"The End" | |
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Song by the Doors | |
from the album The Doors | |
Released | January 4, 1967 [1] |
Recorded | August 1966 [2] |
Studio | Sunset Sound, Hollywood, California [2] |
Genre | |
Length | 11:41 |
Label | Elektra |
Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) |
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"The End" is an epic song by the American rock band the Doors. Lead singer Jim Morrison initially wrote the lyrics about his break up with an ex-girlfriend, Mary Werbelow, [7] but it evolved through months of performances at the Whisky a Go Go into a much longer song. The Doors recorded a nearly 12-minute version for their self-titled debut album, which was released on January 4, 1967 and in which it was its closing track. [1]
"The End" was ranked at number 336 on 2010 Rolling Stone magazine 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. [8] The song's guitar solo was ranked number 93 on Guitar World 's "100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time". [9]
In a 1969 interview with Jerry Hopkins, Morrison said about the lyrics:
[E]very time I hear that song, it means something else to me. I really don't know what I was trying to say. It just started out as a simple goodbye song ... Probably just to a girl, but I could see how it could be goodbye to a kind of childhood. I really don't know. I think it's sufficiently complex and universal in its imagery that it could be almost anything you want it to be. [10]
When interviewed by Lizze James, he pointed out the meaning of the verse "My only friend, the End":
Sometimes the pain is too much to examine, or even tolerate ... That doesn't make it evil, though –or necessarily dangerous. But people fear death even more than pain. It's strange that they fear death. Life hurts a lot more than death. At the point of death, the pain is over. Yeah –I guess it is a friend. [11]
Shortly past the midpoint of the nearly 12-minute-long album version, the song enters a spoken word section with the words, "The killer awoke before dawn / he put his boots on". That section of the song reaches a dramatic climax with the lines, "Father / Yes son? / I want to kill you / Mother, I want to ..." (with the next words screamed out unintelligibly). [12] Morrison had worked on a student production of Oedipus Rex at Florida State University. [8] Ray Manzarek, the former keyboard player of the Doors, explained:
He was giving voice in a rock 'n' roll setting to the Oedipus complex, at the time a widely discussed tendency in Freudian psychology. He wasn't saying he wanted to do that to his own mom and dad. He was re-enacting a bit of Greek drama. It was theatre! [13]
When asked whether the lyrics of the Oedipal section actually resonated with his own parents, Morrison defensively replied, "I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to involve anyone unless they want it." [10] On the other hand, Doors' guitarist Robby Krieger believed that Morrison indeed suffered "from an apparent Oedipus complex". [14] However, in John Densmore's autobiography Riders on the Storm, he recalls when Morrison explained the literal meaning of the song:
At one point Jim said to me during the recording session, and he was tearful, and he shouted in the studio, 'Does anybody understand me?' And I said yes, I do, and right then and there we got into a long discussion and Jim just kept saying over and over kill the father, fuck the mother, and essentially boils down to this, kill all those things in yourself which are instilled in you and are not of yourself, they are alien concepts which are not yours, they must die. Fuck the mother is very basic, and it means get back to essence, what is reality, what is, fuck the mother is very basically mother, mother-birth, real, you can touch it, it's nature, it can't lie to you. So what Jim says at the end of the Oedipus section, which is essentially the same thing that the classic says, kill the alien concepts, get back reality, the end of alien concepts, the beginning of personal concepts. [15]
According to Mojo magazine, [16] during the recording sessions, Morrison was obsessed and skeptical of the words, "Fuck the mother, kill the father", as Krieger recalled, "He was on this Oedipus complex trip." [17] Then he accidentally threw a TV, which was brought in by sound engineer Bruce Botnick, at the control room window. [18] After the incident, he was sent home by producer Paul A. Rothchild. However, Morrison, who had taken LSD, returned in the middle of the night, broke into the studio and hosed it with a fire extinguisher. [19] The extinguishing agent marked only the instruments that were mounted in the recording place. [18] Rothchild came back and advised the studio owner to charge the damage to Elektra. [16]
The genesis and the use of the word "fuck" is described by Michael Hicks as follows:
During this period, Morrison brought vocal ideas into the instrumental solo section. Between the organ and guitar solos he approached the microphone and intoned two brief lines from the middle of the song "When the Music's Over": "Persian night, babe / See the light, babe." More strikingly, when the retransition motive began, he held the microphone against his mouth and screamed the word "fuck" repeatedly, in rhythm, for three measures or more (the barking sound that one hears during this passage on most live recordings). This was probably not a spontaneous vulgarism, but rather, a kind of quotation from another Doors song, "The End." Paul Rothchild explains that in the Oedipal section of the studio recording of "The End," Morrison shouted the word "fuck" over and over "as a rhythm instrument, which is what we intended it to be." That "rhythm instrument" was buried in the studio mix of "The End." Now, forcefully superimposed on "Light My Fire", it shocked many a fan who had come to hear the group's most famous song. [20]
The Pop Chronicles documentary reports that critics found the song "Sophoclean and Joycean." [12]
"The End" was recorded live in the studio with no overdubbing. [21] Two takes were recorded, with reportedly the second being used for the album. [16] It was one of the last songs performed by the original group at their last concert on December 12, 1970, at The Warehouse in New Orleans.
