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Saturday, July 2, 2011

Jim Morrison: An American Prayer (1943-1971)- 40 years later

James Douglas Morrison
December 8, 1943- July 3, 1971

July 3, 1971- Doors leader singer Jim Morrison is found dead in the bathtub of this apartment. Morrison's long time girlfriend, Pamela Courson, was the first to find out: she found him. Even 40 years after Morrison's death, it still remains a mystery as to how he actually died. There's much more myth than fact about the events before July 3. What killed the Lizard King? The death certificate said that Morrison had suffered from a heart attack. Some people don't believe this. Some say he was murdered. Some say it was an overdose. Whatever the case might be, no one know exactly how Jim Morrison died.
Jim Morrison had been the lead singer for the Doors since they formed in 1965. In 1971, the band had finished up recording their sixth studio album L.A. Woman. By this time, the Doors had fulfilled their contract with Elektra Records. They could sign with another label or stick with Elektra Records. The band decided to take a break. For Jim Morrison, he decided to live in Paris, France with his girlfriend Pamela Courson. Morrison didn't know if he was coming back to the USA. He was still facing charges from the infamous Miami gig in 1969, where Morrison allegedly exposed himself. 
Some believe that before July 3, Jim had been catching up with a friend from UCLA. He had collapsed once that day but said he was fine. At night, Jim and Pam went to the movies and/or went to a bar called the Rock N Roll Circus. It was in the middle of the night when Jim woke up throwing up blood. It is believed that to ease the pain, Jim decided to take a bath. Jim never got out of the tub. No autopsy was performed. On July 6, Jim Morrison was buried in a sealed coffin. Morrison's family and band mates never got to go to the funeral. 
The surviving members of the Doors (Ray, Robby, and John) decided to try and continue without Jim. After released two albums (Other Voices and Full Circle), the band split. Today, the music of the Doors is more popular than it ever was. Jim was also another victim of the so-called 27 club, in which rock stars die at the age of 27. Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix are examples. Another is Brian Jones, who died exactly two years before Morrison on July 3, 1969.
RIP, Jim.

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