Peace Frog

by

The Doors

Album: Morrison Hotel     Released: 1970

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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger came up with the guitar riff. The lyrics were based on 2 of Jim Morrison's poems, one called "Abortion Stories," which is where the bloody images came from.

This was written in the studio. After Krieger got the guitar riff, they went through Morrison's notebooks and found the poems to create the lyrics. The first lines they got were "She came, she came, she came, just about the break of day."

The lyrics about the Indians refer to an auto accident involving a group of Indians that Morrison's family came across on the highway. Morrison, who was a child at the time, felt that the ghosts of the Indians took up residence in his soul. This scene is portrayed at the beginning of Oliver Stone's movie, The Doors.

The lyric "Blood in the streets of the town of Chicago" refers to the 1968 democratic convention.

The lyric "Blood in the streets of the town of New Haven" refers to Morrison's arrest in New Haven in 1967. Police were called when Morrison was seen getting intimate with a young girl before the show. An officer confronted Morrison, who was arrested on stage after he exposed himself and went on a rant against the police.

See the Songfacts Peace Frog.

Krieger recorded a version with Smashmouth for the 2000 Doors tribute album Stoned Immaculate.

Radio stations usually play this together with "Blue Sunday," which follows it on the album.

This song was featured in the 1998 movie The Waterboy. (thanks, Adrian - Gettysburg, PA)

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Comments:

There were riots in New Haven in 1967.
- Biker , Las Vegas, NV

you can yell and scream till you're blue in the face, but the FACT is that nobody actually saw Jim expose himself. not even Robbie, John or Ray saw it. so shhh. quiet time now.
- nady , Adelaide, Australia

Chloe, re-read my comments. I didn't say it was ALL about drugs. Nady, I'm glad you found a friend. What I think proves my point is the arguing over where, when and how often Jim exposed himself. LOL!!!!!!
- Guy , Benson, NC

This is my all time favorite Doors song...and for the record Jim morrison exposed himself in numerous places not just miami or New Haven
- Kait , Somewhere, OH

Re: Patrick (of Durham, NC) (shout-out: say hi to my sister Lisa; she lives next door in Chapel Hill). Some frogs, mostly in the South American Amazonian tropical rain forest, have an alkaloid known as bufotenine in their skins, a natural noxious agent that makes them unpalatable to would-be predators. Bufotenine has a chemical structure in the tryptamine group, which includes psilocybin, DMT, and LSD.
- mac , evanston, IL

I second that motion:)
- nady , adelaide, Australia

dear lord, guy....just....NO. i get the whole idolization thing, and i respect that, but bashing jim morrison AND syd barrett....its not all about drugs.
- chloe , St. Louis, MO

"Ghosts crowd the young child's fragile, eggshell mind" You're welcome Brandon:))))
- nady , adelaide, Australia

ghosts in the eggshell of the young child's mind, amazing
- Brandon , San Diego, CA

As much as I love the Doors, I hate the way Blue Sunday is tacked onto the end of Peace Frog. It's like they could not figure out how to end Peace Frog. Blue Sunday is just a total come down after the rockin' Peace Frog.
- Ray , Memphis, TN

Thanks Guy, I can tell that you obviously know quite alot about good music and that I respect. I do agree that some people can get carried away with the whole "rockstar" image, and I think thats why I do love the artist that was Jim Morrison, because he tried to deter the whole sex symbol hot rockstar image (hence the belly and the poor grooming). Words mean alot to me and it's his poems that I truly enjoy the most, not the drugs or the obssession with death, but the joy that his beautiful words bring to me. I definatley respect your opinion and see where your coming from, cheers. ('That's the Way' is definately my favourite Led Zeppelin song, again, beautiful words!)
- nady , adelaide, Australia

Nady, I can actually respect your response. I want to clarify that my comments aren't directed so much at Jim or any musician in particular, but really I get more irritated how people deify a man. I love Led Zeppelin and the Who, but they are all just musicians. Very good musicians, but nothing more. Plant and Daltrey et al are no more gods than Morrison. People sometimes get priorities out of order and read more into the musicians and their music than what is there. I appreciate your civility in our discourse.
- Guy , Benson, NC

