Doors

An American Prayer - 1995

Not actually a Doors album, strictly speaking. This is more of a "Jim Morrison, music by the Doors" - but so is most of the music of The Doors in general. Seven years after the Lizard King was dead, the rest of them decided to collect some of his recorded poetry, stick it to music and release as an artistical piece, as the entire album can also be regarded as one single song. I don't even quite understand what exactly caused Ray, Robbie and John to reunite in the studio. Nostalgia? Financial problems? Or was it - dare I say it - out of true respect for Jim's memory and a firm belief that this could really

be treated as a 'new Doors album'?

The Doors, as in 'the doors of perception' - Jim especially liked their name. It suited the kind of lyrics he had written.

An American prayer is a collection of poems that were conceived by Morrison before his death, with music by the rest of the band.

Its such a fitting album for his sad end as he reffers to his own death in the ablum many times. This particular album contains some great pieces of music such as ghost song and bird of prey.

The poetry itself is very vivid, if a little jarring at times for its more explicit content; I feel that this album is most valuable for the samples of older Doors' recordings and Jim Morrison's singing; the poetry and samples don't help to explain the older lyrics, but put them in context: they make the lyricist, who is frequently lost behind the instrumentalists, stand out as a poet.