Though the exact timeframe has been lost to history, “Paris Blues” is thought to have been recorded during one of the band’s sessions for either The Soft Parade or L.A. Woman. Over the years, the famed studio outtake has achieved an almost-mythic quality among fans and experts alike, with THE DOORS keyboardist Ray Manzarek being the sole possessor of the only surviving copy of the original blues single.

 

While that copy was partially damaged by Manzarek’s son, Pablo, who accidentally recorded over a few short segments as a toddler, “Paris Blues” has finally been rescued from the edges of musical eternity thanks to some creative editing and careful reconstruction.