THE DOORS - BREAK ON THROUGH (TO THE OTHER SIDE)

Publicada: 1 de gener de 1967  

Llistes d'èxits: EUA: #126  Regne Unit: #64  

"Break On Through (To the Other Side)" de The Doors és la primera cançó del seu àlbum debut de 1967, “The Doors”, i també es va llançar com el seu primer senzill a través d’Elektra Records. Tot i que inicialment va tenir poc èxit als EUA, només arribant al número 126, va esdevenir una peça clau en les actuacions en directe de la banda. Dècades més tard, la cançó va guanyar una nova atenció quan es va reeditar com a single per a la banda sonora de la pel·lícula “The Doors” d’Oliver Stone, aconseguint breument entrar a les llistes del Regne Unit i assolint el número 64.

"Break On Through (To the Other Side)" reflecteix la fascinació de Jim Morrison per la rebel·lia i el caos, capturant el seu desig de trencar amb les normes establertes. Morrison va descriure el seu interès per la revolta i el desordre, cosa que es manifesta en l’energia intensa i concisa de la peça. Amb una durada de menys de dos minuts i mig, la cançó recull un tema comú en la música dels Doors: la creença que les experiències físiques poden portar a una visió espiritual més profunda. Aquesta urgència i el focus en trencar fronteres van esdevenir elements definitoris tant de les lletres de Morrison com de la identitat de la banda.

A "Break On Through (To the Other Side)," la frase original de la tornada, “she gets high,” va ser modificada pel productor Paul Rothchild, que va pensar que la referència restringiria la seva emissió. Rothchild va convèncer la banda d'ometre la paraula "high," donant lloc a un so ofegat (“she get uuggh”), tot i que en els concerts en directe es mantenia la lletra original. La reedició de l’àlbum el 1999, supervisada per l'enginyer original Bruce Botnick, va restaurar la frase censurada. Botnick també va retornar el llenguatge censurat de Morrison a "The End", portant ambdues cançons més a prop de la seva intenció original.

Jim Morrison es va inspirar per a aquesta cançó en la novel·la “City of Night” (1963) de John Rechy. Morrison va incorporar la frase de Rechy “the other side” (“l’altre costat”), així com una frase sobre moure’s "place to place, week to week, night to night” (de lloc en lloc, setmana a setmana, nit rere nit), que va adaptar a la lletra per transmetre un sentit de moviment incessant i d’exploració de límits.

La melodia de guitarra de Robby Krieger es va veure influïda per la cançó "Shake Your Money Maker" de Paul Butterfield Blues Band, del seu àlbum debut de 1965. Gran admirador de Butterfield, Krieger es va trobar imitant el riff de forma natural mentre treballava en la peça.

Elektra Records va encarregar un film promocional per a "Break On Through (To the Other Side)", dirigit per Mark Abramson. El vídeo, amb Jim Morrison cantant la cançó, estava destinat a mitjans televisius però va rebre poc temps d'emissió, ja que la banda encara era relativament desconeguda en aquell moment. Posteriorment, el vídeo es va utilitzar en concerts durant 1967 i 1968, així com en diverses compilacions de vídeo i es va emetre a MTV. Igual que The Beatles, The Doors van ser pioners en el mitjà del vídeo musical, creant acompanyaments visuals per a les seves cançons.

THE DOORS - BREAK ON THROUGH (TO THE OTHER SIDE)

Released: January 1, 1967

Charts:  US: #126  UK: #64 

The Doors' "Break On Through (To the Other Side)" is the opening track on their 1967 debut album, “The Doors”, and was also released as their first single by Elektra Records. Although it initially charted poorly in the U.S., only reaching number 126, it became a mainstay in the band’s live performances. Decades later, the song gained renewed attention when it was reissued as a single for the soundtrack of Oliver Stone’s “The Doors” movie, briefly charting in the UK, where it peaked at number 64.

"Break On Through (To the Other Side)" reflects Jim Morrison's fascination with rebellion and chaos, capturing his desire to disrupt established norms. Morrison described his interest in revolt and disorder, which comes through in the song's intense, concise energy. The song, lasting under two and a half minutes, capture a theme common in the Doors' music: the belief that physical experiences can lead to deeper spiritual insight. This urgency and focus on breaking boundaries became a defining element of both Morrison’s lyrics and the band’s identity.

In "Break On Through (To the Other Side)," the original chorus line "she gets high" was altered by producer Paul Rothchild, who believed the reference would restrict airplay. Rothchild convinced the band to omit "high," resulting in a stifled sound (“she get uuggh”), although live performances retained the original lyrics. The 1999 album reissue, overseen by original engineer Bruce Botnick, restored the uncensored line. Botnick also reinstated Jim Morrison's censored language in "The End," returning both tracks closer to their original intent.

Jim Morrison drew inspiration for this song from John Rechy's novel “City of Night” (1963). Morrison incorporated Rechy's phrase "the other side," as well as a line about moving "place to place, week to week, night to night," which he adapted into the song's lyrics to convey a sense of relentless movement and boundary-pushing exploration.

Robby Krieger's guitar melody was influenced by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's song "Shake Your Money Maker" from their 1965 debut album. A big fan of Butterfield, Krieger found himself naturally emulating the riff while working on the track.

Elektra Records commissioned a promotional film for "Break On Through (To the Other Side)," directed by Mark Abramson. The video, featuring Jim Morrison singing the song, was aimed at television broadcast outlets but received little airplay due to the band's relative obscurity at the time. It was later used in concerts during 1967 and 1968, as well as in various video compilations and aired on MTV. Like The Beatles, The Doors were pioneers in the music video medium, creating visual accompaniments for their songs.