The Lost Paris Tapes
Encyclopedia
The Lost Paris Tapes is the title given to a recorded collection of unedited poems
and song
s by rock musician and poet
Jim Morrison
of The Doors
. Although Morrison intentionally made the recordings, they are considered bootlegs
because they were never officially released to the public in their unedited form by Morrison or his heirs.
The title of the collection is however a misnomer
, because most of the recordings were made in Los Angeles
in March 1969; long before Morrison traveled to Paris
(where he died under mysterious circumstances in 1971). Morrison took these Los Angeles recordings with him to Paris, where they were found among his belongings after his death.
Some of these recordings were later mixed with new music tracks recorded by surviving Doors members Ray Manzarek
, Robbie Krieger, and John Densmore
, and released as the official Doors album An American Prayer. The March 1969 recording of "Orange County Suite" with Jim on piano was later used and mixed with new music recorded by the surviving Doors members Ray Manzarek
, Robbie Krieger, and John Densmore
, and released as part of their 1997 4 CD "Box Set". This new Doors version also appears on the 1999 box set compilation CD Essential Rarities.
Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek
has referred to this recording as "drunken gibberish," observing, "If you haven't heard them, you're missing nothing."
However, once Morrison gave up trying to perform with the two street musicians, he broke into a solo performance of "Orange County Suite." A writer for Rolling Stone magazine later called this piece "an astounding version of . . . [an] unfinished, unrealized paean to his old lady (Pamela Courson
) that had been rejected from at least two Doors albums. . . . It was a drunken, and mostly ad-libbed, recording. Yet, listening carefully . . . , one hears the authentic last of Jim Morrison, two weeks before he died, as he roars spontaneous verses and imagery about his hard-hearted woman, his anguish and his obsessions, easily deploying a poetic champion's compositional facility for the natural cadence and spontaneous rhyme."
Morrison offhandedly labeled the resulting reel-to-reel tape of the session "Jomo and the Smoothies" (Jomo being a pseudonym for Morrison).
JOMO & THE SMOOTHIES TAPE:
DECEMBER 8, 1970 POETRY SESSION:
FEAST OF FRIENDS:
HWY:
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s by rock musician and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Jim Morrison
Jim Morrison
James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American musician, singer, and poet, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band The Doors...
of The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
. Although Morrison intentionally made the recordings, they are considered bootlegs
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
because they were never officially released to the public in their unedited form by Morrison or his heirs.
The title of the collection is however a misnomer
Misnomer
A misnomer is a term which suggests an interpretation that is known to be untrue. Such incorrect terms sometimes derive their names because of the form, action, or origin of the subject becoming named popularly or widely referenced—long before their true natures were known.- Sources of misnomers...
, because most of the recordings were made in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in March 1969; long before Morrison traveled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
(where he died under mysterious circumstances in 1971). Morrison took these Los Angeles recordings with him to Paris, where they were found among his belongings after his death.
Los Angeles session (March 1969)
The Los Angeles session features a serious but relaxed Morrison taping spoken-word versions of his own written poetry. Morrison can be heard repeating certain sections of poems for technical or aesthetic reasons, and he can be heard giving occasional production cues, such as when certain sound effects should be added at a later date. Morrison's efforts to obtain clear recordings and his additional verbal directions suggest that he planned to use the recordings in a much more ambitious project that would merge his smoothly edited voiceovers with background sounds and music.Some of these recordings were later mixed with new music tracks recorded by surviving Doors members Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
, Robbie Krieger, and John Densmore
John Densmore
John Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
, and released as the official Doors album An American Prayer. The March 1969 recording of "Orange County Suite" with Jim on piano was later used and mixed with new music recorded by the surviving Doors members Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
, Robbie Krieger, and John Densmore
John Densmore
John Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
, and released as part of their 1997 4 CD "Box Set". This new Doors version also appears on the 1999 box set compilation CD Essential Rarities.
Paris session (17 June 1971)
The only recording on the collection that Morrison actually made in Paris is a segment featuring an apparently drunken Morrison playing around in a studio with two equally inebriated American street musicians. Morrison had befriended the street musicians only a short time earlier, when he found them performing Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young tunes on a Paris sidewalk.Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
has referred to this recording as "drunken gibberish," observing, "If you haven't heard them, you're missing nothing."
However, once Morrison gave up trying to perform with the two street musicians, he broke into a solo performance of "Orange County Suite." A writer for Rolling Stone magazine later called this piece "an astounding version of . . . [an] unfinished, unrealized paean to his old lady (Pamela Courson
Pamela Courson
Pamela Susan Courson was the long-term companion of Jim Morrison, vocalist of The Doors. After the deaths of Morrison and Courson, her parents petitioned an out-of-state court to declare that the couple had a common-law marriage.-Early life and involvement with Morrison:Courson was born in Weed,...
) that had been rejected from at least two Doors albums. . . . It was a drunken, and mostly ad-libbed, recording. Yet, listening carefully . . . , one hears the authentic last of Jim Morrison, two weeks before he died, as he roars spontaneous verses and imagery about his hard-hearted woman, his anguish and his obsessions, easily deploying a poetic champion's compositional facility for the natural cadence and spontaneous rhyme."
Morrison offhandedly labeled the resulting reel-to-reel tape of the session "Jomo and the Smoothies" (Jomo being a pseudonym for Morrison).
Track listing
MARCH 1969 POETRY SESSION:- Session Start (0:16)
- In That Year... [False Start] (1:02)
- In That Year... (3:00)
- Bird Of Prey (1:55)
- Tape Noon (2:22)
- Whiskey, Mystics And Men (3:38)
- Orange County Suite (5:34)
- All Hail The American Night (5:57)
- The American Night (0:34)
- The Holy Sha (0:37)
- Hitler Poem (0:44)
- Can We Resolve The Past (1:55)
- Always A Playground Instructor (1:32)
- There's A Belief... (0:25)
- Indian, Indian... (0:18)
- Woman In The Window (2:40)
- She's Selling News... (1:11)
- Science Of Night (0:24)
- Tales Of The American Night (0:36)
- Now Listen To This (0:46)
- Babylon Fading (0:39)
- Thank You, O Lord (0:35)
JOMO & THE SMOOTHIES TAPE:
- 23. Warm Up & Tuning (4:30)
- 24. "Starting Now!" (1:14)
- 25. Orange County Suite (8:41)
DECEMBER 8, 1970 POETRY SESSION:
- 26. Graveyard Poem (0:50)
- 27. The Politics Of Ecstacy (0:10)
FEAST OF FRIENDS:
- 28. "Earth, Air, Fire, Water" (0:53)
HWY:
- 29. Dawn's Highway (3:57)
- 30. Phone Booth (2:29)