Johnson was born in the small town of Alamosa, Colorado, in the south-central part of the state; he grew up in Denver. He started playing the guitar at 13. In 1963, he began attending Colorado State University to study music but his college career was truncated when he won an international talent contest two years later. First prize included a deal with Epic Records. Epic released the song "Hills", written and sung by Johnson, as a single. Johnson began extensive touring of clubs and colleges, finding a receptive audience everywhere he went.
Wishing to hone his instrumental skills, in 1966 he set off for Barcelona, Spain, to the Liceu Conservatory, studying with the eminent classical guitarists, Graciano Tarragó and Renata Tarragó. Upon his return to the States, he joined Randy Sparks in a group called the New Society and did a tour of the Orient. When the band dissolved in 1967, he signed on with the Chad Mitchell Trio for a year, spending some of that time co-writing with another member, John Denver. The group was renamed Denver, Boise & Johnson. When the trio came to an end, Johnson made a radical departure from everything he had done previously by taking on a major supporting role in the off-Broadway production of "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris." The show visited New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago over the next year; by then, Johnson was ready to return to creating and performing his own music.
In 1971, Johnson signed with Atco Records to release his first album, There Is A Breeze, which was released in 1973 and produced by Johnson, Chris Dedrick, Peter Yarrow and Phil Ramone in New York and Toronto, Canada. Feeling this first effort wasn't a true reflection of his music (despite being a huge best seller in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area), Johnson self-produced his next LP in 1975, For All You Mad Musicians, relying more on his voice and guitar for a folk feel. He followed this up with Ain't Dis Da Life, where he added a rhythm section. With each new recording and his continued touring, his popularity was increasing. It was time to make a move on the national market.
Teaming up with Brent Maher and Steve Gibson in Nashville, Tennessee, Johnson created a two-song demo consisting of "Bluer Than Blue" and "Almost Like Being in Love" (the latter song from the Broadway musical Brigadoon). EMI America took one listen and wasted no time in signing him, quickly getting The Michael Johnson Album out in 1978. The first single, "Bluer Than Blue", became Johnson's first Top 40 hit, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the summer of 1978; the song became a chart-topping single on the Adult Contemporary chart. "Almost Like Being in Love" went to No. 91 on the R&B chart while hitting the Top 5 on the AC chart and the Top 40 on the pop chart. His next EMI album, Dialogue, provided his third big hit, "This Night Won't Last Forever" and a Gold Record for European sales of "I'll Always Love You."
Johnson recorded five albums in all for EMI and in 1985 moved over to RCA Records, where he adopted a contemporary country style that stayed compatible with his soft, mellow leanings; this shift was evident in his choice of duet partners country-pop singers Juice Newton and Sylvia. Johnson's change proved successful, as he scored five Top Ten country hits from 1986 to 1989, including the chart-toppers "Give Me Wings" and "The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder." After two country albums on RCA (plus two greatest hits collections), Johnson moved over to Atlantic Records in 1991, which effectively halted his commercial momentum. He recorded sporadically in the 1990s for smaller labels. In 1995, the country music group 4 Runner scored a minor hit with the single "Cain's Blood", for which Johnson co-wrote an updated version with Jack Sundrud of Poco. Johnson also proved to be a successful writer of print when he wrote "The Solo Performer" columns for the magazine Performing Songwriter from 1993 through 1998.
In August 2007, Johnson underwent successful quadruple bypass heart surgery. A charitable organization, "Friends of Michael Johnson," was temporarily set up to help defray medical expenses.
Johnson died July 2017, at his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the age of 72.
Doors
Michael Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why do there have to be doors
'Cause when you walked right out that doors of mine
It made me wonder why there are tears
Where is the end to all of these tears
Where's the face that use to cheer me up
Girl, that makes me wonder
Why do my arms just keep on reaching
To someone who's no longer there
What can I say besides I'm sorry
What can I say to change your mind
What can I do to make tomorrow yours and mine
Chairs
Why do there have to be chairs
It shows its empty now
There's no one there
It really makes me wonder
Why does my heart just keep on beating
Why do my arms just keep on reaching
To someone who's no longer there
What can I say besides I'm sorry
What can I say to change your mind
Why do I keep on holding on
A chance you'll walk back through the door
When my heart knows there's no hope anymore
Why do there have to be doors
Why do there have to be doors
The song "Doors" by Michael Johnson explores the sentiment of loss and heartbreak. The lyrics are contemplative and soulful, expressing the inner turmoil of someone who has been left behind. The singer questions why there have to be doors, which serve as gateways to separation, in his life. He is left wondering why there are tears and when will they end, and why his heart and arms keep reaching out to someone who is no longer there.
