History Music / TheDoors

* MrFanservice: Jim on the cover of their greatest hits album. Also wore tight leather pants a lot and was tall dark and handsome.

* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Morrison, especially in the early years.

* MrFanservice: Jim on the cover of their greatest hits album.

* MohsScaleOfRockAndMetalHardness: While generally hovering between 4 and 6, for their time, they would be a solid 10 or 11.
** 1 - "The Crystal Ship", "You're Lost, Little Girl", "Wishful Sinful".
** 2 - "Tell All the People", "Riders on the Storm".
** 3 - "Light My Fire", "Strange Days", "Touch Me".
** 4 - "Break On Through (To the Other Side)", "Soul Kitchen", "Peace Frog".
** 5 - "The End", "When the Music's Over", "Waiting for the Sun" (at least the loud parts).
** 6 - "Five to One".

* BadassBeard: Jim Morrison had one toward the end of his life, matching the rougher sound of the last two Doors albums recorded with him.

They started playing in bars around Los Angeles, first the London Fog, and later with more success the Whisky A Go Go, and soon signed up on Elektra Records. Morrison encouraged his fellow bandmates to write songs of their own, and thus Robby Krieger started writing "Light my Fire" which became one of their biggest hits.

In 1971, after the recording of the album ''Music/LAWoman'', Jim Morrison flew to UsefulNotes/{{Paris}}, where he died on July 3, under somewhat mysterious circumstances. He was buried at the Père Lachaise cemetery, and his grave became by far the most famous there (which isn't small feat considering said cemetery is chock full of famous people for centuries), with thousands of people visiting it each year.

Although the band released two other albums with Manzarek and Krieger sharing the role of vocalist after Morrison's death, they parted ways a few years later. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Manzarek and Krieger reunited to form ''The Doors of the 21st Century'', to Densmore's anger. Densmore had disagreed to reform the Doors (unless Music/EddieVedder was the singer), and actually sued his former bandmates over their use of the name ''The Doors'' and of the band's logo (He thought that the use of the logo and the fact that the words "of the 21st century" was written in much smaller print compared to "The Doors" was intentionally misleading). Hence Manzarek and Krieger renamed their act ''Riders on the Storm'' and later ''Manzarek-Krieger''. Densmore later reconciled with Krieger and Manzarek shortly before the latter's death in 2013, and since has occasionnally reunited with Krieger on stage.

!! Principal members (Founding members in '''bold'''):

** After Jim's death, the other three released two albums (''Other Voices'' and ''Full Circle'') with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger on lead vocals. Both albums were out of print for years, but are now available via Spotify, iTunes and other online sources.
** In 2002, Manzarek and Krieger formed a band playing Doors songs, Riders on the Storm (initially The Doors of the 21st Century before John Densmore and the Morrison estate sued), which toured with numerous singers, most notably Ian Astbury of Music/TheCult, until Manzarek died in 2013. (Densmore later reconciled with Krieger and Manzarek shortly before the latter's death, and since has occasionnally reunited with Krieger on stage.)

* CrucifiedHeroShot: Jim famously did this in a photo shoot and it's been used in many album covers since.

* FourPhilosophyEnsemble: Jim was the Apathetic, Ray was the Realist, John is the Cynic and Robby is the Optimist.

* GeniusDitz: When he wasn’t under the influence, Morrison knew his stuff. Some say you could read him a random line from any book and he’d tell you were it came from. Might be IdiotSavant depending on posthumous psychoanalysis.

* HeavyMetal: Usually not cited as an influence, but "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" was probably the darkest and heaviest song in pop music during the 1960's; its climax includes an ''almost'' subliminal "doomy thunder" sound that Music/BlackSabbath and Music/JudasPriest would make famous. And with "TRY TO SET THE NIGHT ON... FIRRRRE!" at the end of "Light My Fire", Jim may have birthed the MetalScream.

** "Five to One", "The Unknown Soldier" and "Dead Cats, Dead Rats".

** After Jim's death, the other three released two albums (''Other Voices'' and ''Full Circle'') with Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger on lead vocals. Both albums were out of print for years, but are now available via Spotify, iTunes and other online sources.

* BerserkButton: Jim ''hated'' being held up as the most important member of the bad or given more attention than the other members. He once even refused to go on stage when they were introduced as "Jim Morrison and The Doors", insisting the announcer pronounce it correctly.

