The cool thing about Steve Taylor is that he was a Christian artist with out EVERY lyric being biblical. He used "stories" and symbolism to make his point. His lyrics would always make me think about it longer that the song was on. One of my fave Christian artists!
Steve Taylor was one of those few people to come along and really shake things up. There has never been anyone quite like him. I think his lyrics are genius. Some people thought he was weird, but I just got it. I related to the music. He is singing again. Doing some stuff with Peter Furler he sang a creationfest this year. Awesome. :)
Steve Taylor was ahead of his time. Some of his writing was nothing short of prophetic in his assessments of culture. A master lyricist, and one of, if not the most underrated Christian artists of his era.
I was a massive Doors fan as a kid and then later got saved and discovering Steve Taylor back then and finding out that Christians made music that didn't suck was a real treat.
I remember listening to this song and tuning in to Mr. Taylor's voice. Reading the lyrics very carefully, he makes some references to Jim Morrison's career and life, as well as his grave. I don't think where he shot this video is the exact graveyard of where Jim Morrison's grave actually is, but he's pointing out the fact that everyone eventually goes to the grave at the end of their lives. Unfortunately, death is still the end of this life for sinners and christians. God told Adam in Genesis : For Out Of The Dust You Were Brought Out Of, And Dust You Shall Return As. Nothing can be done about that, its sadly the destiny of all human beings. No one lives forever in this life, but as far as the afterlife goes that's a different story altogether. It's sad to hear how certain people whether they be popular or not die in this life, but for those who are still alive, as always there's hope. The hope lies within Jesus Christ. It always has been, it always will be : Jesus Christ. Music has always been something of a universal language to everyone who listens, everyone responds differently. The Gospel Truth Of Jesus Christ speaks universally that everyone still responds differently to, but it has more of an eternal significance than anything else. Please.....repent of your sins and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ today.
I have stumbled upon Tom Macdonald and instantly loved his music. His message goes against social lies of today. I realize that Steve Taylor was very much like Tom back in the 80’s and 90’s. Both are men of integrity and embrace controversy of telling the truth…Wow, glad to hear this song again so many decades later.
Wow, seems like a lot of you missed the point. We're all just human-eventually we all die. Being a 'legend' means nothing...a grave is a grave -being talented doesn't make you more valuable than anyone else. But what a great video! Wish Steve would come back to the public with more music!
Brilliant lyricist! I saw him in concert at Creation in 1986 and Lancaster, PA when I was in college in the early nineties…a two-hour drive but well worth it! Many of my favorite Newsboys songs were co-written by him and Peter Furler; good to know they’ve partnered up in performance, too. In this song, I can sense his frustration that such a talented musician would squander his gift and die young: “I get weary, Lord, I don’t understand/How a seed gets strangled in the heart of a man”. Clever, yet haunting. Very different from “This Disco…” but just as effective!
Its a shame how few likes this has. This is top 5 Steve Taylor songs for me. Every lyric is on point and really makes you think. He is so good at saying something and really making you ponder on it.
"Jim Morrison's Grave" asks the age-old question: Does artistry justify being a weasel? The last line of the song is, "The music covers like an evening mist/Like a watch still ticking on a dead man's wrist." Morrison left the world some intriguing music. As far as I'm concerned, that's not enough. -Steve Taylor
"...and The Music covers like an evening mist, like a watch still ticking on a dead man's wrist, tick away............" Um, Wow, always wowed by Taylor and any band he's with!!!
Time magazine has a story about his death. A club owner in France has said Jim Morrison died from an heroin overdose, not from natural causes which was the original report. One other person has said that he helped bring the body from the club to Morrison's apartment, where they put it in the bathtub and then called the police. It's a good read. I read it and immediately thought of this song, which I haven't heard for years.
You don't know much about a poet's heart if you can simplistically state that Morrison was a 'stupid, dark man'. You don't know anything about his pain or the beautiful soul that saw the world differently than you and I. And this song is not a condemnation of Morrison. The song is about the tragedy and loneliness of a living legend's life being snuffed out too soon and being discarded in the cold earth.