The stanza about chairs reflects the emptiness that is quite literally present in the absence of someone. The chairs are empty, and there is no one there. The singer is left wondering again, why his heart keeps beating and why he keeps reaching out to someone who has left. He questions what he can say to change the past and make a brighter future. The song ends on a sad note, questioning once again, why there have to be doors in our lives.
Overall, the song "Doors" captures the raw emotions of love lost and the pain that cannot be erased. The lyrics emphasize that doors, chairs, and objects we associate with the people we love can become painful reminders of our loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Doors
Why must there be doors that separate people?
Why do there have to be doors
Why do obstacles and barriers get in the way of relationships?
'Cause when you walked right out that doors of mine
It made me wonder why there are tears
Your departure caused me to question the reason for sadness and grief.
Where is the end to all of these tears
Where's the face that use to cheer me up
Girl, that makes me wonder
I am left wondering when this heartache will cease and longing for the return of a lost love.
Why does my heart just keep on beating
Why do my arms just keep on reaching
To someone who's no longer there
Despite the sadness and emptiness, my heart and arms still yearn for the love that once existed.
What can I say besides I'm sorry
What can I say to change your mind
What can I do to make tomorrow yours and mine
I am sorry for any wrongs I have committed and hope to reconcile with you for a better future together.
Chairs
Why must there be empty chairs that serve as a reminder of a lost companion?
It shows its empty now
There's no one there
It really makes me wonder
I am left to ponder why everything has changed and why I am alone.
Why do I keep on holding on
A chance you'll walk back through the door
When my heart knows there's no hope anymore
Why do there have to be doors
Despite knowing there is little chance for reconciliation, I still hold onto hope and am left questioning why doors must be a barrier to love and relationships.
Why do there have to be doors
Why must love and happiness be obstructed by barriers like doors?
Contributed by Liam C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@chicknwyre
I was an 18 year old DJ on the radio in northern Michigan when management changed and we went from AOR to a mis-match of country to big band to AC. This album was one of the few "modern" records we were allowed to play.
I went from 40-50 phone calls a night to maybe 3 (and one of those was my mother asking me to pick up something for her on the way home. So working from 6 to midnight left me with a lot of time just listening to music and the emotions of Michael's music captured me.
I seemed to connect to how so many of his songs spoke of lost love and I appreciated the emotions. Later I would realize that I never truly had any lost loves - what I thought was love at that age truly wasn't.
My wife of 38 years now was attending the same college as I was and her "journalism" class required her to interview someone. She interviewed ME and part of it included my thoughts on Michael's music.
She got a "C" - prof said her interview sounded like a teenie magazine "fan" review.
(But at least she was a fan of ME!)
I'm going to go buy a bunch of Michael's catalog as all I have is on warped vinyl in a trunk in my pole barn!
@dlynnatkinson
Michael Johnson is one of the most under-rated song writer and singer. Every song he sings is a gift to those who can hear. Such a powerful, yet soothing, voice.
@Kingkidama
He is never underrated and has always been popular across generations.
@rhettjackson461
Classic Michael Johnson. RIP sir. Your music has been a great friend of mine for well over 40 years.
@Marco_Sings_For_Seniors
Yes sir
@sherriealbaladejo2563
Im only 23 years old and this kind of song is on my playlist. #oldsoul❣️❣️❣️
@jrms185
magaganda kac pakinggan mga old songs😍😍
@fahraradovan1930
Sherriemae Albaladejo hi
@unicohijo2152
coz you rock!
@corkystorky
good for you, miss. But, this is a sad song, you like sad love songs, sweetheart?
@txtrang2515
It's OK. It's an Asian / Islander thing. We understand. I love this music too