I saw a Doors 30th anniversary celebration DVD today, where there were several live performances and videos of Doors songs, all of varying quality. Most of the live performances were interesting, as were the videos, but there were some where they obviously overdubbed the vocals, which was a trifle annoying. Still can't get enough of Morrison screaming "Save us! Jesus!", though. And he was either high in most of the live performances, or really in a trance and truly in touch with the music. Actually, it could well be both.

They also chose to have quotes from "The Ghost Song" (which is on An Amercian Prayer) in between songs, and it struck me as very suiting to the mood of some of them (such as "Wild Child"). It is not a bad piece of writing, so I may as well quote it here so that there is some writing which doesn't look like it was picked out of a trashcan (really, what was I thinking with some of the stuff I've written here?).

Shake dreams from your hair
My pretty child, my sweet one.
Choose the day and choose the sign of your day
The day's divinity
First thing you see.

A vast radiant beach in a cool jeweled moon
Couples naked race down by it's quiet side
And we laugh like soft, mad children
Smug in the wooly cotton brains of infancy
The music and voices are all around us.
"Choose", they croon, the Ancient Ones
The time has come again
"Choose now", they croon
Beneath the moon
Beside an ancient lake
Enter again the sweet forest
Enter the hot dream
Come with us
Everything is broken up and dances.

-- The Ghost Song, Jim Morrison

Ahh what a crazy fella.

Another thing I learnt from the clips is that "The Soft Parade" is supposed to be almost a religious experience. Morrison says on camera that the albums are only half of what they were trying to do, I don't know whether that's mystical nonsense or whether there is merit to what he was saying. It was good to see that "The Soft Parade" didn't lose too much from the lack of vocal overdubs, just one Jim was good enough to make it clear that it is indeed an epic. "Catacombs, nursery bones, winter women, growing stones", priceless.

Another realization is that when Jim had a short haircut, he looked suspiciously similar to Van. Morrison, that is. Mere coincidence that they share the same surname? Jim also covered "Gloria" I think. Hmm, methinks there is more afoot.