Post by Baronessa on Sept 23, 2019 21:30:38 GMT
James Douglas Morrison (8 December 1943 - 3 July 1971)
Member of: The Doors (1965 - 1971)
Vocal Range: D2 - F6
Jim's voice was nothing if not potent; whether it amplified his poetry with spoken-sung phrasing, conveyed a raw intensity through raspy belting, or went off the rails in deranged flageolet, you could hear all the emotion - or, occasionally, the lack thereof - he poured into every note. While your first impression may be of a one-dimensional drunkard, the contrasts Jim creates to convey narrative characters is a clearly intentional stylistic choice. His sung low notes tend to convey a sort of serene poetry, his belting raw, emotional duress, and often in live settings his extensive falsetto screams a wild passion that could not be conveyed in any other way.
Even though Jim's alcoholism became apparent in his voice towards the end of his life, it was clear that his almost literary approach to singing had already resonated with uncountable numbers of peers and followers. Despite his short time in the spotlight and, to a greater extent, this earth, Jim Morrison's voice is an inseparable part of the history of rock 'n' roll, and arguably part of how it became viewed as an artform.
Significant High Notes:
F6 ("The End" Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 5 July 1968)
E6 ("Roadhouse Talking Blues" takes 1 - 3 / take 6, 4 November 1969)
E♭6 ("Back Door Man" Felt Forum, New York City 18 January 1970)
D6 ("I'm Your Doctor" Backstage & Dangerous, "When the Music's Over")
C6 ("Celebration of the Lizard", "Crossroads" Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh 2 May 1970, "Hello, I Love You")
B5 ("Gloria" Backstage & Dangerous, "Roadhouse Talking Blues" take 6, 4 November 1969)
B♭5 ("Hello, I Love You")
A5 ("Mystery Train / Crossroads" Backstage & Dangerous, "Push Push", "The Unknown Soldier" Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 5 July 1968)
F♯5 ("Crawling King Snake" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Push Push")
E5 ("Break on Through (To the Other Side)" Cobo Arena, Detroit 8 May 1970, "Cars Hiss by My Window", "Five to One" Falkoner Centeret, Copenhagen 17 September 1968, "Gloria" Backstage & Dangerous, "Hello, I Love You" demo World Pacific Studios 1965)
D5 ("The Changeling" take 9, "The End", "Little Red Rooster" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Mystery Train / Crossroads" Backstage & Dangerous, "The Soft Parade", "Waiting for the Sun", "When the Music's Over")
C♯5 ("Break on Through (To the Other Side)", "Cars Hiss by My Window", "Gloria" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 22 July 1969, "Mental Floss" Backstage & Dangerous)
C5 ("Away in India" Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh 2 May 1970, "Back Door Man" The Isle of Wight Festival 30 August 1970, "Celebration of the Lizard", "Five to One", "Going to N.Y. Blues" Felt Forum, New York City 18 January 1970, "Moonlight Drive" Felt Forum, New York City 18 January 1970, "Peace Frog" false starts & dialogue, "Soul Kitchen" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "The Unknown Soldier", "Who Do You Love?" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970)
B4 ("Been Down So Long", "Break on Through (To the Other Side)", "The End" The Matrix, San Francisco 7 March 1967, "Gloria" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 22 July 1969, "The Hill Dwellers" Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 5 July 1968, "L.A. Woman", "Land Ho!", "Light My Fire" Boston Arena, Boston 10 April 1970, "Love Me Two Times", "My Eyes Have Seen You", "Not to Touch the Earth", "Roadhouse Blues", "The Soft Parade", "Strange Days", "We Could Be So Good Together", "When the Music's Over")
B♭4 ("Celebration of the Lizard", "The Changeling", "The Crystal Ship" The Matrix, San Francisco 7 March 1967, "Hello, I Love You", "I Looked at You", "Little Red Rooster" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Money" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Not to Touch the Earth" take 1, "Ship of Fools" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "The Unknown Soldier", "Who Do You Love?" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970)
A4 ("Away in India" Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh 2 May 1970, "Back Door Man", "Been Down So Long", "Build Me a Woman" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "The Changeling", "Crossroads" Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh 2 May 1970, "Five to One", "Going to N.Y. Blues" Felt Forum, New York City 18 January 1970, "L.A. Woman", "Light My Fire", "Maggie McGill" Backstage & Dangerous, "Moonlight Drive", "Roadhouse Blues", "She Smells So Nice", "Soul Kitchen", "Tell All the People", "Twentieth Century Fox", "Whiskey, Mystics and Men" Version 2, "The Woman Is a Devil")
