Ship of Fools (The Doors song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Ship of Fools" | |
|---|---|
| Song by The Doors | |
| from the album Morrison Hotel | |
| Released | February 9, 1970 |
| Recorded | 1969–1970 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 3:06 |
| Label | Elektra |
| Songwriters | |
| Producer | Paul A. Rothchild |
"Ship of Fools" is a song written by Jim Morrison and Robby Krieger that was first released on the Doors' 1970 album Morrison Hotel. Live versions also appeared on several of the Doors' live albums.
Krieger described writing the song as follows:
There was a guitar line that I came up with, which I kind of stole from an old blues song that I heard when I was in high school. And Jim, I can't remember whether he just came up with the words right then or if it was a poem he had already done in high school.[1]
Krieger also felt that Morrison was an influenced by the fact that his father was a sailor.[1]
The song was recorded by the Doors' lineup of Morrison on lead vocals, Krieger on guitar, Ray Manzarek on keyboards and John Densmore on drums, supplemented by Ray Neapolitan on bass guitar.[2]
Lyrics and music
Allmusic critic Lindsay Planer described "Ship of Fools" as "a poetic musical paradox" with "buoyant syncopated rhythms" whose lyrics occupy "the familiar terrain between creation and demise."[3] Music critic Patricia Kennely described it as "ecology rock".[4] Pop culture writer Tony Thompson also regarded the ecology as one of the songs themes, as well as the "consciousness of the planet" that emanated from the Apollo 11 moon landing.[2] Far Out critic Jordan Potter described it as being about "the battle against capitalism and environmental dominion."[5] Doors' biographer Doug Sundling called it a song that "concisely describes the American trip."[4][6]
The first verse has an apocalyptic tone, opening with the lines "The human race was dying out/No one left to scream or shout."[3] The verse also optimistically references the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing before returning to a pessimistic line that "smog will get you pretty soon."[3]
The second verse references the counterculture of the 1960s and ends with the line "Hope our little world will last."[3] The third verse ends with a Mr. Goodtrips "looking for a new ship", and the singer telling the people to get on board.[3][2] Mr. Goodtrips has been speculated to be variously Jim Morrison's father, Neil Armstrong, Jerry Garcia or a drug dealer.[2]
The music opens with what Planer describes as a "tight, jazzy percolating riff" before shifting to a 2/4 beat for the start of the vocals.[3] Thompson felt that the opening riff is similar to that of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say".[2] There is also a musical interlude between the second and third verses.[3] Thompson commented on the "interesting, almost Prog-like interplay" between Manzarek, Krieger an Neapolitan throughout the song.[2] Allmusic critic Thom Jurek said that the song "contains shifting time signatures that cross jazz, R&B, and pop."[7]
The title of the song came from Katherine Anne Porter's 1962 novel Ship of Fools, which was a book about a sea voyage that serves as "a metaphor for the rise of fascism."[4][2]
