One of the most influential singers in the history of rock and roll, during the 60s, not precisely because of his technical or vocal excellence, but because of the projection and repercussion that his image had and the spectacular nature of his performances: the true gem of the legend.
The Doors, formed after a chance meeting of two students from the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television on the beaches of Venice, signed with the Electra record company, and released albums such as The Doors, Strange Days, or The Soft Parade, which were among the best of their time. And the amazing song The End.
The End is the 11th and final track on The Doors’ first album by The Doors (Elektra Records, 1967), bringing them almost immediately to the top 1 in the US charts, then in various countries around the world.
The band developed The End during the multiple shows they did before becoming famous in a Los Angeles club, the “Whiskey a Go Go”, transforming the song over and over again and progressively adding new lyrics and musical moments. They used to play it at the end of their concerts, never, in the same way, giving a lot of room for improvisation. The album version was recorded in August 1966, totally live (no overdub: without recording each instrument separately, which is riskier!).
In the video below, an Isolated track showcases how incredible Jim Morrison sings the song. He’s not the most powerful singer but indeed a one of kind.
Keep going for the video below: