An American Prayer
An American Prayer | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 17, 1978 | |||
Recorded |
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Genre |
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Length | 38:40 46:49 (1995 reissue) | |||
Label |
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Producer | ||||
Jim Morrison & the Doors chronology | ||||
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An American Prayer is the ninth and final studio album by the American rock band
Keyboardist Ray Manzarek perceived An American Prayer as being divided into five parts, with the first covering Morrison's childhood and the second his high school years; the third concerning "the young poet, stoned on a rooftop with acid dreams." The fourth his musical career and finally the fifth is a "final summation in a way, of the man's entire life and his philosophy."[7]
Background
The Doors formed in 1965 and released six studio albums before singer/lyricist Jim Morrison's death in July 1971. The surviving band members (keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore) recorded two additional albums as a trio, but broke up in 1973.[6]
Morrison had originally recorded some of his poetry between 1969 and 1970;
In 1978, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore reunited to record the music for An American Prayer.
Artwork
After Morrison had done his recordings, he asked American artist T. E. Breitenbach to design the cover for the album.[14] He sent him a letter about his suggestions for the concept:
"Try doing a triptych. The left panel depicting a radiant moon-lit beach and an endless stream of young naked couples running silently along the water's edge. On the beach, a tiny infant grins at the universe and around its crib stand several ancient, old people ... The center, a modern city or metropolis of the future at noon, insane with activity ... The last panel, a view through a car windshield at night on a long straight desert highway."[20]
After Morrison's death however, the album's producers were unaware of his intention to use the painting,[21] and used for the front and back cover photos taken by Edmund Teske and Joel Brodsky respectively.[11] The existence of this lost painting collaboration came to light actually decades later, when the artist himself posted it on his website.[20]
Release and reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
MusicHound Rock | [27] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [28] |
Sounds | [29] |
An American Prayer was released on November 17, 1978, as "a Jim Morrison Album" with "Music by the Doors".
Despite receiving a
In his 1981 review,
Track listing
Poetry, lyrics and stories are written and recited by Jim Morrison; the music is composed by Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore. Details are taken from the original 1978 US Elektra Records release.[38]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Awake":
| 7:10
0:35 2:50 1:21 2:24 |
2. | "To Come of Age":
| 8:41
1:01 1:07 2:14 2:46 1:33 |
3. | "The Poets Dream":
| 3:30
1:36 1:54 |
Total length: | 19:21 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
4. | "The World On Fire":
| 12:00
0:28 5:53 1:06 2:18 2:15 |
5. | "An American Prayer":
| 6:51
3:04 1:17 0:20 2:10 |
Total length: | 18:51 |
Bonus tracks
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
6. | "Babylon Fading" | 1:40 |
7. | "Bird of Prey" | 1:03 |
8. | "The Ghost Song (extended version)" (includes a hidden spoken poetry section at the epilogue.) | 5:16 |
Source:[39]
Notes
- Morrison's vocals in "Bird of Prey" were later sampled for the 2000 Fatboy Slim song "Sunset (Bird of Prey)".[40]
- Morrison's shout, "Wake up!" in "Awake" was sampled in the 1991 Orbital song "Choice".
- Morrison's vocals from "Angels and Sailors" appeared on Bad Company's track "Ladies of Spain".
Personnel
Per the 2018 reissue liner notes:[11]
The Doors
- Jim Morrison – vocals and spoken words, drawings (printed on the gatefold sleeve)
- Ray Manzarek – keyboards, production, direction
- Robby Krieger – guitar, production, direction
- John Densmore – drums, production, direction
Additional personnel
- Arthur Barrow – synthesizer programming on "The Movie"
- Reinol Andino – percussion
- Bob Glaub – bass guitar (including on "Ghost Song")[41]
- Jerry Scheff – bass guitar on "Adagio"
Production
- John Haeny – production
- Frank Lisciandro – production,[16] assistant engineering, inside photography, direction
- Babe Hill, Paul Black, Fritz Richmond, John Weaver, Cheech D'Amico, Ron Garrett, Rik Pekkonen, James Ledner – assistant engineering
- Bernie Grundman – mastering
- Bruce Botnick – remastering, engineering
- Paul A. Rothchild – 1995 remastering[42]
- John Van Hamersveld, Ron Coro, Johnny Lee – art direction
- Paul Ferrara – engineering, inside front cover photography
- Edmund Teske – front cover photography
- Joel Brodsky – back cover photography
- Art Kane – inside back cover photography
Charts
Album
Chart (1979) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[43] | 80 |
US Billboard 200[44] | 54 |
Chart (1995) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[45] | 20 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[46] | 24 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[47] | 40 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[48] | 42 |
German Albums ( Offizielle Deutsche Charts)[49]
|
79 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[50] | 27 |
US Billboard 200[51] | 1 |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | "The Ghost Song" | Australian Singles Chart
|
48[52] |
1995 | "The Ghost Song" | UK Singles Chart
|
98[53] |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[54] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
See also
References
- ^ Hermann, Andy (September 18, 2001). "The Very Best of the Doors – Review". PopMatters. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
- ^ a b Reynolds, Simon (November 15, 2000). "Fatboy Slim: Halfway Between the Gutter and the Stars". The Village Voice. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon (April 13, 1991). "Jim Morrison: The Anatomy Of Madness". Melody Maker.
