Few musicians in history have been considered such heady, thoughtful poets as has Jim Morrison, the frontman for the 1960s powerhouse band The Doors. With his curly locks, bare chest, and thoughtful tongue, Morrison raised a number of eyebrows with what he had to say as much as how he said it.
Here, we wanted to dive into the words, themselves. What are his thoughts on the human condition, about art, about love? What did he have to say about himself, about friendship and history?
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Morrison, who was a symbol of the Flower Power ’60s, died as part of the legendary club no one wants to be in—the 27 Club (artists who died at the age of 27, including Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Brian Jones, and Jimi Hendrix). He was just that old when he passed away. But in his wake, he left us a lot of wisdom. So, without further ado, let’s see what comprised his perspective on life—in 22 quotes.
1. “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask.”
2. “Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.”
3. “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.”
4. “I see myself as an intelligent, sensitive human, with the soul of a clown which forces me to blow it at the most important moments.”
5. “Friends can help each other. A true friend is someone who lets you have total freedom to be yourself—and especially to feel. Or, not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at the moment is fine with them. That’s what real love amounts to—letting a person be what he really is.”
6. “Death makes angels of us all and gives us wings where we had shoulders smooth as ravens claws.”
7. “Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.”
8. “People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that’s bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they’re afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they’re wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It’s all in how you carry it. That’s what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you’re letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain.”
9. “Where’s your will to be weird?”
10. “The future is uncertain but the end is always near.”
11. “No one here gets out alive.”
12. “The most loving parents and relatives commit murder with smiles on their faces. They force us to destroy the person we really are: a subtle kind of murder.”
13. “Some of the worst mistakes in my life were haircuts”
14. “I like people who shake other people up and make them feel uncomfortable.”
15. “I see myself as a huge fiery comet, a shooting star. Everyone stops, points up, and gasps ‘Oh look at that!’ Then—whoosh, and I’m gone…and they’ll never see anything like it ever again… and they won’t be able to forget me—ever.”
16. “I think the highest and lowest points are the important ones. Anything else is just…in between.”
17. “I’ve noticed that when people are joking they’re usually dead serious, and when they’re serious, they’re usually pretty funny.”
18. “Listen, real poetry doesn’t say anything; it just ticks off the possibilities. Opens all doors. You can walk through anyone that suits you.”
19. “There are no laws, there are no rules, just grab your friend and love him.”
20. “No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn.”
21. “Drugs are a bet with your mind.”
22. “Actually I don’t remember being born, it must have happened during one of my blackouts.”
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