OK Guy heres what I think: Jim was popular because of the marvellous songs he wrote and his most charismatic nature. But I do agree that his antics made him popular ONLY because he was really the first performer to ever do such things so publicly, thats why i think people took notice. Your free to talk about dead people with such disrespect, I just want you to know when you say it around people who clearly love The Doors and Jim Morrison it hurts. Jim definately holds a place in my soul and to hear someone bagging a man who, yes I think is BRILLIANT, it breaks my heart. All I am saying is have a little respect.
- nady , adelaide, Australia

Nady, nobody is "picking on Jim." I'm picking on the people who deify the man for being a musician. He garnered most of his popularity through his antics and ultimately his death. Now he his being held up as an icon above other much more talented musicians. I think most of his lyrics are infantile, you don't. It's a freedom we have here in the US and I believe you have it as well in Australia. So, I will continue to celebrate my freedom of speech by "picking on the deceased" as you say. However "brilliant" you may think they are.
- Guy , Benson, NC

jim didint expose himself, nobody actually saw it
- nady , adelaide, Australia

Aside from Ernie's mistakes about where Jim died I have to agree with much of his comments. Morrison was popular primarily because he made himself out to be a public nuisance. I AM THE LIZARD KING. Uh, yeah Jim. Whatever!!!! As for the 1992 poll that said the Doors were the most popular band among kids in High School....look at the demographic. Most of these kids walk around wearing Doors t-shirts, have the poster of ole Jim that says "American Poet"(Fail) and smoke dope and drop acid while they try to decipher the meaning of Jim's "poetry"(sample genius poetry "There's a killer on the road. His brain is swerving like a toad."). Why do I know this? Because I went to school with these folks. Many of the other kids were big into Pink Floyd and they fried their brains trying to explain why Syd Barrett was such a musical genius. Plenty of groups have great music/musicians or songs, but that's as deep as it goes. FLAME ON!!!!
- Guy , Benson, NC

mr ernie he actually died in his bath tub in paris.... of unknown causes... death certificate says heart failure... me smart :) oh and yay for jim morrison and the doors favorite band pfft... night club toilet.... what planet are you on man.
- little girl , a place, -

This song is a great example of Morrison's poetic genius. If you have a problem with this song, the Doors or Jim Morrison, why are you here in the frist place.. stop wasting your time and ours.. I mean obviously you have no sense of what's important in music, and what real lyrics are, and my guess is that you never will.. but leave us true music fans alone.. because we live on this.. the song's got a great beat and amazing lyrics.. the doors were simply the best.. and always will be. R.I.P Jim
- Morgan , Providence, RI

I suppose all who have expressed themselves here are the spiritual as me. All the Doors music more so the live material when listened to is a mind penetraing spiritual experience. The lyrics of Jim Morrison are undescribeable; genius. This dude was intelligent beyond my comprehension. At 38 yrs old in 2008 Jim Morrison was on the other side before I was born. Fortunately my 4 older siblings were Doors fans and vinyl albums were played in our home and passed down to me. I somehow was more affected by The Doors and Jim Morrison than they were. I cannot truly to this day define or explain my connection to The Doors. The Doors and their music is a huge part of me; my soul. I love The Doors for what impression on my soul they have inscribed into me. If you open your mind just a little and let The Doors in you'll agree with me 100% and hopefully will be at one with me. "Blood in the streets in the town of New Haven.........................."
- Christopher , New Haven, CT

Drummer John Densmore in his book about The Doors said that he gets asked to play "Peace Frog" more than any other song The Doors did.That was surprising I thought.Morrison got into a minor fracas with some cops in New Haven(not over penis exposure either),Densmore says Morrison was just trying to piss them off on purpose and they beat the crap out of him kind of unexpectedly.Why does everybody think every run in with the law involving Morrison involves his weiner?
- Mark , byrdstown, TN

amazing song Jim morrison is THE MAN
- Seamus , cloumbia, CT

Ernie, why look into his songs' lyrics than, you being very conservative guess your father was with the NHPD back in the 60's (lol)
- Eric , Maastricht

