THE DOORS' "LAND HO!": A ROCK PLAY IN THREE ACTS
The Doors completed "Land Ho!" in the second half of 1969 based on a brilliant artistic and musical idea from Jim Morrison, the group's singer. The song was recorded in November and December of that year and was released on the band's fifth LP in February 1970. It is in fact one of six tracks written specifically for the album "Morrison Hotel" (out of eleven tracks). The title refers to the cry of enthusiastic joy that sailors used to let out when they sighted the coast after a long voyage across the oceans. This eclectic tune, which was rarely performed live, stands out thanks to its structure, unusual for the rock genre. “Land Ho!” is built around three distinct sections that transcend the "verse-chorus-middle eight" format. Instead, the surprising contours of a short rock play divided into three acts emerge. Just like in a play, the three parts outline the narrative development of the events in chronological order. The lyrics of each section are...
