An American Prayer - The Doors

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by: Jym Cherry (Wheaton, IL United States)
on: Wednesday, 9-June-2010

An American Prayer is a birth to death journey of the soul, the poetic, as experienced through the life of Jim Morrison. More than anything in life Jim Morrison wanted to be taken seriously as a poet. He even started making plans and recording his poems (separate from The Doors) prior to his death. Morrison wasnt able to bring about his vision of a poetry album to fruition. In Morrisons death The Doors created a musical poetic album to try and fulfill Morrisons legacy as a poet.

An American Prayer is a mixture of Morrisons poetry, the surviving Doors instrumental accompaniment, and fragments and excerpts from Doors albums and live recordings. An American Prayer is a more straightforward journey than The Doors albums, this CD journeys through life from the first awkward awakening of childhood, to Morrisons experience of the Indians bleeding on dawns highway, to coming of age impressions and into the experience of rock stardom. In the folds of Morrisons poems you can glimpse the evolution of spirit from Ill always be a word man to the later words got me the wound.

The title track An American Prayer is the centerpiece of the CD, and it makes a good case for Morrison to enter the pantheon of poets. An American Prayer is on a level with Ginsbergs, Howl, or T.S. Eliots, The Wasteland.

When An American Prayer was released as an album in 1978, The Doors long time producer Paul Rothchild called it a rape of Jim Morrison. There is a school of thought that still reiterates that idea, and maybe it is correct, An American Prayer isnt what Jim Morrison had wanted for a poetry album, but Morrison died before he was able to create the poetry album he wanted. But Ray Manzarek, John Densmore, and Robby Krieger created a truthful and poetic homage to the existentially fallen Morrison.

The CD is also heavy on bonus features including a couple extra poems, Ghost Song made ready for FM radio play. It also includes a booklet with all the poems on the CD and also includes photographs and some of Morrisons journal drawings. If you sit and listen to the CD and look through the booklet you can experience Morrisons poetry through all available sensory avenues, and makes the poems and poetry instantly accessible, meaning made visible.

Throughout my years as a Doors fan people ask what was Jim Morrison like? The surviving members of The Doors have struggled with that question too and have tried through various mediums, releasing 60s era live shows, films, and books to try and answer that question. If you want to know what Jim Morrison was like I think An American Prayer comes closest to answering that question.

by: Ariella Vaccarino (Los Angeles)
on: Tuesday, 18-May-2010

I am always so impressed when I listen to Jim Morrison. His voice was so incredible. He is this blazing raw talent, with such an incredible dark voice. This particular cd brings you to a whole different time of music and really pulls you into its time. I think this cd is awesome for both new to Jim Morrison fans as well as die hard ones.Voice Lessons To Go Volume 1: Vocalize and Breath

by: Jimmy Morelli (South Boston, MA)
on: Wednesday, 5-May-2010

I have heard this album before but never came to purchase it until now. This shows the poetic side of Morrison and offers many songs in a different prospective, almost portraying the origin of many of the Doors classic songs.

For the true Doors fan it is a must have plain and simple. A MUST OWN, I recommend buying the CD and if you want rip it to your computer as I did for use on an MP3 player. A MUST HAVE!!!

by: Joker (Michigan)
on: Wednesday, 7-April-2010

An American Prayer - Jim Morrison: Music By The Doors (1978) is an uncensored poetic musical journey into the mind of Jim Morrison. In December 1970 Morrison recorded some poetry in a recording studio. Then in 1978 the three surviving members of The Doors got together and recorded music to go along with Morrisons spoken word poetry. The music is good and different from their old material. Some of it is jazzy, some of it is Steely Dan-ish, some of it is vintage Doors. The Doors also got help from some session players - Bob Glaub (bass), Jerry Scheff (bass), Reinol Andino (percussion) and Arthur Barrow (synthesizer programming). The music does a good job mixing in with Morrisons twisted poetry and accenting it.

I bought the cassette tape of this album in 1984 and had to get the CD, which I did in 1995. I listened to the tape a lot in the summer of 1985. I think this album is meant to be listened to from start to finish to get the full effect. Some of the material is shocking (such as Lament) while other material is plain entertaining and even funny. This CD comes with three bonus tracks that the original release didnt have (Babylon Fading, Bird Of Prey and The Ghost Song.

If you want to dive into the twisted mind and poetry of Jim Morrison, then this album is a must listen. Again, the music really fits well with the spoken words. If youre a Doors fan then you should hear this album at least once. Morrison was, more than anything else, a poet. Later he became a rock star with poetic lyrics. Then he wanted to be a film maker. I highly recommend this album for all Doors fans.

by: John K. Skalecki (United States)
on: Thursday, 11-February-2010

The best recording I have heard yet of this classic Morrison release.
This is Jim at his freaky best.

by: Michael Lutkus (Broomfield, CO)
on: Tuesday, 29-December-2009

If you are a TRUE Doors/Morrison fan this CD is a must have. His spoken words give unique insight into the mind of an (almost) genius. The images Jim is able to create are hypnotic and intriguing if not a little scary. The added tracks at the end are a nice bonus. All hail the American knight!