THE DOORS' "UNHAPPY GIRL” AND YOUNG WOMEN IN 1967 POP-ROCK

In the 1960s, the image and lifestyle of women in the United States and England was changing rapidly. The new generation of girls began to break away from the values that characterized conservative Anglo-Saxon society.

These changes led to family conflicts, as well as a realization that new social and cultural perspectives were about to emerge.

Jim Morrison captured this moment of transition in the poetic lyrics he wrote for The Doors' second LP, "Strange Days", released on 25 September 1967. Track number 4 on that album is "Unhappy Girl", which describes the sad life of a girl trapped in the routine imposed by her social role.

The context in which she is trapped is not specified, but it is clear that she is unable to escape it. This situation simultaneously drains her vitality and thwarts her aspirations. The lyrics prompt deep reflection on the role of young women and how each of us, perhaps unwittingly, is the keenest guardian of our own desires.

The Doors' soundscape on this track is one of many to grace the dazzling musical gallery of the late 1960s. Along this enchanting musical path, we find two other portraits of young women fighting against the rigid society shaped by previous generations.

One of these girls is the subject of the song "Big Black Smoke" (link here) " by Ray Davies of The Kinks, the B-side of the November 1966 single "Dead End Street" (not included on any of the British band's albums).

This is a beautiful pop-rock song, showcasing the beautiful melodies of the verse, chorus and middle eight through an acoustic arrangement. A country girl, dissatisfied with the limited opportunities offered by her small hometown, escapes to London.

There, she liberates herself from the constraints of her family and society by indulging in vice and wild fun, taking street drugs and spending all her money on a dishonest man. This sad tale of a girl's downfall serves as both a warning and an illustration of a widespread phenomenon among English families during that period: young girls yearning to discover what lay beyond the destiny their parents had planned for them.

Between these two extremes of remaining imprisoned or heading towards total dissolution is a marvelous composition written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for The Beatles' magnificent 1967 LP "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".

"She's Leaving Home" is a song that blends wonderful, ethereal music with a level of originality unmatched by other musical groups (link here). In the vein of absolute masterpieces of The Beatles, such as "Eleanor Rigby" and "For No One", this song is backed by a small chamber orchestra and the elusive sound of a harp.

The vocal parts of McCartney and Lennon, both of which could be considered lead vocals, tell the touching story of a girl who runs away from home, leaving her parents in despair and remorse. Despite the great sacrifices they made to give her all that money could buy, they wonder what they did wrong.

The final refrain reveals that the young girl was searching for a kind of happiness that could not be found in the conformist, predictable life her parents had carefully created for her.

These three stories depict girls in the 1960s who were confronted with a new role that was finally possible to achieve, albeit with difficulties and setbacks. However, the most complex and fascinating of these three stories remains the one Morrison sketched in 'Unhappy Girl”.

The singer cleverly and evocatively highlights the most challenging aspects of the women's liberation process, namely its temporary setbacks.

P.S.: My book "The Doors Through Strange Days"- The most comprehensive journey ever made through The Doors' second LP, is available on Amazon.com, .uk, .mx, .it, etc.

Here’s a link:

Amazon – “The Doors Through Strange Days”