Edit filter log

'{{For|other persons named James or Jim Morrison|James Morrison}} {{Infobox musical artist | Name = Jim Morrison | Img = Jim Morrisonsinging.jpg | Img_capt = Performing with The Doors, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 1968 | Background = solo_singer | Birth_name = James Douglas Morrison | Alias = | Born = {{birth date|mf=yes|1943|12|8}}<br>[[Melbourne, Florida]], U.S. | Died = {{death date and age|mf=yes|1971|7|3|1943|12|8}}<br>Paris, France | Genre = [[Psychedelic rock]], [[acid rock]], [[blues-rock]], [[hard rock]] | Occupation = [[Musician]], Songwriter, Poet, [[Filmmaker]] | Voice_type = [[Baritone]]<ref>[http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9415576 Bio of Jim Morrison.]</ref> | Instruments = [[Singer|Vocals]], [[harmonica]], [[percussion]] | Years_active = 1963—1971 | Label = [[Elektra Records|Elektra]], [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] | Associated_acts = [[The Doors]], [[Rick & the Ravens]] | URL = http://www.thedoors.com/ }} '''James Douglas "Jim" Morrison''' (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, songwriter, poet, writer and [[filmmaker]]. He was best known as the lead singer and lyricist of [[The Doors]] and is widely considered to be one of the most charismatic [[Lead vocalist|frontmen]] in [[rock music]] history.<ref name="climate">"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6316743.stm ''See e.g.'', Morrison poem backs climate plea]", ''BBC News'', January 31, 2007.</ref> He was also the author of several books of [[poetry]]<ref name="climate">"http://www.huddersfield1.co.uk/poetry/morrisonpoetry.htm, ''huddersfield'',</ref> and the director of a documentary and short film. Although Morrison was known for his [[baritone]] vocals, many fans, scholars, and journalists have discussed his [[theatrical]] stage persona, his self-destructiveness, and his work as a poet.<ref>[http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9415576 Biography of Jim Morrison.]</ref> He was ranked number 47 on ''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone's]]'' "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/greatestsingers/page/47 |title=100 Greatest Singers of All Time |work=Rolling Stone |accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> ==Early years== Morrison was born in Melbourne, Florida, to future Admiral [[George Stephen Morrison]] and Clara Clarke Morrison. Morrison had a sister, Anne Robin, who was born in 1947 in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], and a brother, Andrew Lee Morrison, who was born in 1948 in [[Los Altos, California]]. He was of [[Irish people|Irish]], [[Scottish people|Scottish]], and [[English people|English]] descent.<ref>"[http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/1930:2450/1/Jim_Morrison.htm Dead Famous: Jim Morrison]", ''The Biography Channel''. (Retrieved Dec. 2, 2007).</ref> He reportedly had an [[I.Q.]] of 149.<ref>{{cite book |last=Riordan |first=James |title=Break on Through: The Life and Death of Jim Morrison |publisher=[[HarperCollins]] |year=1992 |pages=32 |quote=In school, Morrison was tested as having a genius I.Q. of 149. |isbn=0688119158}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Walters |first=Glenn D. |title=Lifestyle theory: Past, Present And Future |publisher=[[Nova Publishers]] |year=2006 |pages=78 |isbn=1600210333}}</ref> In 1947, Morrison, then four years old, allegedly witnessed a [[car accident]] in the [[desert]], where a family of [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] were injured and possibly killed. He referred to this incident in a [[spoken word]] performance on the song "Dawn's Highway" from the album ''[[An American Prayer]]'', and again in the songs "[[Peace Frog]]" and "[[Ghost Song]]". Morrison believed the incident to be the most formative event in his life{{Citation needed|date=February 2010}} and made repeated references to it in the imagery in his songs, poems, and interviews. Interestingly, his family does not recall this incident happening in the way he told it. According to the Morrison biography ''[[No One Here Gets Out Alive]]'', Morrison's family did drive past a car accident on an [[Indian reservation]] when he was a child, and he was very upset by it. However, the book ''The Doors'' written by the remaining members of The Doors, explains how different Morrison's account of the incident was from the account of his father. This book quotes his father as saying, "We went by several Indians. It did make an impression on him [the young James]. He always thought about that crying Indian." This is contrasted sharply with Morrison's tale of "Indians scattered all over the highway, bleeding to death". In the same book, his sister is quoted as saying, "He enjoyed telling that story and exaggerating it. He said he saw a dead Indian by the side of the road, and I don't even know if that's true." With his father in the [[United States Navy]], Morrison's family moved often. He spent part of his childhood in [[San Diego]], [[California]]. In 1958, Morrison attended [[Alameda High School]] in [[Alameda, California]]. However, he graduated from George Washington High School (now [[George Washington Middle School (Virginia)|George Washington Middle School]]) in [[Alexandria, Virginia]] in June 1961. His father was also stationed at [[Naval Station Mayport|Mayport Naval Air Station]] in [[Jacksonville, Florida]]. Morrison went to live with his paternal grandparents in [[Clearwater, Florida]] where he attended classes at [[St. Petersburg Junior College]]. In 1962, he transferred to [[Florida State University]] (FSU) in [[Tallahassee, Florida|Tallahassee]] where he appeared in a school recruitment film.<ref name="fsufilm">{{cite web| title = Recruitment Film | url=http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/VideoFilm2/video.cfm?VID=22 | accessdate = 2008-08-24 }}</ref> While attending FSU Morrison was arrested for a prank, following a home [[American football|football]] game.