G♯4 ("Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)", "The End", "Light My Fire", "My Wild Love", "Not to Touch the Earth" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 21 July 1969, "Ship of Fools" The Isle of Wight Festival 30 August 1970, "Tell All the People", "Wild Child", "You Make Me Real")
G4 ("Back Door Man", "Break on Through (To the Other Side)", "Build Me a Woman" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Carol", "Celebration of the Lizard", "Close to You" Felt Forum, New York City 18 January 1970, "Easy Ride", "End of the Night", "Gloria" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 22 July 1969, "The Hill Dwellers" Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 5 July 1968, "I Looked at You", "L.A. Woman", "Light My Fire", "Little Red Rooster" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Love Me Two Times" Strange Days / take 3, "Money" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Moonlight Drive", "My Eyes Have Seen You", "Mystery Train / Crossroads" Backstage & Dangerous, "Not to Touch the Earth", "Peace Frog", "Push Push", "Roadhouse Blues", "Shaman's Blues", "She Smells So Nice", "The Soft Parade", "Soul Kitchen", "Take It as It Comes", "The Unknown Soldier", "When the Music's Over", "Wild Child", "The Woman Is a Devil")
F♯4 ("Build Me a Woman" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Crawling King Snake" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Do It", "The End", "End of the Night", "Get Out of My Life Woman" The Matrix, San Francisco 7 March 1967, "Love Me Two Times", "Push Push", "Running Blue", "Soul Kitchen", "Take It as It Comes", "Touch Me", "Universal Mind" Felt Forum, New York City 18 January 1970, "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" alternate version, "We Could Be So Good Together", "Whiskey, Mystics and Men" Version 2)
F4 ("Away in India" Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh 2 May 1970, "The Changeling", "Close to You" Felt Forum, New York City 18 January 1970, "The Crystal Ship", "Do It", "Easy Ride", "Hello, I Love You", "I Looked at You", "I'm Your Doctor" Backstage & Dangerous, "Land Ho!", "Little Red Rooster" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Money" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "My Wild Love", "Mystery Train / Crossroads" Backstage & Dangerous, "Not to Touch the Earth", "Peace Frog", "Queen of the Highway" jazz version, "Rock Me", "Shaman's Blues", "Ship of Fools" The Isle of Wight Festival 30 August 1970, "Strange Days", "Touch Me", "Twentieth Century Fox", "Waiting for the Sun", "Who Do You Love?" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Who Scared You?", "Wild Child", "The Woman Is a Devil", "You Make Me Real")
Significant Low Notes:
D3 ("Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)", "Away in India" Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh 2 May 1970, "Back Door Man", "Crawling King Snake", "Dead Cats, Dead Rats" Cobo Arena, Detroit 8 May 1970, "Do It", "Easy Ride", "The End", "End of the Night", "Going to N.Y. Blues" Felt Forum, New York City 18 January 1970, "Hyacinth House", "I Can't See Your Face in My Mind", "Indian Summer" Morrison Hotel / 8/19/66 Vocal, "L.A. Woman" alternate version, "Land Ho!", "Light My Fire", "Love Me Two Times", "Love Street", "Moonlight Drive" Felt Forum, New York City 18 January 1970, "Mystery Train / Crossroads" Backstage & Dangerous, "My Eyes Have Seen You", "Not to Touch the Earth", "Peace Frog", "People Are Strange", "Queen of the Highway", "Riders on the Storm", "Roadhouse Blues", "Rock Me", "Running Blue", "Shaman's Blues", "Ship of Fools", "Someday Soon" Seattle Centre, Seattle 1970, "The Spy", "Take It as It Comes", "Twentieth Century Fox", "Universal Mind" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 21 July 1969, "Waiting for the Sun", "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)", "We Could Be So Good Together", "Wishful Sinful", "When the Music's Over", "Whiskey, Mystics and Men", "Wild Child", "You Make Me Real", "You're Lost Little Girl")
C♯3 ("Blue Sunday", "Break on Through (To the Other Side)" Cobo Arena, Detroit 8 May 1970, "Cars Hiss by My Window", "The End", "Gloria" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 22 July 1969, "I Will Never Be Untrue" Backstage & Dangerous, "L.A. Woman", "Mental Floss" Backstage & Dangerous, "My Wild Love", "Roadhouse Blues", "Touch Me", "The Unknown Soldier", "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)", "Whiskey, Mystics and Men")
