This change was instigated by Jim Morrison, who did not want to be held responsible for the lyrics of "Tell All the People", which includes a line encouraging listeners to "...get your guns."

"[10] According to The Doors FAQ author Richie Weidman, Morrison's general opinion about "Tell All the People" is that it had "terrible, corny lyrics", but it was overall a "nice song".

"[4] Rolling Stone critic Alec Dubro also related "Tell All the People" with "Touch Me" as "horn-string showpieces" for lead vocalist Jim Morrison which "stick that idiocy (of the Doors' typical reductio-ad-absurdum poetry) right up front and surround it", and derided the orchestral accompaniment as "the most cliche-ridden sounds".

"[12] Writing for Ultimate Classic Rock in a retrospective review, critic Nick DeRiso claims that "Tell All the People" tries "for a (previous Doors hit single) 'Touch Me' kind of alchemy," but instead "comes off as strangely morose.

"[13] In an AllMusic album review of The Soft Parade, critic Richie Unterberger described it as an "uncharacteristically wistful" tune that was "not all that good, and not sung very convincingly by Morrison.