About the song
Background
- Posthumous Project: “An American Prayer” wasn’t released during Morrison’s lifetime. In 1970 and 1971, he recorded himself reciting poetry, and in 1978, the surviving members of The Doors (Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore) added music to create the album.
- Controversy: Its release caused controversy. Some felt it exploited Morrison’s legacy, others saw it as a powerful continuation of his artistic expression.
Lyrics
The album is a sprawling collection of poems, spoken word pieces, and even song-like sections. Here are some of its most notable fragments:
- The Movie: This section explores Morrison’s fascination with cinema and how images shape perception.
- Awake: A call to embrace experience, good and bad, featuring vivid, often disturbing imagery.
- Ghost Song: A haunting reflection on mortality and the fleeting nature of existence.
- The Hitchhiker: Morrison tells a story with an ominous twist, exploring themes of fate and the dark side of America.
- Lament for the Death of My Cock/An American Prayer: A wild, stream-of-consciousness rant, ending with a plea for transcendence.
Themes
- American Experience: Morrison critiques American culture, materialism, and social conformity.
- Mortality: Death is a central theme, explored with a mix of dread and fascination.
- Spirituality: There’s a seeking for meaning, but often a dark and chaotic spirituality is conveyed, rather than traditional religion.
- Duality: The album shifts between celebration of life and fear of its end, beauty and decay, hope and despair.
- Psychedelia: Morrison’s work is heavily influenced by his drug experiences and an interest in altered states of consciousness.
Impact
“An American Prayer” is a complex and challenging work. It encapsulates Morrison’s contradictions: the poet and the performer, the romantic and the nihilist. Its influence is undeniable, inspiring artists, musicians, and fans who seek something deeper and darker than typical pop music.
Video
Lyric
Do you know the warm progress under the stars?Do you know we exist?Have you forgotten the keys to the kingdom?Have you been born yet and are you alive?
Let’s reinvent the Gods, all the myths of the agesCelebrate symbols from deep elder forestsHave you forgotten the lessons of the ancient war?We need great golden copulations
Fathers are cackling in trees of the forestOur mother is dead in the seaDo you know we are being led to slaughters by placid admiralsAnd the fats slow generals are getting obscene on young blood
Do you know we are ruled by TV?The moon is dry blood beastGuerrilla bands are rolling numbersIn the next block of green vineAmassing for warfare onInnocent herdsman who are just dying
Oh, great creator of being grant us one more hourTo perform our art and perfect our livesMoths and atheists are doubly divine and dyingWe live, we die, and death not ends it
Journey we more into the nightmareCling to life, our passioned flowerCling to cunts and cocks of despairWe got our final vision by clapColumbus’s groin got filled with green deathI touched her thigh and death smiled
We have assembled inside this ancient and insane theatreTo propagate our lust for lifeAnd flee the swarming wisdom of the streetsThe barns are stormedThe windows kept and only one of all the restTo dance and save us with the divine mockery of wordsMusic inflames temperament
When the true King’s murderers are allowed to roam freeA thousand magicians arise in the land
Where are the feasts were promised?Where is the wine?The new wine, dying on the vine