Been Down So Long

[2] A live version recorded on May 8, 1970, at Cobo Arena in Detroit, appears on the 2000 compilation album The Bright Midnight Sampler.

[3] The song's lyrics were written by lead singer and frontman Jim Morrison,[5] though the performance rights organization ASCAP, along with the actual album liner notes, has given the songwriting credit to all members of the group evenly.

[9] The title makes reference to Richard Fariña's book Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me,[10][11] and was influenced by the lyrics of Furry Lewis's 1928 song, "I Will Turn Your Money Green": "I been down so long/It seem like up to me.

[2] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone rating L.A. Woman with four-and-a-half stars out five, he characterized the song as a "garage-style classic".

[18] PopMatters critic Nathan Wisnicki wrote in his review that with "Been Down So Long" the Doors "overestimated their jamming abilities", adding that the song "could've been tightened-up without losing any fire".