serious Doors collection as the remastered standard bearer for this live document, even if it offers nothing exceptional as a physical artifact beyond the Enhanced CD feature.