"The End" has been characterized as a precursor of the gothic rock genre. In a live review published in The Williams Record in October 1967, critic John Stickney described the Doors collation as "gothic rock", which was one of the first uses of the term in print; [22] most notably, he was more pensive for their contribution to "The End", citing Morrison's vocal performance in particular as "male-violent, satanic, electric and on fire". [23] In 2017, Pitchfork included it on their list of "The Story of Goth in 33 Songs". [24] In his column, Rusty Pipes indicated the track to be as one of the early examples of art rock music. [25] Sean Murphy of PopMatters considered it one of the 1967 songs that shaped prog rock. [26]
"The End" employs the Mixolydian mode in the key of D, [2] [27] and incorporates aspects from Indian music. Krieger used an open guitar tuning, [28] which he had learned from Ravi Shankar's music lessons at the Kinnara School of Music in Los Angeles, [29] [30] to create a sitar or veena sound; this enhances the raga rock mood. [28] In his book, The Dawn of Indian Music, author Peter Lavezzoli writes that Krieger also developed with his tuning an "Indian jhala style" by rapidly strumming and alternating with the melody line. [28] Scholars Aaron Barlow and Martin Kich distinguished in their book Pop Goes the Decade: The Sixties, that the song has influenced most of the acid rock genre. [31] "The End" has also been classified as a psychedelic rock [3] and hard rock piece. [32]
While the 1967 release of the song is the best-known version, there are other, slightly different versions available.
"The End" | ||||
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Single by Marilyn Manson | ||||
Released | November 22, 2019 [42] | |||
Length | 8:29 | |||
Label | Loma Vista [43] | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Shooter Jennings [44] | |||
Marilyn Manson singles chronology | ||||
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Marilyn Manson recorded a cover of "The End" for use on the soundtrack to the miniseries The Stand. [45] The recording was produced by country musician Shooter Jennings, who also produced Manson's eleventh studio album, We Are Chaos . [46] The song was released for digital download and streaming on November 22, 2019, [43] [44] with a 7-inch picture disc [47] scheduled to be released via Loma Vista Recordings on March 6, 2020. [43] The vinyl would have been limited to 2,000 copies worldwide, [48] and all pre-orders were accompanied by an immediate download of the track. [43] The vinyl artwork consisted of an original watercolor piece painted by the vocalist. [49] [50] A music video based on the single's artwork was created by Zev Deans, [43] [48] which utilized watercolor self-portraits created by Manson. [51]
The 7" vinyl release was canceled, however, and the song and its music video were removed from all download, streaming and video hosting services shortly after release. [52] An interviewer with Guitar World later said the vinyl release was "nixed" by the Doors, with Jennings saying the band claimed the pair were "taking liberties" with its release. [53] The Stand director Josh Boone also confirmed the cover would not appear in the miniseries, saying the recording "ultimately proved too expensive to use. The show was made on a very tight budget and some of the dreams we had went to the wayside." [54]
Manson had previously released a version of the Doors song "Five to One" [55] as a b-side on their 2000 single "Disposable Teens". [56] He later performed "Five to One" – as well as "Love Me Two Times" and "People Are Strange" – alongside Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger at the 2012 Sunset Strip Music Festival. [55] In 2016, he performed "Not to Touch the Earth" with guitarist Johnny Depp during an event at Amoeba Music. [44]
Chart (2019) | Peak position |
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US Alternative Digital Songs ( Billboard ) [57] | 20 |
US Hard Rock Digital Songs (Billboard) [58] | 9 |
US Rock Digital Songs (Billboard) [59] | 17 |
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts of the 1960s, primarily due to Morrison's lyrics and voice, along with his erratic stage persona and legal issues. The group is widely regarded as an important figure of the era's counterculture.
The Doors is the debut studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released on January 4, 1967, by Elektra Records. It was recorded in August 1966 at Sunset Sound Recorders, in Hollywood, California, under the production of Paul A. Rothchild. The album features the extended version of the band's breakthrough single "Light My Fire" and the lengthy closer "The End" with its Oedipal spoken word section. Various publications, including BBC and Rolling Stone, have listed The Doors as one of the greatest debut albums of all time.
Waiting for the Sun is the third studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released by Elektra Records on July 3, 1968. The album's 11 tracks were recorded between late 1967 and May 1968 mostly at TTG Studios in Los Angeles. It became the band's only number one album, topping the Billboard 200 for four weeks, while also including their second US number one single, "Hello, I Love You". The first single released off the record was "The Unknown Soldier", which peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the band's first hit album in the UK, where it reached number 16.
