An American Prayer

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Lore & Background

The project originated between 1969 and 1970 when Morrison recorded poetry sessions at Elektra Studios, Sunset Sound, and Village Recorders. Tracks like "Bird of Prey" were not captured during these early sessions; instead, the track was built from a 1969 recording of Morrison reciting the poem 'Bird of Prey' (originally titled 'The WASP' poem) that was not used in the earlier sessions, and the track was entirely assembled from that 1969 recording with new instrumentation by the surviving members—the piano part was not added later by Manzarek. Before departing for Paris in March 1971, Morrison envisioned an orchestral accompaniment and even corresponded with composer Lalo Schifrin and artist T.E. Breitenbach regarding a triptych cover featuring naked couples on a beach and a futuristic city. However, the surviving band members ultimately decided against Morrison's original vision of orchestral music when they reconvened in 1978. Instead, co-producers Frank Lisciandro and "Corky" Courson helped them create a different musical style. The final audio collage incorporates dialogue from Morrison's film HWY: An American Pastoral, snippets from jam sessions, interview excerpts, and sections from "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" and "Riders on the Storm," with the former using a Roland CR-78 drum machine to produce its distinctive synthesized drum sound, not a custom-made electronic drum setup.

In Their Own Story

Ray Manzarek perceived the album as a five-part journey through Morrison's life: childhood, high school years, his time as a young poet stoned on a rooftop with acid dreams, his musical career, and finally a summation of his philosophy. When released in November 1978, it was marketed as "a Jim Morrison Album" with music by the Doors. It initially sold approximately 250,000 copies, becoming the best-selling spoken word album at the time, eventually exceeding one million sales according to engineer John Haeny. The album peaked at number 54 on the US charts and included a composite live version of "Roadhouse Blues" that received radio airplay. While it achieved RIAA platinum certification in the US, critical reception was divided. Producer Paul A. Rothchild harshly criticized it as a "RAPE of Jim Morrison," arguing the band failed to realize his original intent for an audio presentation. Conversely, Patti Smith commended its delicate construction and obsessive devotion, while John Haeny asserted that the album was made by those closest to Jim with the best intentions.

Reader's Guide

Listeners should expect a work divided into distinct thematic sections covering Morrison's entire life arc, from his youth to his final philosophical summation. The musical accompaniment differs significantly from the band's earlier blues-rock output, focusing on atmospheric support for the spoken word rather than driving rock rhythms. The album features specific moments like Densmore's synthesized drums on tracks derived from "The WASP" and Morrison's own piano work on "Orange County." Fans should note that the original cover art intended by Morrison—a triptych designed by T.E. Breitenbach depicting a moonlit beach, a futuristic metropolis, and a desert highway—was never used; instead, photos by Edmund Teske and Joel Brodsky were utilized for the front and back covers. The 2018 reissue liner notes reveal additional personnel including bassists Bob Glaub and Jerry Scheff, as well as synthesizer programmer Arthur Barrow on "The Movie." For completists, the album is essential, though critics like Robert Christgau rated it a "C" and Rolling Stone deemed it suitable mainly for Morrison fanatics.

Did You Know?

• An American Prayer is the only Doors album nominated for a Grammy Award, receiving a nomination in the Spoken Word category in 1980.
• Jim Morrison originally envisioned an orchestral accompaniment and approached composer Lalo Schifrin to collaborate before his death.
• The intended cover art by T.E. Breitenbach was a triptych depicting naked couples on a beach, a futuristic city, and a desert highway, but it was never used.
• The track derived from "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" used a Roland CR-78 drum machine for its synthesized drum sound, not a custom-made electronic drum setup.
• Morrison's vocal shout of "Wake up!" in the song "Awake" was later sampled by the band Orbital in their 1991 song "Choice."