<ref name="FSU arrest">{{cite web| title = FSU Arrest | url=http://www.americanlegends.com/Interviews/morrison.htm | accessdate = 2008-06-24}}</ref> In January 1964, Morrison moved to Los Angeles, [[California]]. He completed his [[undergraduate]] degree in [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]]'s film school, the Theater Arts department of the College of Fine Arts in 1965. He made two films while attending UCLA. ''First Love'', the first of these films, was released to the public when it appeared in a documentary about the film ''Obscura''. During these years, while living in [[Venice, Los Angeles, California|Venice Beach]], he became friends with writers at the ''[[Los Angeles Free Press]]''. Morrison was an advocate of the underground newspaper until his death in 1971.<ref>Melissa Ursula Dawn Goldsmith, "Criticism ''Lighting His Fire'': Perspectives on Jim Morrison from the ''Los Angeles Free Press'', ''Down Beat'', and ''The Miami Herald'' (master's thesis, Interdepartmental Program in Liberal Arts, Louisiana State University, 2007). Available at "http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-11162007-105056/".</ref> ==The Doors== {{Main|The Doors}} In 1965, after graduating from UCLA, Morrison led a [[bohemianism|Bohemian]] lifestyle in Venice Beach. Morrison and fellow UCLA student [[Ray Manzarek]] were the first two members of The Doors. Shortly thereafter, drummer [[John Densmore]] and guitarist [[Robby Krieger]] joined. Krieger auditioned at Densmore's recommendation and was then added to the lineup. The Doors took their name from the title of [[Aldous Huxley]]'s ''[[The Doors of Perception]]'' (a reference to the 'unlocking' of 'doors' of perception through [[psychedelic drug]] use), Huxley's own title was a quotation from [[William Blake]]'s ''[[The Marriage of Heaven and Hell]]'', in which Blake wrote that "If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite." Although Morrison is known as the lyricist for the group, Krieger also made significant lyrical contributions, writing or co-writing some of the group's biggest hits, including "[[Light My Fire]]", "[[Love Me Two Times]]", "[[Love Her Madly]]" and "[[Touch Me (The Doors song)|Touch Me]]".<ref>{{Citation |last=Getlen |first=Larry |title=Opportunity knocked so The Doors kicked it down |url=http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/investing/20030616a1.asp |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> In June 1966, Morrison and The Doors were the opening act at the [[Whisky a Go Go]] on the last week of the residency of [[Van Morrison]]'s band [[Them (band)|Them]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.waiting-forthe-sun.net/Pages/Venues/whisky_them.html|author=Paul Lawrence (2002)|title=The Doors and Them: twin Morrisons of different mothers|publisher=waiting-forthe-sun.net|accessdate=2008-07-07}}</ref> Van's influence on Jim's developing stage performance was later noted by John Densmore in his book ''Riders On The Storm'': "Jim Morrison learned quickly from his near-namesake's stagecraft, his apparent recklessness, his air of subdued menace, the way he would improvise poetry to a rock beat, even his habit of crouching down by the bass drum during instrumental breaks."<ref name= "HintonPage67">Hinton (1997), page 67.</ref> On the final night, the two Morrisons and the two bands jammed together on "[[Gloria (Them song)|Gloria]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chickenonaunicycle.com/Whisky-A-Go-Go%20History.htm|author=Corry Arnold|date=2006-01-23|title=The History of the Whisky-A-Go-Go|publisher=chickenonaunicyle.com |accessdate=2008-06-30}}</ref><ref name="VanM">{{cite web |url=http://www.harbour.sfu.ca/~hayward/van/glossary/doors.html |title= Glossary entry for The Doors |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070310195120/http://www.harbour.sfu.ca/~hayward/van/glossary/doors.html |archivedate=2007-03-10}} from Van Morrison website. Photo of both Morrisons on stage. Access date 2007-05-26.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.doorshistory.com/doors1966.html|title=Doors 1966 - June 1966|publisher=doorshistory.com|accessdate=2008-10-13}}</ref> The Doors achieved national recognition after signing with [[Elektra Records]] in 1967.<ref>{{Citation |last=Leopold |first=Todd |title=Confessions of a record label owner |url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/04/19/holzman.elektra/index.html |accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref> The single "[[Light My Fire]]" eventually reached number one on the [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] Pop Singles chart.<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Light My Fire |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6595880/light_my_fire |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> Later, The Doors appeared on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'', a popular Sunday night variety series that had introduced [[The Beatles]] and a young, wriggling [[Elvis Presley]] to the nation. [[Ed Sullivan]] requested two songs from The Doors for the show, "[[People Are Strange]]", and "[[Light My Fire]]". The censors insisted that they change the lyrics of "Light My Fire" from "Girl we couldn't get much higher" to "Girl we couldn't get much better". This was reportedly due to what could be perceived as a reference to drugs in the original lyric. Giving assurances of compliance to Sullivan, Morrison then proceeded to sing the song with the original lyrics anyway. He later said that he had simply forgotten to make the change. This so infuriated Sullivan that he refused to shake their hands after their performance. They were never invited back.