Jim Morrison facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jim Morrison
Promotional photo of Morrison, 1968
Background information
Birth name	James Douglas Morrison
Also known as	The Lizard King Mr. Mojo Risin' (anagram of "Jim Morrison")
Born	(1943-12-08)December 8, 1943 Melbourne, Florida, U.S.
Died	July 3, 1971(1971-07-03) (aged 27) Paris, France
Genres	Rock psychedelic rock spoken word
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter poet filmmaker director actor
Instruments	Vocals harmonica maracas tambourine
Years active	1963–1971
Labels	Elektra Columbia
Associated acts	The Doors Rick & the Ravens

James Douglas Morrison (born December 8, 1943 – died July 3, 1971) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known as the lead singer of the famous rock band, The Doors. Jim Morrison is seen by many as one of the most important and influential frontmen in rock music history. This is because of his poetic song lyrics, unique voice, and exciting live shows.

Morrison helped start The Doors in the summer of 1965 in Venice, California. The band became very popular quickly with their number one song, "Light My Fire". This song was from their first album, called The Doors. Jim Morrison recorded six studio albums with the band. All of these albums sold well and were liked by music critics. Even though The Doors made two more albums after he passed away, the band broke up in 1973. In 1993, Jim Morrison and The Doors were added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Since his death, Jim Morrison has remained a very popular figure. He is seen as a symbol of youth culture and rebellion from the 1960s. He was also known for making up spoken word poems while the band played live music. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him as one of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". Classic Rock magazine also put him on their list of the "50 Greatest Singers in Rock". Ray Manzarek, who started The Doors with him, said Morrison showed the spirit of the hippie counterculture. People sometimes called Jim Morrison by nicknames like "The Lizard King" and "Mr. Mojo Risin'".

Jim Morrison died in Paris when he was 27 years old.

Early Life and Education

James Douglas Morrison was born in Melbourne, Florida. His mother was Clara Virginia Clarke, and his father was Rear Admiral George Stephen Morrison. His father was a high-ranking officer in the U.S. Navy. He was in charge of U.S. naval forces during the Gulf of Tonkin incident. This event was important in the U.S. getting involved in the Vietnam War in 1965. Jim had a younger sister, Anne Robin, born in 1947. He also had a younger brother, Andrew Lee Morrison, born in 1948.

Because his father was in the military, Jim moved around a lot as a child. He lived in places like San Diego, California, and Kingsville, Texas. He went to different schools, including Fairfax County Elementary School in Virginia. He finished high school in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating in June 1961.

After high school, Morrison went to St. Petersburg College in Florida. In 1962, he moved to Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee. He even appeared in a film made to encourage students to join the school.

Literary Interests and Influences

Jim Morrison in 1970

Jim Morrison loved to read from a young age. He was especially inspired by many famous writers and thinkers. He was influenced by Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher. He also liked the works of writers such as William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, and Allen Ginsberg. Other important influences included French writers like Charles Baudelaire, Molière, and Albert Camus. He also read many French existentialist philosophers.

His high school English teacher once said that Jim read more than any other student. The books he read were often unusual. The teacher even had to check if some of the books Jim talked about actually existed. It turned out they did, and Jim had truly read them. After college, Morrison became more independent from his family. His father was not very supportive of his choice to become a musician.

Jim Morrison was proud of his Irish and Scottish family background. He found inspiration in Celtic mythology for his poems and songs. His family, the Morrisons, came from the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. His Irish relatives, the Clelland clan, were from County Down, Ireland.

Death and Burial

Morrison's apartment in Le Marais, Paris

Jim Morrison moved to Paris in March 1971 to join Pamela Courson. She had rented an apartment for him on rue Beautreillis. He wrote letters describing how he would take long walks alone through the city. During this time, he shaved his beard and lost some weight.

He passed away on July 3, 1971, at the age of 27. Pamela Courson found him in a bathtub at his apartment. His death happened exactly two years after the death of Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones. It was also about nine months after the deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

Morrison's grave at Père Lachaise

Jim Morrison was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. This cemetery is a very popular place for tourists to visit. Many other famous artists and writers are buried there, like Irish playwright Oscar Wilde and French singer Edith Piaf. For a while, his grave did not have an official marker. In 1981, a sculptor named Mladen Mikulin placed a bust (a sculpture of his head) and a new gravestone at the site. This was to mark ten years since Morrison's death. However, the bust was later damaged and stolen.

Lasting Impact

Jim Morrison was, and still is, one of the most popular and important singer-songwriters in rock history. Many people see him as the perfect example of a rock star. The leather pants he often wore on stage and off have become a classic part of rock-star style. Bono, the lead singer of the band U2, even used Morrison's leather pants for his stage character, "Fly". Music writer Stephen Davis called Morrison the "greatest American rock star of his time."

In 1993, Jim Morrison was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Doors. The other band members dedicated their induction to him. In 2011, Rolling Stone magazine readers voted Morrison as one of the "Best Lead Singers of All Time." He was also ranked 47th on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time." Classic Rock magazine also placed him at number 22 on their list of the "50 Greatest Singers in Rock."

Music Albums with The Doors

• The Doors (1967)
• Strange Days (1967)
• Waiting for the Sun (1968)
• The Soft Parade (1969)
• Morrison Hotel (1970)
• L.A. Woman (1971)
• An American Prayer (1978)

Films Featuring Jim Morrison

• HWY: An American Pastoral (a film made by Morrison)

Documentaries About Jim Morrison

Images for kids

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  A promotional photo of The Doors in late 1966

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  Morrison performing with The Doors in 1967

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  Jim Morrison performing in Copenhagen in September 1968

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  Los Angeles motel room where Morrison lived between 1968 and 1970; now covered in graffiti from his fans.

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  Jim Morrison Memorial in Germany (Berlin-Baumschulenweg)

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  Morrison's grave without a gravestone at Père Lachaise in Paris, June 1978

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  Morrison's grave at Père Lachaise in Paris, with the marble bust, June 1981

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  A graffiti of Morrison in Paris, France

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  Morrison and his father on the bridge of the USS Bon Homme Richard in January 1964

See also

In Spanish: Jim Morrison para niños