Was Jim Morrison a Poet?

His visions helped pave the way for the lyrical abstractions of Frank Black and Jeff Tweedy, who published a book of poems of his own (as did Jewel, but lets not go there). Morrison’s unique darkness led to the whole dark side of rock and also opened the door for obscenity. Without the balance he provided, rock and roll would be lame. Today, many of our greatest poets are rappers.

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“I think that one reason The Doors are still going today is because pretty much every album we did…there’s no junk on there, you know?” says Krieger. “Whereas most groups come out and they might have one or two good songs on an album, and the rest of it is junk. But, if I do say so myself, there’s none of that stuff on any Doors album.”

For many, discovering The Doors’ music is a right of passage, like reading Catcher in the Rye. When do Morrison’s words resonate more than when you’re young and seeing the ugly side of societal norms for the very first time? “Trade in your hours for a handful of dimes/Gonna make it in our prime…”

And besides, who writes more poetry than teenagers? The Doors’ music still sets the mood for a million make-out sessions and keggers in the woods-a reason for the youth of America to continue their ritualistic debauchery. They’re the sound of awakening in a million adolescents around the world, the doors of perception slowly swinging open to the lysergic swirl of “Spanish Caravan” or “The Crystal Ship.”

Maybe Morrison’s biggest contribution to the lyrical world, unveiled during the ’60s’ potent mix of love, drugs, war, flower power and police power colliding, was that he saw in rock music a connection to the thing everyone wants most want out of life-to feel alive, as much of the time as possible.

…City at night! Woo! C’mon! Get together, one more time. We want the world and we want it-now. Break on through to the other side. Ride the Snake…

For all the controversy they caused, or because of it, The Doors can take their place as one of the most influential bands currently canonized in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For the music and its fans, the doors they unlocked will remain forever open.

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