Jim Morrison and the Doors - An American Prayer

The Doors recorded six studio albums with Jim Morrison as their singer from 1967 to 1971, hitting the charts with a series of pop songs that were at least as good as Tommy James and the Shondells. On their albums, they indulged in Morrison's pretentious obsessions that included extended pieces about Oedipal complexes and the end of the world. Those obsessions have been exaggerated by The Doors myth that continues to this day. This is a collection of Morrison's poetry, embellished by the surviving Doors several years after the fact. That the live rendition of "Roadhouse Blues" is the only noteworthy selection should tell you what you need to know about the poetry. --Rob O'Connor Amazon.com

Indian, Indian, What Did You Die For?

Indian says "Nothing at all."

...Gently they stir. Gently rise. The dead are newborn awakening, with ravaged limbs and wet souls. Gently they sigh in rapt funeral amazement...

Two things that Jim Morrison was obsessed about was death and his c---. What is really freaky in "An American Prayer" is when he recites poetry about the death OF his c---!

This album is deep Morrison. Too deep for the Casey Kasum or Ed Sullivan crowd. So deep that deep thinkers just might get the true meaning of the Morrison lyrics: "Words got me the wound, and words will get me well if you believe it."

For me, it represents the Fundamentalist's persecution of "gays," and the Fundamentalist's promises of "Reparative Therapy" in those 'ex-gay' ministries!

Highly recommended! October 10, 2008

works

Jim Morrison's poetry can obviously seem pretty ridiculous, but this album rules. Morrison was not by any means a poet in the traditional literary sense; to consider him as such is really unfair and inappropriate. As the lead singer of a rock band he was more of a performance artist and that's reflected here. His voice and the instrumentation work very well together to create a vivid, unique sonic journey (as cheesy as that sounds, it's the only way I can describe this album). It's a necessary experience for any true music fan. Listen to it from beginning to end with an open mind and it's a lot of fun. I can appreciate that a lot of what Morrison wrote can be perceived as pretty nuts and at times flat out juvenile, but it all still works big time for me. I think it's because he really meant it. July 15, 2008

A masterpiece!!

If you're a fan of the Doors this is a must have. Does a fantastic job of showcasing JM's amazing artistic side. July 3, 2008

Underrated

I've read in Blender magazine that they suggested to people that "this album should be avoided." How very wrong and sad! I've owned this album since I was a kid (going on 15 years) and Jim Morrison had talent for evoking imagery in one's mind. This man was not an amateur writer or poet for that matter. He had God-given talent that was distinctive. This is not a poetry reading by Jewel, this is Jim Morrison. No disrespect to Jewel but here we're speaking of the lead singer for the Doors. What I enjoy most about this collection is the trip I embark upon when I listen from beginning to end. It makes me think of so many things such as travelling, music, sex, women, suspense, Latino culture, death, life and love. The fact is I do not know Jim Morrison as a person. Therefore, I have no right to judge his personal habits. What I do know of him is that talent is talent. Here he is doing what he loves to do with no pressure from a record company, an audience or police. The accompaniment of the surviving Doors adds a special touch to the readings. I appreciate owning a little piece of Jim Morrison's mind and for those of you who are just getting into Doors music, listen intently and try not to judge until you've finished the entire record. If you don't like it, that's why we have return policies and refunds.
April 10, 2008

Strange Brew

As a spoken word collection, Jim Morrison strips away the trappings of pop culture and truly shows the power of his poetry. In a way, it shows a direction he may have taken in performance art if not for his untimely death.

But the concept is ruined by The Doors, who took Morrison's tapes and recorded nothing more than doodlings in Muzak, which sadly makes the end result a parody of the Beat Generation. Ultimately, this is for Morrison fans who are looking to complete their library of authorized releases. February 5, 2008

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