Friday January 15, 2021 “The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)” The Doors

The Doors are one of the truly radio-rebellious acts ever and here they have recorded a tribute to radio?  

 The title of this song suggests it is about Texas radio and as you follow the lyrical content you discover it is actually about...well I really have no idea what it is actually about and will leave that to your own interpretation.

 From the start, The Doors' focus was the charismatic and often outrageous frontman, Jim Morrison, who proved increasingly unstable over the group's brief career. In 1969, Morrison was arrested for indecent exposure during a concert in Miami, an incident that nearly derailed the band.

 Morrison’s flamboyant stage presence and condescending media persona often overshadowed the quality of the musicianship of the three remaining members, keyboard player Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Kreiger and drummer John Densmore.  This trio created a remarkable and unique sound that crashed onto the radio airwaves with the song “Light My Frie” and as they expanded their catalog remained there with so many iconic tunes until Morrison’s death at twenty-seven and then beyond.

 For all of his radical bravado Morrison ironically was raised by his father, a Rear Admiral in the US Navy.

 Stay safe and well...and as the song suggests, “some call it heavenly in its brilliance” but I leave that to your own decisions.

I want to tell you 'bout Texas radio and the big beat

Comes out of the Virginia swamps

Cool and slow with plenty of precision

With a back beat narrow and hard to master

Some call it heavenly in its brilliance

Others, mean and rueful of the Western dream

I love the friends I have gathered together on this thin raft

We have constructed pyramids in honor of our escaping

This is the land where the Pharaoh died

 The Negroes in the forest brightly feathered

They are saying, "forget the night

Live with us in forests of azure

Out here on the perimeter there are no stars

Out here we is stoned, immaculate"

 Listen to this, and I'll tell you 'bout the heartache

I'll tell you 'bout the heartache and the loss of God

I'll tell you 'bout the hopeless night

The meager food for souls forgot

I'll tell you 'bout the maiden with wrought iron soul

 I'll tell you this

No eternal reward will forgive us now for wasting the dawn

 I'll tell you 'bout Texas radio and the Big Beat

Soft, driven, slow and mad, like some new language

 Now, listen to this, and I'll tell you 'bout the Texas

I'll tell you 'bout the Texas radio

I'll tell you 'bout the hopeless night

Wandering the Western dream

Tell you 'bout the maiden with wrought iron soul