Celebrating Jim Morrison’s 72nd Birthday With One Of His Best Performances

Celebrating Jim Morrison’s 72nd Birthday With One Of His Best Performances | Society Of Rock Videos

via Paul Ferrara & rollingstones.com

Happy Birthday Jim!

Bad boy of rock, James Douglas Morrison, was born 72 years ago in Melbourne, Florida of Irish, Scottish and English decent to parents Clara Virginia and Admiral George Stephen Morrison. After having experienced a traumatic incident involving the passing by of some Native Americans suffering from a horrific car accident, it seemed as though Jim’s troubled and curious mind was to be shaped forever.

From a very young age, Jim was influenced by heavy literature like that of Friedrich Nietzsche and gravitated toward the fascination of seventeenth- century demonology. Having sought out a vivid obsession for cinematography and filmography, he received his degree in Theatre Arts at UCLA where he formed a friendship with future Doors member Ray Manzarek.

Surviving on a diet consisting of LSD and canned beans, Jim was accustomed to roughing it on the boardwalks of Venice beach and found himself and comfort, extensively, in the words he wrote; poetry and stories which eventually formed into the iconic, haunting lyrics in several Doors’ song that we still love today. 

Once Ray and Jim discovered their potential when putting these words to music, drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robby Kreiger joined forces with the duo to create one of the greatest psychadelic rock bands of all time- the Doors. After signing with Elektra records in 1967, the Doors created the masterpiece “Light My Fire,” that ended up hitting the Billboard Hot 100 at #1 for three weeks.

Following the release of their second album, Strange Days, the Doors were one of the most famous rock bands in the world with “When The Music’s Over” and “Celebration Of The Lizard,” playing for bands like Jefferson Airplane that appeared in Doors film The Doors Are Open.

By 1971, Jim had adapted a low-key, yet heavily influenced, lifestyle with significant weight gain and a different attitude. While visiting Paris, at just 27 years old, with long term lover Pam Courson, Jim “accidentally” died from a heroin overdose that he allegedly confused with cocaine. Despite the controversy regarding Courson’s involvement in his passing, Jim was registered to have passed away due to heart failure.

Joining the “27 club” on July 3, 1971, Jim was added to the unfortunate list of young rock stars lost in the chaos of fame, fortune and drugs, but we will never forget him. Although some people believe that Jim was just a pretty boy and didn’t possess as much as talent as other frontmen of his time, we see Jim as one of the most transcendent and influential rock stars of all time.

Celebrate what would be his 72nd birthday with us by watching this incredible live performance of “When The Music’s Over” at the Live Bowl in 1968.

Miss you buddy! Happy birthday..

+ When The Music’s Over Lyrics +

Yeah, c’mon

When the music’s over
When the music’s over, yeah
When the music’s over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights, yeah

When the music’s over
When the music’s over
When the music’s over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights

For the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end

Cancel my subscription to the Resurrection
Send my credentials to the House of Detention
I got some friends inside

The face in the mirror won’t stop
The girl in the window won’t drop
A feast of friends
“Alive!” she cried
Waitin’ for me
Outside!

Before I sink
Into the big sleep
I want to hear
I want to hear
The scream of the butterfly

Come back, baby
Back into my arm
We’re gettin’ tired of hangin’ around
Waitin’ around with our heads to the ground

I hear a very gentle sound
Very near yet very far
Very soft, yeah, very clear
Come today, come today

What have they done to the earth?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn
And tied her with fences and dragged her down

I hear a very gentle sound
With your ear down to the ground
We want the world and we want it…
We want the world and we want it…
Now
Now?
Now!

Persian night, babe
See the light, babe
Save us!
Jesus!
Save us!

So when the music’s over
When the music’s over, yeah
When the music’s over
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights
Turn out the lights

Well the music is your special friend
Dance on fire as it intends
Music is your only friend
Until the end
Until the end
Until the end!

 

 

 

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