Been Down So Long by The Doors

Album: LA Woman (1971)

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Songfacts®:

The title was inspired by Richard Farina's 1966 novel Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me - Farina died in a motorcycle accident two days after it was published. The lyrical content was driven by the band's sense that they were constantly being harassed by authorities, notably Jim Morrison's various arrests.

Farina, who was good friends with Bob Dylan, was also a singer. He married Joan Baez' younger sister Mimi in 1963 and performed with her as Richard & Mimi Farina.
Jim Morrison died shortly after this album was released. He did some of his best work on it, but still struggled with alcoholism and drug abuse. He went to Paris to relax, and died there under mysterious circumstances.
The phrase "been down so long, and it looks like up to me" was originally used by bluesman Furry Lewis in his 1928 song "I Will Turn Your Money Green." Bob Dylan used a different lyric from that song on his 1997 track "Tryin' To Get To Heaven."

Comments: 13

Mindy from Alberta, CanadaBDSM
Corey from West Portsmouth, Oh, AfghanistanOn some live performances, this song gas the same riff as Maggie M'gill
Maz from Los Angeles, CaAs much as I love Jim and the lyrics he wrote, you have to be amazed with the music the boy's put together...it always complements perfectly....love the DOORS completly
Smitty from Calgary, CanadaNo One Here Get Out Alive, is one of the best books I've ever read and it confirmed everything I questioned about Jim, and the Doors. It also puts everything into perspective about his lyrics
Only1out10livestr8 from In Your Uterus..., United StatesA very self-overwhelmed song showing how finished Jim was already still being so young, the loss of love for life, the beginning to love to die soon.
Joey from Tampa, FlI own "No One Here Gets Out Alive" but never really found the time to read it. I too own Ray's "Light My Fire" & loved it. If you really want to learn the REAL truth behind The Doors music, you should read "Moonlight Drive The Stories Behind Every Doors' Song".But about the song I love all of their blues work. I love the slide work by Robby. Krieger got his slide influence from bluesman, Robert Johnson.

Jim IS Dead!
Jim from Troy, Ny"No One Here Gets Out Alive" was co-written by Danny Sugarman, the Doors' second manager who later managed Ray Manzarek in his various other projects. None of the Doors have ever discredited the book as far as I know.
Shrek from CaitlinHe aint dead
Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScPure blues... genius.
Ayla from Edmonton, Canada"No one Here Gets Out Alive" is also a movie/DVD tribute to Jim Morrison.
Loretta from Liverpool, Englandwhat is "no one here gets out alive"?

if it is a doors bio book, i would like to know more. i have found that many are trash. I love "light my fire" by ray manzarek (the keyboard player). it is informative and poetic at once. cool!
Kathy from Jasper, AlI read in "No One Here Gets Out Alive" that Jim Morrison wrote this song after the Miami trial.
Adrian from Wilmington, DeGet down on your knees and give your love to me. NO, definitely no subliminal messages in this song...

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