<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=When the Doors went on Sullivan |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/03/ed.sullivan.sidebar/index.html |accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref> In 1967, Morrison and The Doors produced a promotional film for "[[Break On Through (To the Other Side)]]", which was their first [[single (music)|single]] release. The video featured the four members of the group playing the song on a darkened set with alternating views and close-ups of the performers while Morrison lip-synched the lyrics. Morrison and The Doors continued to make music videos, including "The Unknown Soldier", "[[Moonlight Drive]]", and "[[People Are Strange]]". By the release of their second album, ''[[Strange Days (album)|Strange Days]]'', The Doors had become one of the most popular rock bands in the United States. Their blend of [[blues]] and rock tinged with [[psychedelic|psychedelia]] included a number of original songs and distinctive cover versions, such as the memorable rendition of "[[Alabama Song]]", from [[Bertolt Brecht]] and [[Kurt Weill]]'s [[operetta]], ''[[Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny]]''. The band also performed a number of extended concept works, including the songs "[[The End (The Doors song)|The End]]", "[[When the Music's Over]]", and "[[Celebration of the Lizard]]". In 1967, photographer Joel Brodsky took a series of [[Photography#Black-and-white|black-and-white]] photos of Morrison, in a photo shoot known as "The Young Lion" photo session. These photographs are considered among the most iconic images of Jim Morrison and are frequently used as covers for compilation albums, books, and other memorabilia of the Doors and Morrison.<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/03/31/national/a121306D56.DTL Photographer Joel Brodsky Dies]{{dead link|date=May 2010}}</ref> <!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Jimlaughingw-dogs.jpg|left|thumb|150px]] --> In 1968, The Doors released their third studio LP, ''[[Waiting for the Sun]]''. Their fourth LP, ''[[The Soft Parade]]'', was released in 1969. It was the first album where the individual band members were given credit on the inner sleeve for the songs they had written. After this, Morrison started to show up for recording sessions inebriated. He was also frequently late for live performances. As a result, the band would play instrumental music or force Manzarek to take on the singing duties. By 1969, the formerly svelte singer gained weight, grew a beard, and began dressing more casually - abandoning the leather pants and concho belts for slacks, jeans and T-shirts. During a 1969 concert at the [[Dinner Key Auditorium]] in Miami, Morrison attempted to spark a riot in the audience. He failed, but a [[arrest warrant|warrant]] for his arrest was issued by the [[Miami-Dade Police Department|Dade County Police department]] three days later for [[indecent exposure]]. Consequently, many of The Doors' scheduled concerts were canceled.<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=The Doors: Biography: Rolling Stone |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thedoors/biography |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> In the years following the incident, Morrison has been exonerated. In 2007 [[List of Governors of Florida|Florida Governor]] [[Charlie Crist]] suggested the possibility of a posthumous [[pardon]] for Morrison.<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Dead Rock Star to Get Pardon? |url=http://www.wltx.com/fyi/story.aspx?storyid=48833 |accessdate=2007-09-09 |format= {{Dead link|date=May 2009}}}}</ref>{{Dead link|date=August 2008}} Following ''The Soft Parade'', The Doors released the ''[[Morrison Hotel]]'' LP. After a lengthy break the group reconvened in October 1970 to record their last LP with Morrison, ''[[L.A. Woman]]''. Shortly after the recording sessions for the album began, producer [[Paul A. Rothchild]] — who had overseen all their previous recordings — left the project. Engineer [[Bruce Botnick]] took over as producer. ==Solo: poetry and film== Morrison began writing in adolescence. In college, he studied the related fields of [[theater]], [[film]], and [[cinematography]].<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Notable Actors - UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television|url=http://www.tft.ucla.edu/alumni/notable-actors/ |accessdate=2008-12-03}}</ref> He self-published two volumes of his poetry in 1969, ''The Lords / Notes on Vision'' and ''The New Creatures''. ''The Lords'' consists primarily of brief descriptions of places, people, events and Morrison's thoughts on cinema. ''The New Creatures'' verses are more poetic in structure, feel and appearance. These two books were later combined into a single volume titled ''The Lords and The New Creatures''. These were the only writings published during Morrison's lifetime. Morrison befriended [[Beat generation|Beat Poet]] [[Michael McClure]], who wrote the [[afterword]] for [[Danny Sugerman]]'s biography of Morrison, ''[[No One Here Gets Out Alive]]''. McClure and Morrison reportedly collaborated on a number of unmade film projects to include a film version of McClure's infamous play ''The Beard'' in which Morrison would have played [[Billy the Kid]].<ref>{{Citation |last=McClure |first=Michael |title=Michael McClure Recalls an Old Friend |url=http://archives.waiting-forthe-sun.net/Pages/Players/Personal/mcclure_recalls.html |accessdate=2008-09-09}}</ref> After his death, two volumes of Morrison's poetry were published. The contents of the books were selected and arranged by Morrison's friend, photographer Frank Lisciandro, and girlfriend [[Pamela Courson]]'s parents, who owned the rights to his poetry. ''The Lost Writings of Jim Morrison'' Volume 1 is titled ''[[Wilderness]],'' and, upon its release in 1988, became an instant ''[[New York Times]]'' best seller. Volume 2, ''[[American Night|The American Night]],'' released in 1990, was also a success. Morrison recorded his own poetry in a professional sound studio on two separate occasions. The first was in March 1969 in Los Angeles and the second was on December 8, 1970. The latter recording session was attended by Morrison's personal friends and included a variety of sketch pieces. Some of the segments from the 1969 session were issued on the [[bootleg recording|bootleg]] album ''[[The Lost Paris Tapes]]'' and were later used as part of the Doors' ''[[An American Prayer]]'' album, released in 1978. The album reached number 54 on the music charts. The poetry recorded from the December 1970 session remains unreleased to this day and is in the possession of the Courson family. Morrison's best-known but seldom seen cinematic endeavor is ''HWY: An American Pastoral'', a project he started in 1969. Morrison financed the venture and formed his own production company in order to maintain complete control of the project. [[Paul Ferrara]], Frank Lisciandro and Babe Hill assisted with the project. Morrison played the main character, a hitchhiker turned killer/car thief. Morrison asked his friend, composer/pianist Fred Myrow, to select the [[soundtrack]] for the film.