Jessy, I'd be interested in hearing you explain why you think that silly pretentious libertine was a shaman. The mystic idiot died on a nightclub toilet. The Lizard King perished on the throne. Did he experience a vision of that in the desert? This song is about his witch girlfriend aborting his child. The lyrics are as meaningless as Morrison's hedonistic life. The spirit possession passage is particularly embarrassing in both style and content and reveals what a self-deluded jackass and narcissist he was.
- Ernie , Dover, DE

Peace Frog is one of the only songs that can hold a crowd spell boud duiring a concert
- shane , Athlone, Ireland

The doors were way before there time they did a nation wide survey of high school kids in 1992 the favorite band was THE DOORS
- GREG , SALEM, MA

?The opening riff sounds like Jefferson Airplanes "Volunteers" - Roger, America, PA" Thats funny because while Morrison and the airplane played together a lot, Morrison hated them, he said they were too loud and played as loud and however they wanted, reguardless of what the rest of the band was doing.
- Tristan , Philadelphia, PA

My favourite line is "Blood will be born in the birth of the nation." It refers to the past - as long as there are different nations there will always be BLOOD!
- Dubravko , Kakanj, Bosnia

Im a huge Doors fan, and yet I did not know why the song was titled peace frog. Thanks for the help in that, also I think the blood in the streets in new haven has to do with the black panthers riots. I could be way off, but thats what I heard. Morrison never exposed himself in New Haven.
- Tristan , Philadelphia, PA

Peace Frog is relative to the Boiling Frog theory. The boiling frog story states that a frog can be boiled alive if the water is heated slowly enough — it is said that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will never jump out. Basically what Jim was telling us, as long as we were pacified by a phony, civil, controlled, illusion of peace, the heat(the cops) would continue to get hotter, until the "blood in our streets were up to our ankles, up to our knees", and now in 2007, we are freedom, privacy, and rights have been "boiled away"
- Bob Tank , Kansas City, MO

I LOVE THIS SONG!!! I like how Jim Morrison uses two of his wonderful poems to create the lyrics. I also love the riff, Robbie is a wonderful guitarist. Another thing is that the two poems he uses refer to his own life and actually events. Altogether great song. The Doors rock!!!!!!
- Shannan , Wilmington, DE

"Blood is the rose of mysterious union" comes from Jim's witch wedding with Patricia. Rose is a literary symbol for union. A witch wedding is obviously somewhat mysterious, and the couple cut themselves and mix each other's blood; i.e., "Blood is the rose of mysterious union." Also, this song originated as a poem. Robby came up with the guitar lick one day and Jim was not around, so the other 3 guys went into his note book and found a poem called Peace Frog. As for the Blood imagery, Jim loved the girls, and in his poetry he talks about virgins; well, in Peace Frog note the lyrics "she came." Jim took some virginities he took them in Chicago, he took them in the town of New Haven, and remember when Jim lived in Venice, he live on the roof tops of Venice Beach, CA, so he probably took some virginities there as well. I am a fan of Morrison's poetry, but even Jim would tell you that "[his] poetry does not say anything. It means what every you want it to mean. It just ticks off possibilities. Opens doors. And you can walk through which ever one you suit." Jim also said that he writes poetry to deliver people from the usual way they think.
- Michael , Jacksonvillw, FL

