10 Darkest Rock Music Masterpieces
6. The End - The Doors
Was there ever a band more destined to spiritually tear itself apart as The Doors, or a frontman so mystically alluring and repulsively self-destructive as Jim Morrison? Morrison, a poster-boy for dorm-rooms across the world, was far from a peaceful prophet, and his yin-yang nature lies at the heart of every great Doors' track.
Equal parts narcissist, wise-man, misogynist, lover, poet, drug fiend, embracing and insular, Morrison spurred The Doors to some incredible dark-tinged psychedelic heights. The band conjured up many pop-rock gems full of invention and hooks, but for every sparkling Moonlight Drive, there exists a disturbing detour into Horse Latitudes.
The sprawling, eleven-minute long, The End, taken from the band's self-titled 1967 debut album, maps out a spine-tingling journey into one long bad trip, infamously reaching a crescendo with Morrison's words: “Father? Yes, son? I want to kill you. Mother? I want to...” Morrison himself was always ambiguous as to the true meaning and intent of the song, but what can't be denied is the track's enduring power to both mesmerize and distress.