<ref>{{Citation |last=Unterberger |first=Richie |title=Liner Notes for Diane Hildebrand's "Early Morning Blues and Greens |url=http://www.richieunterberger.com/diane.html |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=HWY: An American Pastoral |url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388097/combined |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> ==Personal life== ===Morrison's family=== Morrison's early life was a [[Military brat (U.S. subculture)|nomadic existence typical of military families]].<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Jim Morrison Biography |url=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/1930:2450/1/Jim_Morrison.htm |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> Jerry Hopkins recorded Morrison's brother, Andy, explaining that his parents had determined never to use [[corporal punishment]] on their children. They instead instilled discipline and levied punishment by the military tradition known as "dressing down". This consisted of yelling at and berating the children until they were reduced to tears and acknowledged their failings. Once Morrison graduated from UCLA, he broke off most of his family contact. By the time Morrison's music ascended to the top of the charts in 1967 he had not been in communication with his family for more than a year and falsely claimed that his parents and siblings were dead (or claiming, as it has been widely misreported, that he was an only child). This misinformation was published as part of the materials distributed with The Doors' [[The Doors (album)|self-titled debut album]]. In a letter to the Florida Probation and Parole Commission District Office dated October 2, 1970, Morrison's father acknowledged the breakdown in family communications as the result of an argument over his assessment of his son's musical talents. He said he could not blame his son for being reluctant to initiate contact and that he was proud of him nonetheless.<ref name="fatherletter">[http://www.idafan.com/FloridaProbation-ParoleLetters.htm Letter from Jim's Father to probation department 1970]</ref> ===Women in his life=== Morrison met his long-term companion,<ref>{{Citation |last=Hoover |first=Elizabeth |title=The Death of Jim Morrison |url=http://www.americanheritage.com/entertainment/articles/web/20060703-jim-morrison-doors-drugs-rock-n-roll-aldous-huxley-paris-heroin-pamela-courson.shtml |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> [[Pamela Courson]], well before he gained any fame or fortune,<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Jim Morrison Biography |url=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/1930:2450/4/Jim_Morrison.htm |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> and she encouraged him to develop his poetry. At times, Courson used the surname "Morrison" with his apparent consent or at least lack of concern. After Courson's death in 1974 the [[probate]] court in California decided that she and Morrison had what qualified as a [[common law marriage]] (see below, under "Estate Controversy"). Courson and Morrison's relationship was a stormy one, however, with frequent loud arguments and periods of separation. Biographer [[Danny Sugerman]] surmised that part of their difficulties may have stemmed from a conflict between their respective commitments to an [[open relationship]] and the consequences of living in such a relationship. In 1970, Morrison participated in a [[Celtic Neopaganism|Celtic Pagan]] [[handfasting]] ceremony with rock critic and [[science fiction]]/[[fantasy]] author [[Patricia Kennealy-Morrison|Patricia Kennealy]]. Before witnesses, one of them a [[Presbyterian]] [[Minister (Christianity)|minister]],<ref name="pkm1">{{cite book | first =Patricia | last =Kennealy | authorlink = | coauthors = | year =1992 | month = | title =Strange Days: My Life With And Without Jim Morrison | chapter = | editor = | others = | edition = | pages =63 | publisher =Dutton/Penguin | location =New York| isbn =0-525-93419-7 | url = }}</ref> the couple signed a document declaring themselves wedded;<ref name="pkm2">Kennealy (1992) plate 7, p.175</ref> however, none of the necessary paperwork for a legal marriage was filed with the state. Kennealy discussed her experiences with Morrison in her autobiography ''Strange Days: My Life With and Without Jim Morrison'' and in an interview reported in the book ''Rock Wives''. Morrison also regularly had sex with fans and had numerous short flings with women who were celebrities, including [[Nico]], the singer associated with [[The Velvet Underground]], a [[one night stand]] with singer [[Grace Slick]] of [[Jefferson Airplane]], an on-again-off-again relationship with ''[[16 Magazine]]'''s editor in chief [[Gloria Stavers]] and an alleged alcohol-fueled encounter with [[Janis Joplin]]. Judy Huddleston also recalls her relationship with Morrison in ''Living and Dying with Jim Morrison''. At the time of his death there were reportedly as many as 20 [[Paternity (law)|paternity]] actions pending against him, although no claims were made against his estate by any of the putative paternity claimants, and the only person making a public claim to being Morrison's son was shown to be a [[fraud]]. ===Death=== <!--Do not add the 27 club link to this article. There is no consensus to add this to the article.--> Morrison flew to Paris in March 1971, took up residence in a rented apartment, and went for long walks through the city,<ref name="pkm3">Kennealy (1992) pp.314-16</ref> admiring the city's architecture. During that time, Morrison grew a beard.