THE DOORS’ "WHEN THE MUSIC'S OVER" AND RELIGION IN 1960s MUSIC

 

The Christian religion was an important reference point for American society in the 1960s.

For most of the decade, the relationship between pop rock and rock music, on the one hand, and the Christian faith, on the other, was antagonistic.

This resulted in a struggle for influence over American youth and their behavior. Indeed, the transgressive messages of many musicians were condemned by most adults, particularly religious people.

The Doors were no exception, becoming the target of disapproval reserved by the more religious segment of American society for the best artists of that generation.

On their second album, "Strange Days" (released in September 1967), Jim Morrison poetically references the Christian religion in "When the Music's Over", an outstanding song that closes the LP.

"Cancel my subscription to the resurrection" Morrison sings at min. 4:11 of this magnificent track, before screaming, "Save us! Jesus! Save us!" (at min. 8:43).

These verses were written with a polemical and irreverent tone towards the strict social norms and values promoted by religious institutions.

Morrison’s target was not spirituality itself.

These verses encapsulate the polemical and desperate anger of a generation who witnessed historical cultural change being hindered by the attitudes of political, social and religious institutions.

Morrison's attitude towards the Christian religion is represented by an encounter he had with a Protestant pastor before (or after) a concert in 1968 (probably in Bakersfield, 6/8/1968). He was interested in dialogue, rather than being disrespectful (link here).

As well as The Doors with "Strange Days", other rock or pop-rock groups of the same era also addressed religion in their lyrics.

One example is The Strawbs, an English band, who included the song "The Man Who Called Himself Jesus" (link here), written by bandleader Dave Cousins, on their debut album "Strawbs" (released in 1969).

It’s a beautiful pop rock song that recounts the return of Christ to 1969 society through reflective and ironic episodes. Note the quality of the melodies in the verse and chorus, which are supported in an engaging way by the drums.

Another more famous example is "Turn! Turn! Turn!" by The Byrds (link here). This song was released as a single (it reached the number 1 spot in the US) and also featured on the band's second LP, also called "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and released in December 1965.

It’s folk-rock cover of a Pete Seeger folk song from 1962 is notable for the sparkling guitar interplay between Roger McGuinn and David Crosby, as well as the fascinating harmony vocals.

The lyrics of this composition are almost entirely taken from the "Book of Numbers", one of the Old Testament books in the Christian Bible.

Thus, we have examined three examples of how religion was perceived and expressed in 1960s rock and pop-rock music.

We went from The Doors' poetic criticism (in "When the Music's Over") to the Byrds' lyrics taken directly from the Bible.

The Strawbs, on the other hand, offered an ironic reflection on the stark contradictions between the everyday world and the original gospel message during a period of significant social change.

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”