C3 ("Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)", "Away in India" Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh 2 May 1970, "Blue Sunday", "Celebration of the Lizard", "Easy Ride", "Indian Summer", "Love Street", "Orange County Suite", "Peace Frog", "Queen of the Highway", "Rock Me", "Ship of Fools", "Spanish Caravan", "Summer's Almost Gone", "The Unknown Soldier", "Waiting for the Sun", "Who Do You Love?" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Wild Child", "Wintertime Love", "Yes, The River Knows", "You Make Me Real")
B2 ("Build Me a Woman" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Crawling King Snake", "The Crystal Ship", "Five to One", "Gloria" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 22 July 1969, "The Hill Dwellers" Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 5 July 1968, "Hyacinth House", "Indian Summer", "Land Ho!", "Moonlight Drive" version 1, "People Are Strange", "Riders on the Storm", "Roadhouse Blues" The Isle of Wight Festival 30 August 1970, "Someday Soon" Seattle Centre, Seattle 1970, "The Spy", "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)", "When the Music's Over", "Whiskey, Mystics and Men", "Wishful Sinful", "The Woman Is a Devil", "Yes, The River Knows", "You're Lost Little Girl")
B♭2 ("Blue Sunday", "Celebration of the Lizard", "The Changeling" alternate version, "Easy Ride", "Orange County Suite", "Ship of Fools" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Summer's Almost Gone", "Touch Me", "Wintertime Love", "You Make Me Real" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 21 July 1969)
A2 ("Back Door Man", "Break on Through (To the Other Side)" Cobo Arena, Detroit 8 May 1970, "The End" The Matrix, San Francisco 7 March 1967, "Five to One", "Gloria" Backstage & Dangerous, "L.A. Woman" alternate version, "Love Her Madly", "Moonlight Drive" version 1, "Mystery Train / Crossroads" Backstage & Dangerous, "Not to Touch the Earth", "People Are Strange", "Roadhouse Talking Blues" take 6, 4 November 1969, "Rock Me", "The Soft Parade", "The Unknown Soldier" Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 5 July 1968, "When the Music's Over", "Wishful Sinful", "Yes, The River Knows", "You're Lost Little Girl")
G♯2 ("Blue Sunday" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Mental Floss" Backstage & Dangerous, "The Soft Parade")
G2 ("Back Door Man" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "The Changeling" take 9, "Hyacinth House", "I Am Troubled", "Texas Radio and the Big Beat" Television-Byen, Copenhagen 18 September 1968, "Touch Me", "Wintertime Love")
F♯2 ("Cars Hiss by My Window", "Crawling King Snake" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970, "Roadhouse Talking Blues" take 1, 5 November 1969, "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)" alternate version)
F2 ("Not to Touch the Earth", "Orange County Suite", "The Soft Parade")
E2 ("Cars Hiss by My Window", "Celebration of the Lizard", "Money Beats Soul", "The Soft Parade" PBS Television, New York 1970, "The Spy")
D2 ("Five to One")
{Questionable Notes}F♯6 ("The End" Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 5 July 1968[1a])
E6 ("Break on Through (To the Other Side)" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970[1a], "The Changeling" take 9[1a], "When the Music's Over" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970[1a])
E♭6 ("The End" The Isle of Wight Festival 30 August 1970[1a], "Five to One" Falkoner Centeret, Copenhagen 17 September 1968[])
D6 ("Break on Through (To the Other Side)" Cobo Arena, Detroit 8 May 1970[1a], "Celebration of the Lizard"[1a], "Crossroads" Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh 2 May 1970[1a], "Five to One"[1a], "Mystery Train / Crossroads" Backstage & Dangerous[1a])
C♯6 ("Back Door Man" Falkoner Centeret, Copenhagen 17 September 1968[1b], "Crawling King Snake" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970[1a], "Gloria" Backstage & Dangerous[1a], "Not to Touch the Earth" take 1 / take 2[1a])
C6 ("The Changeling" alternate version[1a], "She Smells So Nice"[1a], "The Unknown Soldier" Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 5 July 1968[1a], "Who Do You Love?" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970[1a], "You Make Me Real"[1a])
B5 ("L.A. Woman"[1a], "Love Me Two Times" Television-Byen, Copenhagen 18 September 1968[1a], "Money Beats Soul"[1a], "The Soft Parade"[1a], "The Unknown Soldier"[2a])
A5 ("Back Door Man"[1b], "The Changeling"[1b], "Soul Kitchen" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 21 July 1969[1a])
G5 ("Break on Through (To the Other Side)"[1b])
F♯5 ("L.A. Woman"[1b])
C5 ("Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" The Matrix, San Francisco 7 March 1967[1b])
B♭4 ("Horse Latitudes"[2a])
C♯3 ("End of the Night" 50th Anniversary edition[3a], "Light My Fire" 50th Anniversary edition[3a])
B2 ("Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" 50th Anniversary edition[3a])
..................................................