<ref name="Davis">Davis, Steven (2004) "[http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6185019/the_last_days_of_jim_morrison The Last Days of Jim Morrison]" in Rolling Stone. Retrieved 25 December 2007</ref> It was in Paris that Morrison made his last studio recording with two American street musicians&nbsp;— a session dismissed by Manzarek as "drunken gibberish".<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/communicate/archive/ray_manzarek/page2.shtml "Ask Ray Manzarek Transcript."] ''Talk''. BBC, 10 April 2002.</ref> The session included a version of a song-in-progress, "Orange County Suite", which can be heard on the bootleg ''[[The Lost Paris Tapes]]''. Morrison died on July 3, 1971. In the official account of his death, he was found in a Paris apartment bathtub by Courson. Pursuant to French law, no [[autopsy]] was performed because the [[medical examiner]] claimed to have found no evidence of [[crime|foul play]]. The absence of an official autopsy has left many questions regarding Morrison's [[Cause of death#Causes of human death|cause of death]]. In ''Wonderland Avenue'', [[Danny Sugerman]] discussed his encounter with Courson after she returned to the U.S. According to Sugerman's account, Courson stated that Morrison had died of a [[heroin]] [[drug overdose|overdose]], having [[Insufflation (medicine)|insufflated]] what Morrison believed to be [[cocaine]]. Sugerman added that Courson had given numerous contradictory versions of Morrison's death, at times saying that she had killed Morrison, or that his death was her fault. Courson's story of Morrison's unintentional ingestion of heroin, followed by accidental overdose, is supported by the confession of Alain Ronay, who has written that Morrison died of a [[hemorrhage]] after snorting Courson's heroin, and that Courson nodded off, leaving Morrison bleeding to death instead of phoning for medical help.<ref name="Ronay">Ronay, Alain (2002) [http://archives.waiting-forthesun.net/Pages/Articles/jims_last_days.html "Jim and I - Friends Until Death"]. Originally published in KING. Retrieved 25 December 2007</ref> Ronay confessed in an article in ''[[Paris-Match]]'' that he then helped cover up the circumstances of Morrison's death.<ref name="Ronay2">Kennealy (1992) pp: 385-92 quotes from Ronay's interview in Paris-Match</ref> In the epilogue of ''No One Here Gets Out Alive'', Hopkins and Sugerman write that Ronay and [[Agnès Varda]] say Courson lied to the police who responded at the death scene, and later in her deposition, telling them Morrison never took drugs. In the epilogue to ''No One Here Gets Out Alive'', Hopkins says that 20 years after Morrison's death Ronay and Varda broke silence and gave this account: They arrived at the house shortly after Morrison's death and Courson said that she and Morrison had taken heroin after a night of drinking in bars. Morrison had been coughing badly, had gone to take a bath, and vomited blood. Courson said that he appeared to recover and that she then went to sleep. When she awoke sometime later Morrison was unresponsive and so she called for medical assistance. Courson herself died of a heroin overdose three years later. Like Morrison, she was 27 years old at the time of her death. However, in the epilogue of ''No One Here Gets Out Alive'', Hopkins and Sugerman also claim that Morrison had [[asthma]] and was suffering from a [[respiratory system|respiratory]] condition involving a chronic cough and throwing up blood on the night of his death. This theory is partially supported in ''The Doors'' (written by the remaining members of the band) in which they claim Morrison had been coughing up blood for nearly two months in Paris. However, none of the members of the Doors were in Paris with Morrison in the months before his death. In the first version of ''No One Here Gets Out Alive'' published in 1980, Sugerman and Hopkins gave some credence to the rumour that Morrison may not have died at all, calling the fake death theory “not as far-fetched as it might seem”.<ref>Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman, ''No One Here Gets Out Alive'' page 373</ref> This theory led to considerable distress for Morrison's loved ones over the years, notably when fans would [[stalking|stalk]] them, searching for evidence of Morrison's whereabouts.<ref name="sugerman">Hopkins, Jerry; and Danny Sugerman (1980) ''No One Here Gets Out Alive'' ISBN 0-85965-138-X</ref><ref name="pkm4">Kennealy (1992) pp.344-6</ref> In 1995 a new epilogue was added to Sugerman and Hopkins' book, giving new facts about Morrison's death and discounting the fake death theory, saying “As time passed, some of Jim and Pamela [Courson]'s friends began to talk about what they knew, and although everything they said pointed irrefutably to Jim's demise, there remained and probably always will be those who refuse to believe that Jim is dead and those who will not allow him to rest in peace.”<ref>Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugarman, ''No One Here Gets Out Alive'' page 375, also see copyright in front of book on new material added in 1995</ref> [[Image:Paryż père-lachaise morison.JPG|200px|thumb|Jim Morrison's grave at [[Père Lachaise Cemetery|Père-Lachaise]].]] In a July 2007 newspaper interview, a self-described close friend of Morrison's, [[:fr:Sam Bernett|Sam Bernett]], resurrected an old rumor and announced that Morrison actually died of a heroin overdose in the [[Rock 'n' Roll Circus]] nightclub, on the [[Left Bank]] in Paris. Bernett claims that Morrison came to the club to buy heroin for Courson then did some himself and died in the bathroom. Bernett alleges that Morrison was then moved back to the rue Beautreillis apartment and dumped in the bathtub by the same two drug dealers from whom Morrison had purchased the heroin. Bernett says those who saw Morrison that night were sworn to secrecy in order to prevent a scandal for the famous club,<ref>{{Citation |last=Walt |first=Vivienne |title=How Jim Morrison Died |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1643884,00.html |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> and that some of the witnesses immediately left the country. However, this is just the latest of many in a long line of old rumours and [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]] surrounding the death of Morrison<ref>"The shocking truth about Jim Morrison's death surfaces". AndhraNews.net story, July 8, 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-466947/The-shocking-truth-pal-Jim-Morrison-REALLY-died.html | title = The shocking truth about how my pal Jim Morrison REALLY died | publisher = mailonsunday.co.uk Accessed July 13, 2007 }}</ref> and is less supported by witnesses than are the accounts of Ronay and Courson (cited above).