- ISBN 978-1409151258.
- ^ "L.A. Woman (40th Anniversary Editions)". Thedoors.com. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
- ^ a b Ruhlmann, William; Unterberger, Richie. "The Doors – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
- ^ ISBN 978-1617131141.
- ISBN 978-1440803390.
- ^ Rhino.com. November 27, 2018. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
- ^ ISBN 1-59240-064-7.
- ^ a b c d Lisciandro, Katherine; Weiss, Jeff (2018). An American Prayer (CD booklet). Los Angeles California: Elektra Records. R1 502 / 603497856237.
- Far Out. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- ^ Runtagh, Jordan. "Doors' L.A. Woman: 10 Things You Didn't Know". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
- ^ The Business Review. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
- ISBN 1-59240-064-7.
- ^ a b Q&A #2 - "Jim Morrison: Friends Gathered Together" new book. YouTube. July 21, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-688-11915-7.
- ISBN 978-1409151258.
- Rhino Records. R2-101155.
- ^ a b "T.E. Breitenbach Archives: Feature Articles". Tebreitenbach.com. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
- ISBN 978-972-36-0950-9.
- ^ a b Iyengar, Vik. "An American Prayer – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- ^ ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 8, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ISBN 978-0857125958.
- ^ a b Browne, David (May 26, 1995). "An American Prayer". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
- ISBN 1-84195-827-1.
- ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
- ^ a b "The Doors: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ Robertson, Sandy (December 2, 1978). "Jim Morrison: An American Prayer (Elektra 5E-502)*****". Sounds. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
- ^ a b Haeny, John (July 23, 2013). "The Making of Jim Morrision's An American Prayer". Johnhaeny.com.
- ^ Kurtz, Warren (February 21, 2020) [February 12, 1979]. "Ray Manzarek Interview". Goldmine. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
Now a live version of 'Roadhouse Blues' from An American Prayer is back on the radio as a single ...
- ^ "Grammy Award Nominees 1980 – Grammy Award Winners 1980". Awardsandshows.com. Grammy. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- ^ a b "Bam Interview - Paul Rothchild". Waiting-forthe-sun.net.
- ISBN 0-385-30033-6.
- Creem. Retrieved August 28, 2022 – via Oceanstar.com.
- ^ Greenwald, Matthew. "The Doors: 'Awake' – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ Kemp, Sam (November 25, 2021). "The Unique Doors Album That Reminds Robby Krieger of Jim Morrison". Far Out. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
- ^ An American Prayer (Liner notes). The Doors. Elektra Records. 1978. LP labels. 5E-502.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Lisciandro, Katherine (1995). An American Prayer (CD booklet). The Doors. Canada: Elektra Records. CD-61812.
- ^ Bein, Kat (February 7, 2018). "Fatboy Slim's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ The Doors Robby Krieger Explains Jim Morrison's Alter Ego (video). Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "The Doors Studio Dates & Info". MildEquator.com. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
- ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "The Doors Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Jim Morrison / The Doors – An American Prayer". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Jim Morrison / The Doors – An American Prayer" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Jim Morrison / The Doors – An American Prayer" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Jim Morrison / The Doors – An American Prayer" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Jim Morrison / The Doors – An American Prayer". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "The Doors Chart History". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
- ^ "Jim Morrison – The Ghost Song". australian-charts.com. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
- ^ "The Ghost Song". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
- ^ "American album certifications – The Doors – An American Prayer". Recording Industry Association of America.
External links
- An American Prayer at Discogs (list of releases)