Twenty-four years after its original US release, "Break on Through" became a minor hit in the UK, peaking at #64 in the singles chart.
The song also appears as track one on the band's debut album. Elektra Records' censors objected to the drug use implied by the line "she gets high", which is repeated in the middle section of the song (after the line "everybody loves my baby"). The original album version and all reissues until the 1990s have the word "high" deleted, with Morrison singing "she gets" four times before a final wail. Live versions and more recent, remastered releases have the full line portion restored.
The song is in 4/4 time and quite fast paced, the tune being similar to that of blues guitarist Elmore James' "Stranger Blues".
The piece begins with a jazz-flavored drum groove similar the opening phrases played by Billy Higgins on Dexter Gordon's "Soy Califa," in which a clave pattern is played as a rim click underneath a driving ride cymbal pattern. John Densmore appreciated the new (at the time) Bossa Nova craze coming from Brazil. So he decided to use it in the song.
It is then joined in by a disjointed quirky solo on the organ quite similar to introduction of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say", which has a few intentional misplaced notes in it, while the bass-line, similar to a typical bass line used in bossa nova, continues almost unhindered all of the way through the song.
Robby's guitar riff initially came from the Paul Butterfield song "Shake Your Moneymaker." He changed around some of the notes, as well as the beat and came up with the guitar for the song.
Break on Through
The Doors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Interesting Facts ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Night divides the day
Tried to run
Tried to hide
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side, yeah
Dug our treasures there
But can you still recall
The time we cried?
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Yeah
Come on, yeah
Everybody loves my baby
Everybody loves my baby
She get
She get
She get
She get high
I found an island in your arms
Country in your eyes
Arms that chain us
Eyes that lie
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through, oww
Oh, yeah
Made the scene
Week to week
Day to day
Hour to hour
The gate is straight
Deep and wide
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through
Break on through
Break on through
Break on through
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Break on Through is one of The Doors' most iconic songs, released on their debut album also titled The Doors in 1967. The song's opening lines, "You know the day destroys the night, Night divides the day" illustrate the dichotomy of life and its contrasting elements. In the song's next few lines, the band touches on themes like hiding and secrets, and futility in trying to escape worldly troubles. The phrase, "Break on through to the other side" is repeated throughout the song and stands as a transparent metaphor for striving to overcome struggle and find inner peace.
The middle verses in the song are more reflective, as lead singer Jim Morrison touches upon past experiences and finds solace in his current love. He mentions digging for treasures while hinting that past grief lies just beneath the surface. Morrison then asks the listener if they "can still recall the time we cried?" before imploring them once again to "break on through to the other side". In the final verses, the song becomes more frenetic and upbeat, and Morrison repeats the song's title as if in a daze, culminating in a magnificent crescendo with the repeated lines "Break on through, oww, oh yeah".
Interesting Facts
Note: This section uses generative AI, which can be inaccurate.
Line by Line Meaning
You know the day destroys the night
The day can be so overwhelming that it intrudes upon what should be a peaceful night.
Night divides the day
This line is a follow-up to the previous line, explaining that night tries to keep a check on the impact of day.
Tried to run
Perhaps they tried to escape the issues related to time, with the realization that they were unable to do so.
Tried to hide
They may have had to face issues in the past and had tried to avoid them, however, they realize that it's better to face them.
Break on through to the other side
The song's title is about moving on from something and is quite motivational.
We chased our pleasures here
Talking about the joy that they sought and the things they did to gain happiness.
Dug our treasures there
They went digging to find treasures that could offer them a source of joy, but many of them were short-lived.
But can you still recall The time we cried?
Even after chasing various pleasures and treasures, they were not able to escape sadness and cry out of pain.
Come on, yeah
A simple expression encouraging them to keep going and trying harder.
Everybody loves my baby
They have found someone whom everyone loves.
She get high
Though they are worried about what drugs might be doing to her, people are still in awe of her attractiveness.
I found an island in your arms Country in your eyes
In their loved ones' arms, they found a sheltered place where they felt protected and safe. Her eyes had enough depth to look like a diverse entity altogether.
Arms that chain us Eyes that lie
But, as amazing as it was to be in their loved one's arms, they now started feeling trapped while trying to keep up with her lies that are so hard to believe.
Made the scene Week to week Day to day Hour to hour
Suggesting that the weeks seem to blend together, and one finds themselves rushing from day to day, trying to keep up with the day's tasks.
The gate is straight Deep and wide
The door to the other side is not only wide enough, but it is also straight, implying that they don't need to follow too many regulations to get there.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
A simple chant that helps one gain some motivation to break on through to the other side.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: John Densmore, Raymond Manzarek, Robert Krieger, James Morrison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Josemanuel Orona
algo para la banda
Ari Kinnunen
@Poxy Oh yeah 😺👍.
After hearing this album,
I had to listen to the other albums from
THE DOORS 🇺🇲 😺👍.
I also tested the other 1960's rock bands,
such as...
- YES
- THE WHO
- BUDGIE
- ATOMIC ROOSTER
- FREE
- LED ZEPPELIN
- DEEP PURPLE
- URIAH HEEP
They are absolutely great 😺👍.
RACHEL PIMENTA
You know the day destroys the night
Night divides the day
Tried to run
Tried to hide
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
We chased our pleasures here
Dug our treasures there
But can you still recall
The time we cried
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Everybody loves my baby
Everybody loves my baby
She gets, she gets
She gets, she gets
I found an island in your arms
A country in your eyes
Arms that chain us
Eyes that lied
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through uhh, ohh yeah
Made the scene from week to week
Day to day, hour to hour
The gate is straight
Deep and wide
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through, break on through
Break on through, break on through
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, ...
lo
The only bad thing about this song is that it ends
No Name
Joe Biden opened the Mexican border and keeps this song on loop
Uncle Ruckus
@No Name it's a good song. Would be the only thing he ever did right
Nicolás Salinas
@No Name 😂
Fon Fon
You got that right🤟🏾🤟🏾🤟🏾
Dr. Gonzo
We’re living in the wrong generation
SkyNet General
The doors definitely got to the top of the mountain of music . They can rival any band of the 60s.
Addison
Is that a joke?
Rtb1
@AddisonNah, I agree, the only band that could possibly get in their way are The Beatles for me, these two are top.