Uga, los angeles, CA, Blood in New Haven does make perfect sense. New Haven was the first time a singer was arrested onstage. But what happened after and before that makes the blood part relative. Here's what happened: The NHPD was called in to dp the security for the show. It was about 20 minutes before they went on when the Police decided they would clear out the backstage area.However, Jim Morrison was in a private shower room making out with a young groupy. The cops, being conservative as they were, didn't know who Jim Morrison was. He was reported in as a Long haired hippy with some girl. The police went to check it out and found him there. They told him to leave immediately but he refused. He didn't point out he was The Doors lead man for god only knows what reason. He just hated 'The Establishment'. After refusing and getting verbally into it with the cops, the maced him and beat on him. He ran into The Door's room and it was quickly broken up. After convincing the cops he would behave, he was allowed to go onstage. However, while singing Backdoor Man, he went on a anti-police rant and told the story about what happened backstage. The cops disliked this and came to arrest him mid-performance. He taunted them onstage too, putting the mic to them telling them to 'say your thing'. They immediately started beating him and arrested him. After this, a full riot started with the crowd. The cops started beating the young people there, arresting about 20 of them. There were several reporters there and it was all caught on film. Do there is no doubting whether or not it happened. He was brought in on several charges and was finally released on bail for 2500 dollars. However, with all the mounting evidence of police brutality and pressure form the media which had been there and recorded it(Police brutality was unheard of then. They would have never been put in court), the courts found his 'crimes' only worthy of a 25 dollar fine. Blood in New Haven probably has to do with this incident and the brutality and beating. Some even witnessed and photographeed further abuse on Jim Morrison in the parking lot. After this, the FBI kept an active file on him at all times. As for Venice, another riot. Hippies rioted in LA one summer during the first couple of years The Doors were together. It was an entire summer of conflicts on the Sunset Strip between the hippies and the police. It started with an exodus of hippies to the free-spirited LA. This caused distress for store owners because they were bad for business. They never had money and they scared away the older generation's business. The people who actually had money. Eventually, the police were called in to keep the hippies away from the Strip. However, almost immediately, conflicts broke out between the hippies and the police. This lasted all summer. Thus the line 'Blood in my love in the terrible summer'. I also do know that Jim Morrison was litteraly homeless for about a year in the Venice Becah area. He lived on top of an abondened building with nothing but his books ( His prized and only possessions) and a candle to read with. This is where he 'heard' and wrote almost all of their songs. He supposedly wrote them down after taking a huge amount of LSD one night and actually hearing a concert in his head. All of their early songs were part of it. This is also in direct correlation to becoming a shaman in which a shaman hears the spirits play his power songs. This is where his beliefs in Indian Shamanism took off. He literally lived like a shaman until his death, which for me confirms he was indeed a shaman. Hope I answered a lot of the question you guys were asking. I am very interested in the Doors and are really 'the' most influental band ever in my opinion. I have read several books and web pages on them. The best of which I think is 'Break On Through: The Life and Death of Jim Morrison' by James Riordan, Jerry Prochnicky
- Jessy , A Town, KS

the line about ghost in the young childs egg shell mind is about this time when jim morrison was like four and he saw the car accident and all these indians were dead on the rode and i gusse like all their spirts were like just running around and just diecide to go into the brain of jim morrison.... well acording to jim.
- katie , newport beach, CA

Sounds like Nirvana was just influenced by The Doors in smells like teen spirit. They didnt copy anything but the idea of the guitar riff's.
- mitchell , Rocky Mountain house, Canada

Peace Frog is also the name of a great doors tribute band based out of Venice Beach, CA. They have been joined on stage by members of the doors in Hollywood and have an extensive track record performing nationally as well as internationally. check them out. peacefrogband.com
- Max , Los Angeles, CA

Love the Guitar riff. I thought Jim Morrisons Indian name was "The Lizard" or something. How is this like smells like teen spirit. Dan is correct, I just heard that version.
- Johnny , Los Angeles, CA

Teen spirit and peace forg are hardly alike. If you played you would know... Groovy song, loved the harmonized solo
- Kurdt , Concord, NH

Lauren has the right idea. Kurt even said he was trying to rip off Boston when he wrote the song. Them and the Pixies.
- Kurdt , Concord, NH

actually i read that jim morrison had a few other minor offences in new haven and eventually was asked not to come back.and im guessing that venice refers to santa monica.(i.e. venice is a ghetto of l.a.)
- matt , columbus, OH

I hear more of a similarity between "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "More Than a Feeling" by Boston Than I do w/ "Peace Frog"
- Lauren , State College, PA

