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nLeadnsinger and lyricist of the rock band The Doors, Jim Morrison was bornnon this day in 1943 in Florida. His family moved all around becausenhis dad was in the U.S. Navy, but he ended up in California. (He went to University of California, LosnAngeles, and then lived in Venice Beach.)
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nIt was was in California that Morrison wrote some of the poems that would later become Doors songs, met another UCLAnstudent, Ray Manzarek, and thus started the band.
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nOnnmost of the Doors albums, the songs are credited simply to thenDoors, but it is common knowledge that Morrison wrote most of thenlyrics, especially in the early albums. I read that, early on, the group made a pact that they would decide as a group if theynwould allow their songs to be sold or used by others – and that itnhad to be unanimous. Later, when the group became popular, somenadvertisers wanted to pay big money to use one of their songs. Thenrest of the group wanted to take the money, but Morrison vetoed thenidea as selling out and cheapening the song. (I can see merit in both sides!)
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nJimnMorrison wasn’t a hero; he abused drugs and alcohol and died way toonearly, at age 27. But he helped make some good music and had someninteresting things to say. Here are a few quotes:
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- Anfriend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself.
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- Inlike people who shake other people up and make them feelnuncomfortable…Inlike any reaction I can get with my music. Just anything to getnpeople to think.
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- Listen,nreal poetry doesn’t say anything; it just ticks off thenpossibilities. Opens all doors. You can walk through any one thatnsuits you.
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- Somenof the worst mistakes of my life have been haircuts.
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- Therenare things known and things unknown, and in between are thendoors.
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- Thisnis the strangest life I’ve ever known.
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nYounmay have noticed that two of the quotes mentioned doors. The bandntook the name “The Doors” because of the Aldous Huxley book ThenDoors of Perception,nwhich in turn was a reference to a quotation by William Blake: “Ifnthe doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to mannas it is, infinite.”
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nAlsonon this Date:
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nBlessings of the Waters Day in Uruguay n
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nBotanistJan Ingenhousz’s Birthday – photosynthesis and respiration
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