The recording of the album began while lead singer Jim Morrison was on holiday in France. The song "Down on the Farm" was allegedly already written at the time of the recording of the previous album[citation needed], but Morrison did not want to include it, for reasons unknown[citation needed]. According to Manzarek, some of the songs had been rehearsed with Morrison before he left for Paris.
The three remaining members of the band regrouped and released the album in October three months after Morrison's death. Keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger took Morrison's place as lead singers.