<ref>{{Citation |last=Doland |first=Angela |title=Morrison Bathtub Death Story Questioned |url=http://news.aol.com/entertainment/music/story/_a/morrison-bathtub-death-story-questioned/20070711145609990001 |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> ====Grave site==== Morrison is buried in the [[Père Lachaise Cemetery]] in eastern Paris, one of the city's most visited tourist attractions. The grave had no official marker until French officials placed a shield over it, which was stolen in 1973. In 1981, [[Croatian people|Croatian]] sculptor Mladen Mikulin placed a bust of Morrison and the new gravestone with Morrison's name at the grave to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his death;<ref name="Mikulin1">[http://www.ars-cartae.com/GAmm0000.htm Mladen Mikulin - Sculptor]</ref> the bust was defaced through the years by cemetery vandals and later stolen in 1988.<ref name="Mikulin2">[http://www.ars-cartae.com/GAmmsk04.htm photo of defaced bust on Morrison's grave before it was stolen].</ref> In the 1990s Morrison's father, [[George Stephen Morrison]], placed a flat stone on the grave. The stone bears the Greek inscription: ΚΑΤΑ ΤΟΝ ΔΑΙΜΟΝΑ ΕΑΥΤΟΥ, literally meaning "according to his own daimōn" and usually interpreted as "true to his own spirit".<ref>Steve Liewer. [http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/obituaries/20081128-9999-1m28morrison.html George 'Steve' Morrison; rear admiral flew combat missions in lengthy career]. November 28, 2008</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Davis |first=Stephen |year=2005 |title=Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend |publisher=Gotham |page=472 |isbn=978-1592400997}}.</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Olsen |first=Brad |year=2007 |title=Sacred Places Europe: 108 Destinations |publisher=CCC Publishing |page=105 |isbn=978-1888729122}}.</ref> Mikulin later made two more Morrison portraits in bronze but is awaiting the license to place a new sculpture on the tomb. ===Estate controversy=== In his [[will (law)|will]], made in [[Los Angeles County]] on February 12, 1969, Morrison (who described himself as "an unmarried person") [[bequest|bequeathed]] his entire estate to Courson, also naming her co-executor with his attorney, Max Fink; she thus inherited everything upon Morrison’s death in 1971. When Courson died in 1974, a battle ensued between Morrison’s and Courson’s parents over who had legal claim to Morrison’s estate. Since Morrison left a will, the question was effectively moot. Upon his death, his property became Courson’s, and on her death her property passed to her next heirs at law, her parents. Morrison's parents contested the will under which Courson and now her parents had inherited their son’s property. To bolster their position, Courson’s parents presented a document they claimed she had acquired in [[Colorado]], apparently an application for a declaration that she and Morrison had contracted a common-law marriage under the laws of that state. The ability to contract a common-law marriage was abolished in California in 1896, but the state's [[conflict of laws]] rules provided for recognition of common-law marriages lawfully contracted in foreign jurisdictions&nbsp;— and Colorado was one of the eleven U.S. jurisdictions that still recognized common-law marriage. ==Artistic roots== As a naval family the Morrisons relocated frequently. Consequently Morrison's early [[education]] was routinely disrupted as he moved from school to school. Nonetheless he proved to be an intelligent and capable student drawn to the study of [[literature]], [[poetry]], [[religion]], [[philosophy]] and [[psychology]], among other fields. Biographers have consistently pointed to a number of writers and [[philosophers]] who influenced Morrison's thinking and, perhaps, behavior. While still in his teens Morrison discovered the works of philosopher [[Friedrich Nietzsche]]. He was also drawn to the poetry of [[William Blake]], [[Charles Baudelaire]] and [[Arthur Rimbaud]]. [[Beat Generation]] writers such as [[Jack Kerouac]] also had a strong influence on Morrison's outlook and manner of expression; Morrison was eager to experience the life described in Kerouac's ''[[On the Road]]''. He was similarly drawn to the works of the French writer [[Louis-Ferdinand Céline]]. Céline's book, ''Voyage au Bout de la Nuit'' (''[[Journey to the End of the Night]]'') and Blake's ''[[Auguries of Innocence]]'' both echo through one of Morrison's early songs, "End of the Night". Morrison later met and befriended Michael McClure, a well known beat poet. McClure had enjoyed Morrison's lyrics but was even more impressed by his poetry and encouraged him to further develop his craft. Morrison's vision of [[performance]] was colored by the works of 20th century French playwright [[Antonin Artaud]] (author of ''Theater and its Double'') and by [[Julian Beck]]'s [[Living Theater]]. Other works relating to [[religion]], [[mysticism]], ancient [[Mythology|myth]] and [[symbol]]ism were of lasting interest, particularly [[Joseph Campbell]]'s ''[[The Hero with a Thousand Faces]].'' [[James Frazer]]'s ''[[The Golden Bough]]'' also became a source of inspiration and is reflected in the title and lyrics of the song "Not to Touch the Earth". Morrison was particularly attracted to the myths and religions of Native American cultures.