Blog: Classic Rock Band Provides Great Memories

Recently, the argument in my first hour class has been whether or not The Doors are any good. Mr. Meara can’t stand The Doors and Mr. Finkelston “liked The Doors when he was in eighth grade.” Jenna Davis and I are, apparently, the lone fans of the 1960s rock band.

But I stick behind The Doors for four main reasons:

1. They’re catchy. If “Riders On The Storm” or “Light My Fire” comes on, you’re going to sing along. The lyrics are simple, yes, but fun to listen to.

2. Listening to songs by The Doors is the only time I’ve ever enjoyed listening to an organ.

3. I’ve had an odd connection with Jim Morrison ever since we procreated during the marriage lab in Biology. Yes, he was born in the 1940s and had been dead long before I got to him, but we combined genes nonetheless.

The fourth reason, and this is the most important reason, is probably my real motivation for being so defensive about the quality of music produced by The Doors.

4. The Doors were the connection I had with my dad as a child. This isn’t implying that I had some sort of terrible falling out with my dad and no longer see him, or that my memories of listening to The Doors with him are all I have left. They’re just good memories.

You see, I owe my musical interests entirely to my dad. My earliest recollection of music (music other than my mom singing me to sleep) is dancing wildly through the living room when I was four, sometimes in nothing more than pajama pants, while “Break On Through” screamed at me from the speakers.

If you don’t believe me, scan through the three hours of Danciger family films we have on VHS. Every fifteen minutes or so is video footage of me and my dad dancing and singing along to The Doors, while baby Audrey tries to film.

In the end, I can see where Mr. Meara and Mr. Finkleston are coming from. Their lyrics aren’t very complex; their instruments sound good, but it’s nothing new compared to everything else that was being put out in the sixties; Jim Morrison has a good voice, but again, nothing stand-out compared to everything else.

But The Doors were a huge part of my childhood. More importantly, they’re a huge part of my relationship with my dad, and I can’t help thinking of him whenever I hear their music. So they may not be the best, but the memories they bring me are worth it.