“The End” by The Doors … (Rock / Apocalyptic Epic – Music to Your Ears–62)
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A sad and pensive farewell to innocence, or even a farewell to life.
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The Doors – “The End”
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“The End” (1967)
This 12-minute epic was the final track on the Doors debut album. According to lead singer Jim Morrison, he wrote it about the end of his relationship with his girlfriend. Soon, however, it evolved into more than just a song about the end of a love affair.As with the greatest poetry, the lyrics to “The End,” taken as a whole, say much more than the words and phrases can ever state or imply.
Farewell to Innocence
Morrison himself said that, while “The End” started out as “a simple goodbye song,” it could also be interpreted as a goodbye to childhood. In fact, it might even be a sad and pensive farewell to innocence, or even a song about death.![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmc41okm3ZrMxspYD8bPwhqgbvKasDrSCxjxdcWx2roS82/image.png)
Ars Longa Vita Brevis *
After the manic interlude, the song once again turns quiet, and the lyrics again turn pensive and resigned. Morrison once again addresses his “beautiful friend,” sadly noting that, indeed, “this is the end.” The end of “laughter,” the end of “soft lies,” the end of suicidal nights, the end of a relationship … and maybe, the end of life. How sad. But how wonderful that we still have this masterpiece.![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaq5mB2JrVFBhnsaaW7b1WtYvjQZCLy9eNmPb4z4gZ3dh/image.png)
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The Doors
The Doors were one of the finest rock bands of the 1960s. Formed in Los Angeles in 1965, the band took their name from the Aldous Huxley book “The Doors of Perception,” about the author’s psychedelic experiences and the spiritual insights he gained through those trips.*Exotic Fog to Whisky
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No End in Sight
The Doors were one of the most influential bands of their era. Moreover, they are one of the few 60s bands whose music still resonates with listeners today.![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPCXsGviVesFF4h2z997G27u7n9DX7UZEkUTwnocLJMsu/image.png)
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Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans
The end
Of everything that stands
The end
No safety or surprise
The end
I'll never look into your eyes
Again Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need of some stranger's hand
In a desperate land Lost in a Roman wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane
All the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah There's danger on the edge of town
Ride the king's highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake
The ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles
Ride the snake
He's old
And his skin is cold The west is the best
The west is the best
Get here, and we'll do the rest The blue bus is callin' us
The blue bus is callin' us
Driver, where you taking us The killer awoke before dawn, he put his boots on
He took a face from the ancient gallery
And he walked on down the hall
He went into the room where his sister lived, and then he
Paid a visit to his brother, and then he
He walked on down the hall
And he came to a door
And he looked inside
"Father?" "Yes, son." "I want to kill you."
"Mother, I want to ... (indecipherable) ..." C'mon babe
C'mon baby, take a chance with us
C'mon baby, take a chance with us
C'mon baby, take a chance with us
And meet me at the back of the blue bus
Doin' a blue rock
On a blue bus
Doin' a blue rock
C'mon, yeah Fuck, fuck-ah, yeah
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck
Fuck, fuck, fuck, yeah
C'mon, yeah, c'mon, yeah
Fuck me, baby, fuck yeah
Fuck, fuck, fuck, yeah!
Fuck, yeah! C'mon, baby
Fuck me, baby, fuck, fuck, yeah
Whoa, whoa, yeah, fuck, baby
C'mon, yeah, huh, huh, huh, huh, yeah
All right Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end
It hurts to set you free
But you'll never follow me
The end of laughter and soft lies
The end of nights we tried to die This is the end
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Lyrics by Jim Morrison, courtesy of – AZLyrics.com
Reference – Wikipedia
Reference – Wikipedia
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Into your ears … through 5 channels
The various posts are categorized into 5 channels (Right-Click to see details)1 – “Music to Your Ears” (MTYE)
2 – “Cover Versions”
3 – “Honor Roll”
4 – “Documentaries”
5 – “Mock’n’Roll”
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More “Music to Your Ears” ...
Previous posts in this series – "MTYE posts 1–20"Previous posts in this series – "MTYE posts 21–40"
Previous posts in this series – "MTYE posts 41~60"
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Links to my other series ...
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Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 2"
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Great Lyrics, a compilation – “Part Two – My Lyrics Posts 31~60”
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Vocab-Ability – "Index" to all Chapters and Sections
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Notes from Under the Tatami Mats – "Part Two – Notes 51~87"
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This melancholic and doleful song invokes emotions in me. It reminds me of the many goodbyes I have said in my life and it is why I entirely agree when Morrison wrote:
Thanks for bringing this fine song up again. I am very well impressed with your style and can only aspire to attain such a fine writing height. Cheers!
Yep, an amazing song. Even 5 decades after it was recorded.
You're well on your way to becoming a great writer. In fact, I kinda wish I could have written as well as you do when I was your age. :-)
Keep writing. Keep improving.
Thanks for this soul-lifting words of yours. I will keep writing, keep improving, and keep reading. And ultimately I will become a fine writer such as yourself.
Of that, I am totally convinced.
Onwards. Ever onwards.
Definitely these guys were in total sync. Not only did it synchronize musical time, but their spirits vibrated the same frequency.
The sensitivity that each musician prints to his performance is fabulous. Those subtle blows to the leathers and cymbals are a trip.
Jim's vocal interpretation is as always a total allusinogenic cadence.
I think the peyote and the lsd served to make these kids achieve these crazy and challenging pieces of the social and political patterns of the time.
Thank you for sharing this masterpiece with us.
Yeah, LSD certainly had an effect on Morrison. Maybe not entirely beneficial, but definitely an enlightening effect. It may have played a part in brining about his own "end," but it also played a undeniable part in his creativity.