Some of Morrison's mythology is on display during an interlude. He sings about a car accident he saw when he was a kid in which he believes an Indian's soul passed into him. "Indians scattered on dawn's / highway bleeding / Ghosts crows the young child's / fragile, eggshell mind." Whether it's true or not, there's no denying the vividness of the imagery. Oliver Stone opened The Doors with a recreation of this scene.
Morrison and Courson had a passionate, volatile relationship. We hear different facets through Morrison's lyrics. "You Make Me Real" is a joyful love song augmented by Manzarek's barrelhouse piano. The narrator wants and needs his lover because he's "not real enough without" her. Densmore takes command of the music with his driving percussion. Fans will be thrown by Morrison's whistling at the opening and it sounds like there is extra echo on his voice.
As "The Spy," whose main lyric is taken from an Anaïs Nin novel, he reveals the intimacy partners have. He knows "the dreams that you're / dreamin' of / …the words that you long to hear / your deepest secret fear." In "Queen of the Highway" Morrison obviously makes an appearance as "a monster, black dressed in leather." Everything sounds good for them as "They are wedded / …Soon to have offspring," but the song closes with the last line, "hope it can continue a little while longer." Why only a little while rather than forever? Could this domesticity not be to his liking?
"Maggie M'Gill" arose from an aborted concert where Densmore and Krieger walked off the stage due to one of Morrison's many drunken stupors. Manzarek had tried to continue the show by picking up Krieger's guitar, playing a blues lick for Morrison who sang about "Miss Maggie M'Gill, she lives on a hill," but they couldn't keep it going. During these sessions, Densmore remembered it and they worked on it. Lonnie Mack bookends the album by playing bass on this track.
Article comments
1 - JC Mosquito
Yeah, I dunno about the extraneous noises - on LA Woman, the title song has a few extra notes tacked onto the front - it sounds like Krieger is trying to play God Save the Queen throught an FX pedal (seriously!).
Maybe they were going for a cinema verite sound on the remixes. Whatever - looks like I get to purchase Morrison Hotel for the 4th time (LP, 8 track, CD, & now the remastered CD). No wonder everyone's stealing stuff off the internet.
2 - JANK
Although reknowned for its rockers, Morrison Hotel also has some of the best Doors ballads.
Indian Summer - perhaps the best song ever with this title as it evokes the ellusiveness of the perfect summer, and its passing.
Blue Sunday - segueing from Peace Frog, this is a very haunting track and is well placed on the album.
3 - JC Mosquito
I was surprised to find this for under $7 yesterday, so I picked it up, The multiple takes of Roadhouse show how the song was developed overt time. FAscinating, but I wouldn't listen to it too often.
Much more interesting bonus tracks are on SOft Parade - I'd necer heard Whiskey, Mustics & Men before - hey - a new Doors song for my mp3 player!