[1] Questionable quality
a. Shaky, erratic crackles
b. Brief, raspy yells
[2] Questionable representativeness
a. Non-musical shouting
[3] Questionable legitimacy.
a. Ambiguous tape-speed
E6 ("Break on Through (To the Other Side)" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970[1a], "The Changeling" take 9[1a], "When the Music's Over" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970[1a])
E♭6 ("The End" The Isle of Wight Festival 30 August 1970[1a], "Five to One" Falkoner Centeret, Copenhagen 17 September 1968[])
D6 ("Break on Through (To the Other Side)" Cobo Arena, Detroit 8 May 1970[1a], "Celebration of the Lizard"[1a], "Crossroads" Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh 2 May 1970[1a], "Five to One"[1a], "Mystery Train / Crossroads" Backstage & Dangerous[1a])
C♯6 ("Back Door Man" Falkoner Centeret, Copenhagen 17 September 1968[1b], "Crawling King Snake" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970[1a], "Gloria" Backstage & Dangerous[1a], "Not to Touch the Earth" take 1 / take 2[1a])
C6 ("The Changeling" alternate version[1a], "She Smells So Nice"[1a], "The Unknown Soldier" Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 5 July 1968[1a], "Who Do You Love?" Felt Forum, New York City 17 January 1970[1a], "You Make Me Real"[1a])
B5 ("L.A. Woman"[1a], "Love Me Two Times" Television-Byen, Copenhagen 18 September 1968[1a], "Money Beats Soul"[1a], "The Soft Parade"[1a], "The Unknown Soldier"[2a])
A5 ("Back Door Man"[1b], "The Changeling"[1b], "Soul Kitchen" Aquarius Theater, Hollywood 21 July 1969[1a])
G5 ("Break on Through (To the Other Side)"[1b])
F♯5 ("L.A. Woman"[1b])
C5 ("Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" The Matrix, San Francisco 7 March 1967[1b])
B♭4 ("Horse Latitudes"[2a])
C♯3 ("End of the Night" 50th Anniversary edition[3a], "Light My Fire" 50th Anniversary edition[3a])
B2 ("Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)" 50th Anniversary edition[3a])
..................................................
[1] Questionable quality
a. Shaky, erratic crackles
b. Brief, raspy yells
[2] Questionable representativeness
a. Non-musical shouting
[3] Questionable legitimacy.
a. Ambiguous tape-speed
..................................................
• Blue marks falsetto notes.
• Bold marks outstanding passages.
• Italics mark non-melodic notes.
• Underlines mark obscured notes.
{Vocal Range Timeline}The Doors:
The Doors (1967): A2 - D5
Strange Days (1967): A2 - D5 - D6
Waiting for the Sun (1968): D2 - G2 - C5 - C6
The Soft Parade (1969): F2 - D5
Morrison Hotel (1970): E2 - B4
L.A. Woman (1971): E2 - B4 - E5
An American Prayer (1978): N/A[1a]
..................................................
[1] Inapplicable albums
a. Spoken word albums
The Doors (1967): A2 - D5
Strange Days (1967): A2 - D5 - D6
Waiting for the Sun (1968): D2 - G2 - C5 - C6
The Soft Parade (1969): F2 - D5
Morrison Hotel (1970): E2 - B4
L.A. Woman (1971): E2 - B4 - E5
An American Prayer (1978): N/A[1a]
..................................................
[1] Inapplicable albums
a. Spoken word albums