<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Jim Morrison |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5221/is_2005/ai_n19141572/pg_2 |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> While he was still in school, his family moved to [[New Mexico]] where he got to see some of the places and artifacts important to the Southwest Indigenous cultures. These interests appear to be the source of many references to creatures and places such as lizards, snakes, deserts and "ancient lakes" that appear in his songs and poetry. His interpretation of the practices of a Native American "[[shaman]]" were worked into parts of Morrison's stage routine, notably in his interpretation of the ''Ghost Dance'', and a song on his later poetry album, ''The Ghost Song''. ==Influence== Morrison remains one of the most popular and influential singers/writers in rock history as The Doors' catalog has become a staple of [[classic rock]] radio stations. To this day he is widely regarded as the prototypical [[rock music|rock]] star: surly, sexy, scandalous and mysterious. The [[leather]] pants he was fond of wearing both on stage and off have since become stereotyped as rock star apparel. [[Iggy and the Stooges]] are said to have formed after lead singer [[Iggy Pop]] was inspired by Morrison while attending a Doors concert in [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]].<ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=The Stooges: Biography: Rolling Stone |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thestooges/biography |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> One of Pop's most popular songs, "The Passenger", is said to be based on one of Morrison's poems.<ref>{{Citation |last=Webb |first=Robert |title=ROCK & POP: STORY OF THE SONG - 'THE PASSENGER' Iggy Pop (1977) |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20051014/ai_n15713651 |accessdate=2008-08-24}}</ref> After Morrison's death, Pop was considered as a replacement lead singer for The Doors; the surviving Doors gave him some of Morrison's belongings and hired him as a vocalist for a series of shows. [[Wallace Fowlie]], professor emeritus of [[French literature]] at [[Duke University]], wrote ''Rimbaud and Jim Morrison,'' subtitled ''"The Rebel as Poet&nbsp;– A Memoir".'' In this book, Fowlie recounts his surprise at receiving a fan letter from Morrison who, in 1968, thanked him for his latest translation of [[Arthur Rimbaud]]'s verse into English. "I don't read French easily", he wrote, "...your book travels around with me." Fowlie went on to give lectures on numerous campuses comparing the lives, philosophies and poetry of Morrison and Rimbaud. [[Eddie Vedder]], lead singer of [[Pearl Jam]]^{[http://www.zimbio.com/Pearl+Jam/articles/kBPbSW2dnDv/Eddie+Vedder]}, [[Scott Weiland]], the vocalist of [[Stone Temple Pilots]] and [[Velvet Revolver]], as well as [[Scott Stapp]] of [[Creed (band)|Creed]], claim Morrison to be their biggest influence and inspiration. Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver have both covered "[[Roadhouse Blues]]" by the Doors. Weiland also filled in for Morrison to perform "Break On Through" with the rest of the Doors. Stapp filled in for Morrison for "Light My Fire", "Riders on the Storm" and "Roadhouse Blues" on ''[[VH1 Storytellers]]''. Creed performed their version of "Riders on the Storm" with Robbie Krieger for the [[Woodstock 1999|1999 Woodstock Festival]]. The book ''The Doors'' by the remaining Doors quotes Morrison's close friend Frank Lisciandro as saying that too many people took a remark of Morrison's that he was interested in revolt, disorder, and chaos “to mean that he was an [[anarchy|anarchist]], a revolutionary, or, worse yet, a [[nihilism|nihilist]]. Hardly anyone noticed that Jim was restating Rimbaud and the [[surrealism|Surreal]] poets.”<ref>The Doors (remaining members Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, John Densmore) with Ben Fong-Torres), ''The Doors'', page 104</ref> ==Books== ===By Jim Morrison=== *''The Lords and the New Creatures'' (1969). 1985 edition: ISBN 0-7119-0552-5 *''An American Prayer'' (1970) privately printed by Western Lithographers. (Unauthorized edition also published in 1983, Zeppelin Publishing Company, ISBN 0-915628-46-5. The authenticity of the unauthorized edition has been disputed.) *''Wilderness: The Lost Writings Of Jim Morrison'' (1988). 1990 edition: ISBN 0-14-011910-8 *''The American Night: The Writings of Jim Morrison'' (1990). 1991 edition: ISBN 0-670-83772-5 ===About Jim Morrison=== * Linda Ashcroft, ''Wild Child: Life with Jim Morrison'', (1997) ISBN 1-56025-249-9 * [[Lester Bangs]], "Jim Morrison: Bozo Dionysus a Decade Later" in ''Main Lines, Blood Feasts, and Bad Taste: A Lester Bangs Reader'', John Morthland, ed. Anchor Press (2003) ISBN 0-375-71367-0 * Patricia Butler, ''Angels Dance and Angels Die: The Tragic Romance of Pamela and Jim Morrison'', (1998) ISBN 0-8256-7341-0 * [[Stephen Davis (music journalist)|Stephen Davis]], ''Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend'', (2004) ISBN 1-59240-064-7 * [[John Densmore]], ''Riders on the Storm: My Life With Jim Morrison and the Doors'' (1991) ISBN 0-385-30447-1 * Dave DiMartino, ''Moonlight Drive'' (1995) ISBN 1-886894-21-3 * Wallace Fowlie, ''Rimbaud and Jim Morrison'' (1994) ISBN 0-8223-1442-8 * [[Jerry Hopkins]], ''The Lizard King: The Essential Jim Morrison'' (1995) ISBN 0-684-81866-3 * Jerry Hopkins and [[Danny Sugerman]], ''[[No One Here Gets Out Alive]]'' (1980) ISBN 0-85965-138-X * [[Patricia Kennealy-Morrison|Patricia Kennealy]], ''Strange Days: My Life With and Without Jim Morrison'' (1992) ISBN 0-525-93419-7 * Frank Lisciandro, ''Morrison&nbsp;— A Feast of Friends'' (1991) ISBN 0-446-39276-6 * Frank Lisciandro, ''Jim Morrison&nbsp;— An Hour For Magic'' (A Photojournal) ISBN 0-85965-246-7 * [[Ray Manzarek]], ''Light My Fire'' (1998) ISBN 0-446-60228-0L. First by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman (1981) * Peter Jan Margry, The Pilgrimage to Jim Morrison's Grave at Père Lachaise Cemetery: The Social Construction of Sacred Space. In idem (ed.), ''Shrines and Pilgrimage in the Modern World. New Itineraries into the Sacred.'' Amsterdam University Press, 2008, p.