** The lyric "She gets high!" in "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" was clipped on the original vinyl release, and all subsequent releases until the CD remaster in 2003.

** ''Waiting For the Sun'' closes with "Five to One" (4:24).

* ProgressiveRock: Their classical/baroque-influenced arrangements, Ray Manzarek's keyboard leads, and some lyrics went a long way towards influencing the genre's development.

* SurprisinglyGentleSong: "The Crystal Ship," "Yes, The River Knows," "Wishful Sinful," "You're Lost, Little Girl," "I Can't See Your Face in My Mind," and several others.
* RashomonStyle: As mentioned under AcquittedTooLate above, accounts of just what happened at the infamous March 1, 1969, live show at which Morrison was arrested vary widely.

* CelebritiesHangOutInHeaven: "Rock and Roll Heaven" by the Righteous Brothers imagines [[CelebrityElegy Morrison with several deceased other musicians]] -- including Music/JimiHendrix, Music/JanisJoplin, Music/OtisRedding, Music/JimCroce, and Music/BobbyDarin -- in Heaven together forming a hell of a band, band, band!

->''"Can you feel it\\
Now that Spring has come\\
That it's time to live in the scattered sun."''

I PublicExposure: Being accused of this in Miami was what led to Jim's downfall. Whether it actually happened is anyone's guess.

->''Can you feel it\\

That it's time to live in the scattered sun''

In 1971, after the recording of the album ''Music/LAWoman'', Jim Morrison flew to UsefulNotes/{{Paris}}, where he died on July 3, under somewhat mysterious circumstances. He was buried there, at the Père Lachaise cemetery, and his grave became by far the most famous there (which isn't small feat considering said cemetery is chock full of famous people for centuries), with thousands of people visiting it each year.

In 1971, after the recording of the album ''Music/LAWoman'', Jim Morrison flew to Paris, where he died on July 3, under somewhat mysterious circumstances. Although the band released two other albums with Manzarek and Krieger sharing the role of vocalist, they parted ways a few years later.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Manzarek and Krieger reunited to form ''The Doors of the 21st Century'', to Densmore's anger. Densmore had disagreed to reform the Doors (unless Music/EddieVedder was the singer), and actually sued his former bandmates over their use of the name ''The Doors'' and of the band's logo (He thought that the use of the logo and the fact that the words "of the 21st century" was written in much smaller print compared to "The Doors" was intentionally misleading). Hence Manzarek and Krieger renamed their act ''Riders on the Storm'' and later ''Manzarek-Krieger''. Densmore later reconciled with Krieger and Manzarek shortly before the latter's death in 2013, and since has occasionnally reunited with Krieger on stage.

[[caption-width-right:350: The Doors in 1966. From left to right: Jim Morrison, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore]]

->''"He went into the room where his sister lived, and... Then he''
->''Paid a visit to his brother, and then he''
->''He walked on down the hall, and''
->''And he came to a door... And he looked inside''
->''[='=]Father?' 'Yes, son?' 'I want to kill you.[='=]''
->''[='=]Mother... I want to...'''[+FFFFUCKYOUUUUAAAAAAARRRRGGHHH+]!'''[='=]"''
-->-- "'''The End'''", ''Music/{{The Doors|Album}}''

* GeniusDitz: When he wasn’t under the influence, Morrison knew his stuff. Some say you could read him a random line from any book and he’d tell you were it came from.

** BunnyEarsLawyer: It’s been put aside over the years, but Morrison was a '''genius'''. Some report you could read a random line from any book and he’d tell you where it came from.

* CoverVersion: "Back Door Man" by Willie Dixon, "Crawling King Snake" by John Lee Hooker and "Alabama Song" from ''Theatre/TheRiseAndFallOfTheCityOfMahagonny'' by Creator/BertoltBrecht and Music/KurtWeill.

* CelebritiesHangOutInHeaven: "Rock and Roll Heaven" by the Righteous Brothers imagines Morrison with several deceased other musicians -- including Music/JimiHendrix, Music/JanisJoplin, Music/OtisRedding, Music/JimCroce, and Music/BobbyDarin -- in Heaven together forming a hell of a band, band, band!