Thanks for point that out, I have never heard this song in its entirety before. It is true that people even Christian artists and bands without realizing it. Mark Hall of Casting Crowns once said that if his music and message isn't uplifting to the kingdom of God, then it means nothing.
Today would have been Jim's 77th birthday!Happy birthday Mr.Mojo✌ from one of your biggest fans of all time. Drink one up there for me on your birthday man.YOU are very adorned and admired with so many loyal fans mourning your great accomplishments here on earth. I could go on forever about this so I'll leave it for the ages I guess like you did waaaaay to early.Far out man my all time favorite rockstar(poet really).✌
It isn't a mockery of Jim Morrison but rather an endictment of people's fascination with celebrity among other things. You might wanna do a search of his lyrics - you might find an appreciation for Steve Taylor's writing too.
Am I a pilgrim? Or another souvener hound? In the city of lights I set my sights On a king's domain. It was a manhole Dug over at the edge of town And a spray can scrawl on a cemetary wall says "You'd better behave" Jim Morrison's Grave It's getting cold here And there ain't a lizard in sight Did the end begin When you shed your skin In the home of the brave? Somebody shake him From the land of larger than life Where the remnant warn of a legend born In a dead man's cave. Jim Morrison's Grave I stay driven 'cause there's nowhere to park I can't shut my eyes, I'm a fraid of the Dark I lie awake That stone left me chilled to the bone Sound the alarm before it's done Find Jim Morrision Come away to Paris Let him see another day Let him fade out slowly Only fools burn away Let a true love show him what a heart can become Somebody find Jim Morrison Find Jim Morrison's Grave Ohhhh...... I get weary, Lord I don't understand How a seed get strangled in the heart of a man While the music covers like an evening mist Like a watch still ticking on a dead man's wrist Tick away Read more: Taylor Steve - Jim Morrison's Grave Lyrics | MetroLyrics
Steve Taylor; Jim Morrisons' Grave. Am I a pilgrim? or another souvenir hound in the City of Lights I set my sights on a king's domain It was a manhole dug over at the edge of town and a spray can scrawl on the cemetery wall said, "You'd better behave" Jim Morrison's grave It's getting cold here and there ain't a lizard in sight did the end begin when you shed your skin in the home of the brave Somebody shake him from the land of larger than life where the remnants warn of a legend born in a dead man's cave Jim Morrison's grave I stay driven 'cause there's nowhere to park I can't shut my eyes--I'm afraid of the dark I lie awake that stone left me chilled to the bone sound the alarm before it's done find Jim Morrison Come away to Paris let him see another day let him fade out slowly only fools burn away let a true love show him what a heart can become somebody find Jim Morrison find Jim Morrison's grave I get weary Lord, I don't understand how does a seed get strangled in the heart of a man then the music covers like an evening mist like a watch still ticking on a dead man's wrist tick away...
+Troy-David Phillps Wowzers!!! I left the 'church' too, but I still believe!! (I'm just replying there to the other people who left) Like a watch still ticking on a dead man's wrist!! Just a Genius Taylor is!! Check out the new stuff, STEVE TAYLOR & THE PERFECT FOIL!! SO DAMN GLAD HE'S BACK!!! AMEN!!!
He isn't judging the person by his drug use, he's judging the drug use itself and the fans that follow. If you know Taylor, he likes Morrison's music. He believes in the essense of music as well, opening your mind outside of Christian music and whatnot (I wouldn't call it purity by no means).
To some people, dwelling in Unhappy subjects or not keeping things "nice and Pretty" like a house and garden magazine is dark. Morrison definatley saw the world different than most people. Lord knows there is always lives getting snuffed to soon all the time. That singer from Blind Melon....what a loss. Seems like its never that mean asshole that glares at you while walking up to the store that gets handed the tragedy, despair or brain tumor and most undeserving the. ISOLATION. This world?