&nbsp;145-173. * Thanasis Michos, ''The Poetry of James Douglas Morrison'' (2001) ISBN 960-7748-23-9 (Greek)<!-- this book seems to exist in no catalogue whatsoever - is it a hoax? --> * Mark Opsasnick, ''The Lizard King Was Here: The Life and Times of Jim Morrison in Alexandria, Virginia'' (2006) ISBN 1-4257-1330-0 * James Riordan & Jerry Prochnicky, ''Break on through : The Life and Death of Jim Morrison'' (1991) ISBN 0-688-11915-8 * Adriana Rubio, ''Jim Morrison: Ceremony...Exploring the Shaman Possession'' (2005) ISBN 0-9766590-0-X * [[The Doors]] (remaining members [[Ray Manzarek]], [[Robby Krieger]], [[John Densmore]]) with Ben Fong-Torres, ''The Doors'' (2006) ISBN 1-4013-0303-X ==Films== ===By Jim Morrison=== *[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388097/ ''HWY: An American Pastoral'' (1969)] *[http://imdb.com/title/tt0196551/ ''A Feast of Friends'' (1970)] ===Documentaries featuring Jim Morrison=== *''The Doors Are Open'' (1968) *''Live in Europe'' (1968) *''Live at the Hollywood Bowl'' (1968) *''Feast of Friends'' (1969) *''The Doors: A Tribute to Jim Morrison'' (1981) *''The Doors: Dance on Fire'' (1985) *''The Soft Parade, a Retrospective'' (1991) *''[[Final 24]]: Jim Morrison'' (2007), The Biography Channel<ref name=24bio>[http://www.biography.com/listings/episode_details.do?episodeid=244810&airingid=260095 Biography Channel documentary]</ref> *''[[When You're Strange]]'' (2009) ===Films about Jim Morrison=== *''[[The Doors (film)|The Doors]]'' (1991), A fiction film by director [[Oliver Stone]], starring [[Val Kilmer]] as Morrison and with cameos by Krieger and Densmore. Kilmer's performance was praised by some critics. Members of the group, however, criticized Stone's portrayal of Morrison, and noted that numerous events depicted in the movie were pure fiction.<ref>[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101761/ The Doors (1991)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Footnotes== {{reflist|2}} ==References== *Hinton, Brian (1997). ''Celtic Crossroads: The Art of Van Morrison'', Sanctuary, ISBN 1-86074-169-X ==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{Commons category}} <!--╔════════════════════════({{NoMoreLinks}})════════════════════════════╗ ║ PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS IN ADDING MORE LINKS TO THIS ARTICLE. WIKIPEDIA ║ ║ IS NOT A COLLECTION OF LINKS NOR SHOULD IT BE USED FOR ADVERTISING. ║ ║ ║ ║ Excessive or inappropriate links WILL BE DELETED. ║ ║ See [[Wikipedia:External links]] & [[Wikipedia:Spam]] for details. ║ ║ ║ ║ If there are already plentiful links, please propose additions or ║ ║ replacements on this article's discussion page, or submit your link ║ ║ to the relevant category at the Open Directory Project (dmoz.org) ║ ║ and link back to that category using the {{dmoz}} template. ║ ╚════════════════════════({{NoMoreLinks}})════════════════════════════╝--> *[http://www.thedoors.com/ Official Doors website] *{{imdb|0607186}} *[http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/VideoFilm2/video.cfm?VID=22 Earliest film of Jim Morrison] *[http://www.maniacworld.com/rare-lizard-king-interview.html Morrison interviewed at the Miami trial (video)] *[http://www.soundboard.com/sb/jimmorrison.aspx The Jim Morrison Poetry Soundboard (audio clips)] *[http://www.tebreitenbach.com/morrison.htm A lost painting collaboration with Jim Morrison intended for his American Prayer Album] *[http://www.gwhsaa.com/st-jimmo.html George Washington High School Alumni Association, Alexandria, Va., Morrison page] * {{findagrave|740}} {{The Doors}} <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] --> {{Persondata |NAME= Morrison, Jim |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Morrison, James Douglas; The Lizard King; Mr. Mojo Risin' |SHORT DESCRIPTION= [[Musician]], Songwriter, Poet, [[Filmmaker]], |DATE OF BIRTH= December 8, 1943 |PLACE OF BIRTH= [[Melbourne, Florida]], USA |DATE OF DEATH= July 3, 1971 |PLACE OF DEATH=Paris, France }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, Jim}} [[Category:American baritones]] [[Category:American expatriates in France]] [[Category:American film actors]] [[Category:American poets]] [[Category:American pop singers]] [[Category:American rock singers]] [[Category:American singer-songwriters]] [[Category:American spoken word artists]] [[Category:American people of Irish descent]] [[Category:Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery]] [[Category:Cause of death disputed]] [[Category:Drug-related deaths in France]] [[Category:American people of English descent]] [[Category:Florida State University alumni]] [[Category:American musicians of Irish descent]] [[Category:Military brats]] [[Category:Musicians from Florida]] [[Category:Obscenity controversies]] [[Category:People from Brevard County, Florida]] [[Category:Psychedelic drug advocates]] [[Category:American people of Scottish descent]] [[Category:The Doors members]] [[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]] [[Category:Writers from Florida]] [[Category:1943 births]] [[Category:1971 deaths]] {{Link FA|de}} [[af:Jim Morrison]] [[ast:Jim Morrison]] [[bn:জিম মরিসন]] [[be-x-old:Джым Морысан]] [[bar:Jim Morrison]] [[bs:Jim Morrison]] [[br:Jim Morrison]] [[bg:Джим Морисън]] [[ca:Jim Morrison]] [[cs:Jim Morrison]] [[cy:Jim Morrison]] [[da:Jim Morrison]] [[de:Jim Morrison]] [[et:Jim Morrison]] [[el:Τζιμ Μόρισον]] [[es:Jim Morrison]] [[eo:Jim Morrison]] [[eu:Jim Morrison]] [[fa:جیم موریسون]] [[fr:Jim Morrison]] [[ga:Jim Morrison]] [[gl:Jim Morrison]] [[ko:짐 모리슨]] [[hr:Jim Morrison]] [[io:Jim Morrison]] [[it:Jim Morrison]] [[he:ג'ים מוריסון]] [[ka:ჯიმ მორისონი]] [[lv:Džims Morisons]] [[lt:Jim Morrison]] [[hu:Jim Morrison]] [[mk:Џим Морисон]] [[nl:Jim Morrison]] [[ja:ジム・モリソン]] [[no:Jim Morrison]] [[oc:Jim Morrison]] [[pl:Jim Morrison]] [[pt:Jim Morrison]] [[ro:Jim Morrison]] [[ru:Моррисон, Джим]] [[sq:Jim Morrison]] [[simple:Jim Morrison]] [[sk:Jim Morrison]] [[sl:Jim Morrison]] [[sr:Џим Морисон]] [[fi:Jim Morrison]] [[sv:Jim Morrison]] [[ta:ஜிம் மோரிசன்]] [[tr:Jim Morrison]] [[uk:Джим Моррісон]] [[vi:Jim Morrison]] [[zh-yue:Jim Morrison]] [[zh:吉姆·莫里森]]'