Robert Alan Krieger is an American guitarist and founding member of the rock band the Doors. Krieger wrote or co-wrote many of the Doors' songs, including the hits "Light My Fire", "Love Me Two Times", "Touch Me", and "Love Her Madly". When the Doors disbanded shortly after the death of lead singer Jim Morrison, Krieger continued to perform and record with other musicians including former Doors bandmates John Densmore and Ray Manzarek. In the 2023 edition of Rolling Stone's 250 greatest guitarists of all time, he was positioned at number 248.
L.A. Woman is the sixth studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released on April 19, 1971, by Elektra Records. It is the last to feature lead singer Jim Morrison during his lifetime, due to his death exactly two months and two weeks following the album's release, though he would posthumously appear on the 1978 album An American Prayer. Even more so than its predecessors, the album is heavily influenced by blues. It was recorded without producer Paul A. Rothchild after he quit the band over the perceived lack of quality in their studio performances. Subsequently, the band co-produced the album with longtime sound engineer Bruce Botnick.
Rick & the Ravens was an American surf rock and frat rock band founded in 1961, known as the forerunner of the Doors. Members Ray Manczarek, John Densmore, and Jim Morrison renamed the group in the latter half of 1965 after joining forces with Robby Krieger.
Full Circle is the eighth studio album by the American rock band the Doors, released in August 1972. It is the second album after Jim Morrison's death, and their last until the 1978 album An American Prayer. The album includes "The Mosquito", the last Doors single to chart.
The "Alabama Song"—also known as "Moon of Alabama", "Moon over Alabama", and "Whisky Bar"—is an English version of a song written by Bertolt Brecht and translated from German by his close collaborator Elisabeth Hauptmann in 1925 and set to music by Kurt Weill for the 1927 play Little Mahagonny. It was reused for the 1930 opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny and has been recorded by the Doors and David Bowie.
"Peace Frog" is a song by the Doors, which was released on their fifth studio album Morrison Hotel in 1970. Guitarist Robby Krieger explained that the music was written and recorded first, with the lyrics later coming from poems by singer Jim Morrison. Although the song was never released as a single in the US, it was issued as the B-side of "You Make Me Real" in France.
"Five to One" is a song by American rock band the Doors, from their 1968 album Waiting for the Sun. The song's lyrics were written by lead singer Jim Morrison but officially credited to the whole band.
"Riders on the Storm" is a song by American rock band the Doors, released in June 1971 by Elektra Records as the second single from the band's sixth studio album, L.A. Woman. It is known for being the last song that Jim Morrison recorded prior to his sudden death in Paris on July 3, 1971.
"Love Me Two Times" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. First appearing on their second studio album Strange Days, it was later edited to a 2:37 length and released as the second single from that album. The single reached number 25 on the charts in the United States.
"When the Music's Over" is an epic song by the American rock band the Doors, which appears on their second album Strange Days, released in 1967. It is among the band's longer pieces, lasting 11 minutes.
"Roadhouse Blues" is a song by the American rock band the Doors from their 1970 album Morrison Hotel. It was released as the B-side of "You Make Me Real", which peaked at No. 50 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 41 in Canada. "Roadhouse Blues" charted in its own right on the Cash Box Top 100, peaking at No. 76. The song became a concert staple for the group and it has been covered by numerous artists.
"People Are Strange" is a song by the American rock band the Doors. It appears on the band's second studio album, Strange Days, released in September 1967. The song was written by the Doors' vocalist Jim Morrison and guitarist Robby Krieger, although all of the band are credited on the sleeve notes.
"The Unknown Soldier" is the first single from the Doors' 1968 album Waiting for the Sun, released in March of that year by Elektra Records. An accompanying 16mm publicity film for the song featuring the band was directed and produced by Edward Dephoure and Mark Abramson. The song became the band's fourth Top 40 hit in the US, peaking at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained upon the Billboard Hot 100 list for eight weeks.
Live in Detroit is a double CD live album by the American rock band the Doors. It was recorded at the Cobo Arena in Detroit on May 8, 1970 during the band's 1970 Roadhouse Blues Tour. It was released on October 23, 2000 on Rhino Records.
"Soul Kitchen" is a song by the Doors from their first album The Doors. Singer Jim Morrison wrote the lyrics as a tribute to the soul food restaurant Olivia's in Venice Beach, California. Because he often stayed too late, the staff had to kick him out, thus the lines "let me sleep all night, in your soul kitchen".
When You're Strange: Music from the Motion Picture is the studio album and the soundtrack to the 2010 documentary film, narrated by Johnny Depp, about the Doors and their music. The soundtrack features 14 songs from The Doors’ six studio albums, with studio versions mixed with live versions, including performances from The Ed Sullivan Show, Television-Byen in Gladsaxe, Felt Forum in New York and Isle of Wight Festival 1970.
Manzarek–Krieger was an American rock band formed by two former members of the Doors, Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger, in 2002. They were also known as "The Doors of the 21st Century", "D21C", and "Riders on the Storm" after the Doors song of the same name. They settled on using "Manzarek–Krieger" or "Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger of The Doors" for legal reasons, after acrimonious debates and court battles between the two musicians and Doors co-founder/ drummer John Densmore. They performed Doors material exclusively until the death of Manzarek in 2013.