Wake up! OR We’re doing that at the Hollywood Bowl

I get the feeling that far too much has already been said and written about Jim Morrison. In fact, the more words we devote to him, the more elusive he seems to become. That’s true for many artists who died far too young, of course. In the end, the person is gone, and only the myth remains. Still, I’d like to briefly indulge myself and write a short piece about Jim Morrison’s spoken word interludes, some of which were brilliantly captured in the live recording of The Doors’ concert at the Hollywood Bowl in 1968.

I find these poems to be intense, manic, and psychedelic. Their delivery and rhythm strike a chord in much the same way as Allen Ginsberg’s Howl does. It may well be considered sacrilege to compare the two poets, but I can’t help feeling that the comparison fits.

Equally striking are the reactions from the audience. They don’t seem to know whether to laugh, cheer, or stay silent. I don’t think people’s reactions today would be all that different. I could easily find a handful of people who’d call such spoken word performances theatrical and pretentious. Personally, I see it quite differently—I’m inclined to describe those moments, in the simplest of terms, as just plain cool. That’s really all I have to say. Be your own judge!