If you check the liner notes, it's a woman named Ashley Cleveland. She does for this song what Merry Clayton did for "Gimme Shelter" IMHO. Completely adds another dimension.
Music is a personal thing. I don't listen to The Doors. Out of the 1500+ CDs I own, not one of them is a Doors CD. But I do have 3 Steve Taylor related CDs. So yeah, in my musical journey - Steve has contributed more. So in a round about sort of way - that IS what I am trying to tell you. God bless ya.
i love the doors and i think jim morrison would agree with this songs message, or at least what i think it means, sure he made amazing music but he could have made alot more, done alot more, he killed himself young as shit, and people like him for the wrong reasons, because he did a ton of drugs, i like the lyrics to this and the idea behind it.
I'm pretty sure it's directly opposing Jim Morrison, as he was one of the most rebellious counterculture figures of the time period. The part where it says "And a spray can scrawl on a cemetery wall said 'You'd better behave'" is associating his rebelliousness with death, whereas Jim Morrison would have viewed rebelliousness to be a main reason for living (drugs etc.)
Hard hitting reminder of eternal consequences which most clergy don't have the courage to talk about.... Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain... these people all made fatal choices in their lifetimes which cost them their lives and souls... Was it worth it? Thanks, Steve!
Jesso, thanks! a bottle of jack, how was it to find the grave was it hard, any guards who told you were to go and so on? i need to know all about pére lachaise cemiteire :) would be great, keep the blues-rock! =) btw do you have any pictures on jims grave? plz send me would be awsome thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!
Steve Taylor on the song: "The idea started a couple of years ago when I went to Paris and visited Jim Morrison's grave. The experience made me think a lot about who Jim Morrison was and what he stood for. I was into The Doors' music and read a biography of Morrison called, No One Here Gets Out Alive. As I read the book, a picture emerged of Jim Morrison as someone who embraced the Rock-n-Roll myth, 'It's better to burn out than to fade away.'
Do you know him??? Steve is good friend of mine.. He's not mocking Jim.. He loves the edge of Jim.. Even if we don't have the same philosophy or theology, we can see trubadors that question why we walk as lemmings.. Questioning methods over substance. This could have been "Elvis Presley's Grave" or "John Lennon's Grave" or "Kurt Cobain's Grave" or "Ronald Reagan's or any human that many sat on edge for words and thought".... That's all that it is... Nothing More, Nothing Less...
I bought a 7" single 2nd hand back in the 90s it was unbranded & unlabelled like a demo or whatever. All it had was a typed white label with the name Steve Taylor & this title. I bought it intrigued, when I played it I remember thinking what a great f*cken song. Since that day I've considered it a favourite, fate I reckon
I liked this song when it first came out in the 80s love it now, especially the ending. I would have added more percussion to it to make it more intense though.
All anyone ever hears about Jim Morrison is that he was a "genius" - but not that he was deviant, destructive, megalomaniacal - his grave is testament to his hollow legacy. That, and the music lives on after the artist dies and has to account for himself before his Maker. Steve Taylor's satire (and 20 year old New Wave/Rock) packs twice the genius of any Doors dreck Morrison wrote.
First off, top 100 lists are complete crap and make no argument for talent or even influence. I am aware of The Doors' work as well as its impact and influence. But I am also familiar with Steve Taylor's work. And I can say with complete confidence that despite the occasional musical misfire in the 80s, Steve's lyrics transcend Morrison's fifty fold.
Love him or hate him dude was one hell of a once in a lifetime standout standup for his beliefs take no shit ima doit my way or the highway to hell kinda guy.and I love this dude too😢.probably only male I'll ever say that about in my lifetime other than my 2 boys or my father
This is such a manic video. Steve Taylor was a brilliant music video director (he also directed the _Squint_ video album and videos for Rich Mullins, the Newsboys, Guardian, and Whiteheart, among others). Too bad that never translated into a brilliant film directing career.