I am working on some stories related to the Doors. Does anyone know for certain where the Chicago, New Haven, and Venice references in this song come in? I can believe the Chicago 1968 allusion, but Venice & New Haven make no sense. (Blood in the palms of Venice, blood on the streets of New Haven) Also, if Peace Frog is Morrison's "Indian Name" who gave it to him? Or how did he make it up? If you can cite another website or book that'd be even better.
- Uga , los angeles, CA

first of all, GHB is a chemical drug, you dont get it off of frogs. secondly, GHB doesnt only affect women, though it is mostly commonly known as the date rape drug. i think that the most important thing to keep in mind when trying to understand morrison's lyrics is that they dont always make sense. you cant dissect them line for line and still get meaning from the whole. stream of conciousness writiing is best understood in terms of themes. i agree with dan from los angeles, with the lyrics having double meanings. i think a major theme of the song is death, and how it has interacted with morrison throughout his life. anyways, those are just some random thoughts on this song, which i think is a very underrated song, as with much of the doors' material.
- robyn , waterloo, Canada

"Peace Frog" was used in the HBO show Entourage. Season 1, Episode 6. Titled "Busey And The Beach" The boys look off as the sun sets on the Pacific, enjoying the moment. Fade to end credits. Artist: The Doors Song: Peace Frog It is EXTREMELY rare for The Doors to allow any of their songs to be used for any movies or tv. It just shows you what a great show Entourage is. They also used "Love Street" in another episode that aired this year. Season 2, Episode 18. Titled "The Bat Mitzvah" Mandy pulls up to tell Vince how she feels. Artist: The Doors Song: Love Street
- Mike , Philadelphia, PA

The opening riff sounds like Jefferson Airplanes "Volunteers"
- Roger , America, PA

I rented the waterboy just to hear this song in it. this is probly my favourite doors song. It does sound similar to smells like teen spirit.
- Brandon , Saskatoon, Canada

the opening riff is nothing like smells like teen spirit at all
- eric , Fargo, ND

jim morrison didnt expose himself. period. it was a hoax that J. Edgar Hoover put on to put Jim Morrison out of the power he had over people cuz the FBI are just a bunch of a-holes
- eric , Fargo, ND

GHB the date rap drug is whats on the backs of frogs i think. Guys can take it for some reason some guys bodies (ONLY GUYS!) can handle it, Women of course can't handle it.
- Jayme , Pittston, PA

Peace Frog was Jim's Indian name.
- Fuko , Oakland, CA

Good call on similar guitar riffs between this song and Smells Like Teen Spirit...I can definitely tell
- Justin , Chicago, IL

i really thought this song was about Jim licking a frog and getting stoned.
- jordan , renton, WA

doesnt anyone feel that 'nirvana'took the opening guitar riff for the song "smells like teen spirit". Its almost identical
- jon , sydney, Australia

The name "Peace Frog" has nothing to do with the song. It was a meaningless tag.
- Bryan , Nova Scotia, Canada

I don't think they (The Doors) meant to sell it for profit but rather as a tribute to Jim seeing as how he was from L.A. and the X-Games were hosted in L.A.
- Chuck , Los Angeles, CA

F.Y.I. --- This song appears in "The Waterboy" motion picture as well as the soundtrack.
- Chuck , Los Angeles, CA

The instrumentation for this song and Morrison's lyrics were recorded in two different takes. This is what gives the lyrics a somewhat detached feeling from the music.
- Ali , East Lansing, MI

This song was in an X-Games Promo..I thought the doors didnt sell there songs out
- Peter , Providence, RI

Appeared in a commercial for the 2004 X Games.
- Amit , Fair Lawn, NJ

Its true the "indecent exposure incident" was in Miami
- Fred , Myrtle Beach, SD

this song represents more than hallucinogens and exposition. it represents WAR and BLOOD. i like dan's comment
- debi , ridgecrest, OR

a song with dark lyrics, and yet a strangely upbeat style. its easy to hear the song without even realizing what its truly about
- Terri Lynn , Heart's Desire, Canada

Morrison did not expose himself in New Haven. He exposed himself in Miami I believe.
- Greg , Mt. Pleasent, MI

Peace Frog: in some cultures frogs that have hallucinogenic properties are licked and you feel inner peace
- Patrick , Durham, NC

"Blue Sunday" follows, not precedes, "Peace Frog" on the album. Morrison intertwines the themes of abortion and social unrest in the lyrics with many lines having double meanings. For example, "Blood is the rose of mysterious union" can refer to revolution in the United States (the union) or abortion resulting from sex ( a union of two people).
- dan , Los Angeles, CA

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