Hard to believe, but it’s 40 years since Jim Morrison passed through the revolving Doors of Life!! Over the weekend, former members of The Doors commemorated the 40th anniversary of Jim Morrison’s death in Paris. On Sunday, keyboard player Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger lit candles at Jim Morrison’s grave in Paris’ Pere Lachaise cemetery. Hundreds of Jim Morrison fans, some wearing T-shirts bearing the words 40th Anniversary, left flowers at the grave – some fans sang whilst others read poems to mark the day.

Jim Morrison, lead singer with The Doors, died of heart failure in Paris on 2 July 1971. He was found dead in the bath by his girlfriend, Pamela Courson. A doctor’s report stated the cause of death was heart failure aggravated by heavy drinking. Jim Morrison, the son of a US Navy admiral, was 27 when he died, and unlike the music celebrity deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin in the same year, it didn’t really come as a surprise. There was a certain inevitability in Jim Morrison’s premature death. His prophetic songwriting as good as predicted it!! And his constant drug abuse assured it – ironically the band name was inspired by Aldous Huxley’s The Doors of Perception, about the author’s drug use!!

Despite his model good looks and the physique of a Greek God, Jim Morrison seemed to be a man tormented by a multitude of inner demons!! His music was more than tinged with blackness – it was positively saturated, epitomised by “When the Music’s Over” and “The End” which offers very little comfort and hope to those hoping to be transported to a better place!! That said, some of his songs are truly inspiring and uplifting, not least the much covered “Light my Fire” and “Break on Through”, the latter being my favourite Doors track. The only downside of the latter song is it’s brevity – two minutes 25 seconds doesn’t do it justice and I generally have to put the CD on repeat play. Undoubtedly there was a romantic trapped inside the tormented soul of Jim Morrison as demonstrated by “Hello I Love You” and “Love Her Madly”. How much of this romanticism was obscured through rampant drug abuse, and how much of his romanticism was eroded by the natural cynicism of the life in the rock world, is hard to say.

What I can say is that if I’m looking to pander to a melancholic side of my psyche and wallow in self pity, I have only to play The Doors, and I am quickly lifted. For amongst the darkness of Jim Morrison’s songwriting, there are always shafts of light if you look closely enough and apply enough artistic licence in certain songs!! And when all is said and done and “when the music’s over”, I always end up thinking, however bad my day or week has been, it in no way compares to the tormented soul that was Jim Morrison, Rock God and frontman of The Doors!! RIP Jim.

You can capture, preserve and re-live the memories and music of Jim Morrison and The Doors, by ordering your favourite Doors vinyl record or CD, single or album, framed and mounted as a picture disc. ORDER NOW by clicking on…….. http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Alternatively this would make a unique present or original gift for a special celebration  ie a Wedding present, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 70th Birthday, a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!! THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!

MyFirstRecord.co.uk have most of The Doors albums and singles available in their original vinyl record format.  Select from this full list of albums –

1967 – The Doors

1967 – Strange Days

1968 – Waiting for the Sun

1969 – The Soft Parade

1970 – Morrison Hotel

1971 – L.A. Woman

1971 – Other Voices

1972 – Full Circle

1978 – An American Prayer

If you would like any of The Doors albums or any of their hit singles, framed and mounted, ORDER now by clicking on….. http://www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

For other Doors merchandise and memorabilia, you might also like to visit Jim Morrison’s official website…… www.jim-morrison.com/ or the Official Doors website…… www.thedoors.com/

Alternatively, if you would like to subscribe to The Doors Collectors Magazine…… www.doors.com/