Yeah forgot about that. It's funny because the Newsboys actually had 3 albums worth of competent lyrics because of him. Then you see the records without Taylor and his absence in the lyrical dept is obvious.
guys, do you even know how hard it is to find jim morrisons grave? the "severed garden" is so big people can search for hours, learn something before you choose your opinion,
I Predict 1990 was a fine album with a lot of good songs on it, as was meltdown. I have 1990 on CD and still play it occasionally, it competes ok against all the classics in my collection.
I went to Jimbo's grave in Paris. I had to ask the people in French where is his grave. It is a good thing that i know French.I had in laws in Germany. That is how i got to France.
Today is July 3rd, 2013. Jim Morrison died 42 years ago today. 42 is said to be the answer to Life, The Universe and Everything. 42 is the number of camps the Bible lists between leaving in Egypt and arriving in the Promised Land. Coincidence?
Steve Taylor is try to fund a new album and tour on Kickstarter. Funding ends December 24, 2013. Check out the funny video on that site as well. Spread the news to all Clones.
I'm not too familiar with his solo work either, but he wrote a lot of material for the Newsboys and Guardian (maybe other bands, too... I'm not sure). Anyone who's been influenced by them has been influenced to some degree by Taylor's songwriting. He's one of my lyrical heroes.
You're right, people live as they want. The question is maybe they do it because of their idiocy? As in "Matrix", they all thought they rule the wold. It's not about commandments, it's about seing a little bit further than your nose. You're not a god, and things happen no matter you want this or not. I think at least Jim would prefer longer life if he knew more than drugs. And everything that he left just a grave. His music will die soon with those who adore him, couse many follow his example.
For those who have lost their faith, I recommend looking for Christ one more time in the near death experiences. I ditched fundamentalism after 22 years, and still believe Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected (after two days, not three), but I believe God will have mercy on more people than we dreamed possible, and many of other religions will be saved. Because a number of people who've seen the Spirit World testify there is some truth in all religions, eg Betty Eadie, Howard Storm, Joyce Brown. And all that stuff about the desert culture of the First century, the Pharisees etc, Jew and gentile, the merry go round of grace and works, it's just first century stuff. God's message is simple: Love others. Steve Taylor fans always did lean toward excessive intelligence, which can make for a heavier burden on the journey.
It was never really clear to me where he was going with this song. I assumed it was about the idol worship that people pay to a lost singer, when they should be paying the same respect to our Lord? That's what I was told it was about
Forgive me Lord, I don't understand How does a seed get strangled in the heart of a man When the music covers like a mean mean mist Like a watch still ticking on a dead mans wrist Tick away. All the talent in the world is nothing unless you use it for God. Morrison was very talented. There's a fine line between genius and insanity. He burnt out. That's wasted talent.
Just an FYI to something some of you have already mentioned. Jim's grave looks nothing like this anymore. No graffiti, modest remembrances, different headstone and metal barricades. Biggest disappointment: no headstone. An ex-pat told me that it was stolen in the late 80s. It's funny because when you walk up the hill to Oscar Wilde, his grave is covered in lipstick and other crap.
dld249 : oh. Is he? Of course, he was a human being, but a very gifted and talentious human being. :)) Hey Steve, when your musi'c over, turn out the lighs !.. :)) The song is not too bad, but it's obvious that Jim isn't comparable to Steve Taylor ...
@ljtucker10 Yeah, request it from Itunes, and have a profound reason. ;-) you're welcome. I recently requested Squint and had a persuasive reason. I hope to see it soon.
anything to do witht he 80s is cheesey and cmpy. the 60s were dangerous and wild. morrison was extremley spiritual and deep. ever hear of a shaman? look it up. morrisons lyrics especially in songs like ''not to touch the earth'' and fest of friends are so moving its saddening. noone can touch morrison cobain hendrix they werent about fun and games they were real and they were crazy- a real genuis lives live o the edge and relays the expierence to the cowards
