The poem was supposed to be a full side of a vinyl record or album, but the other members of the band thought that the extended poetic sections and overall length of the piece made a complete recording impossible. The band did attempt to record the full piece several times, but abandoned the idea when they were dissatisfied with the results. One musical passage from "The Celebration", Not to Touch the Earth, was put onto their third studio album Waiting for the Sun of 1968, the rest of the poems were published in the liner notes of the album
"Celebration" was performed in its entirety at a handful of Doors shows. A performance of "Celebration" can be heard on the band's 1970 live album Absolutely Live. The first recorded version wasn't released until the 2003 best-of album Legacy: The Absolute Best.
The Doors show at the Felt Forum in New York City, January 1970, captures Morrison making history on stage and on tape for eternity. Before reading the opus, he encourages the audience to use uncouth language loudly and clearly so that it will be recorded along with the performance.
"I don’t know if you are aware of it, but this whole evening is being taped for eternity and beyond that too... and so listen man, if you want to be represented in eternity, with some uncouth language... then I hope you’ll stand up on the top of your seat and shout it out very clearly or we’re not gonna get it on tape, right ? Don’t worry, the operation won’t take long and you’ll be much better in the morning."
Celebration of the Lizard
The Doors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dogs in heat, rabid, foaming
A beast caged in the heart of a city
The body of his mother
Rotting in the summer ground
He fled the town
He went down South and crossed the border
Back there over his shoulder
One morning he awoke in a green hotel
With a strange creature groaning beside him
Sweat oozed from its shiny skin
Is everybody in?
Is everybody in?
Is everybody in?
The ceremony is about to begin
Wake up
You can't remember where it was
Had this dream stopped?
The snake was pale gold
Glazed and shrunken
We were afraid to touch it
The sheets were hot dead prisons
And she was beside me
Old, she's not, young
Her dark white hair
Her white soft skin
Now, run to the mirror in the bathroom
Look!
She's coming in here
I can't live through each slow century of her moving
I let my cheek slide down
The cool smooth tile
Feel the good cold stinging blood
The smooth hissing snakes of rain
Once I had, a little game
I liked to crawl back into my brain
I think you know the game I mean
I mean the game called 'go insane'
Now, you should try this little game
Just close your eyes, forget your name
Forget the world, forget the people
And we'll erect a different steeple
This little game is fun to do
Just close your eyes, no way to lose
And I'm right here, I'm going too
Release control, we're breaking through, yeah
Uh
Way back deep into the brain
Way back past the realm of pain
Back where there's never any rain
And in the labyrinth of streams beneath
The quiet unearthly presence of gentle hill people
In the gentle hills around
Reptiles abounding
Fossils, caves, cool air heights
Each house repeats a mold
Windows rolled
Beast car locked in against morning
Rugs silent, mirrors vacant
Dust blind under the beds of lawful couples
Wound in sheets
And daughters smug with semen
Eyes in their nipples
Wait
There's been a slaughter here
Don't stop to speak or look around
Your gloves and fan are on the ground
We're getting out of town
We're going on the run
And you're the one I want to come
Not to touch the earth
Not to see the sun
Nothing left to do, but
Run, run, run
Let's run
Let's run
House upon the hill
Moon is lying still
Shadows of the trees
Witnessing the wild breeze
C'mon baby, run with me
Let's run
Run with me
Run with me
Run with me
Let's run
Not to touch the earth
Not to see the sun
Nothing left to do, but
Run, run, run
Let's run
Let's run
House upon the hill
Moon is lying still
Shadows of the trees
Witnessing the wild breeze
C'mon baby, run with me
Let's run
Dead president's corpse in the driver's car
The engine runs on glue and tar
C'mon along, we're not going very far
To the East to meet the Czar
The mansion is warm, at the top of the hill
Rich are the rooms and the comforts there
Red are the arms of luxuriant chairs
And you won't know a thing till you get inside, yeah
Run with me
Run with me
Run with me
Let's run
Some outlaws lived by the side of the lake
The minister's daughter's in love with the snake
Who lives in a well by the side of the road
Wake up, girl! We're almost home, yeah, c'mon
We should see the gates by morning
We should be insisde by evening
Ohh
Let the carnival bells ring
Let the serpent sing
Let everything
We came down the rivers and highways
We came down from forests and falls
We came down from Carson and Springfield
We came down from Phoenix enthralled
And I can tell you the names of the Kingdom
I can tell you the things that you know
Listening for a fistful of silence
Climbing valleys into the shade
I am the Lizard King
Retire now to your tents and to your dreams
Tomorrow we enter the town of my birth
I want to be ready
The Doors' 'Celebration of The Lizard' is a long, surreal and symbolic poem about a man who flees the chaos and disorder of his city and travels down south to Mexico to find some solace. The poem describes his bizarre experiences and disjointed thoughts as he alternates between dreams and reality. The opening lines depict the man’s desperation and confusion, as he encounters a violent and grave situation: lions and dogs are rampaging through the streets, and his mother’s body is decaying in the summer ground. He decides to escape his chaotic surroundings, but is haunted by his past memories as he crosses the border.
The poem then transitions into a dream-like sequence where the singer wakes up in a green hotel, lying next to a “strange creature” with sweat oozing from its skin. The refrain “Is everybody in? The ceremony is about to begin,” emphasizes the surreal and ominous atmosphere of the poem. The second half of the poem explores the man’s struggles with time and mortality, as he visualizes a snake and confronts his own descent into insanity. The poem concludes with a triumphant declaration by the man that he is the “Lizard King” and an invitation to retire to his tent and dream of tomorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Lions in the street and roaming
There is chaos and danger in the city
Dogs in heat, rabid, foaming
The city is filled with aggressive and uncontrollable individuals
A beast caged in the heart of a city
There is a sense of wildness and hostility lurking within the urban environment
The body of his mother
There is a connection to the past and a sense of loss
Rotting in the summer ground
The decay of the past is symbolized by the corpse of the mother
He fled the town
The singer escapes from the chaotic and oppressive city
He went down South and crossed the border
He seeks refuge and freedom in a different region
Left the chaos and disorder
Leaving behind the turmoil and disarray of his previous life
Back there over his shoulder
Despite his escape, he still carries the memories and remnants of his past
One morning he awoke in a green hotel
He finds himself in a new environment, possibly representing a fresh start
With a strange creature groaning beside him
He is accompanied by an unfamiliar presence, possibly reflecting his internal struggles
Sweat oozed from its shiny skin
There is a sense of discomfort and unease in this new setting
Is everybody in?
Is everyone ready and present?
The ceremony is about to begin
An event or transformation is about to take place
Wake up
Become aware and attentive
You can't remember where it was
There is a sense of confusion and disorientation
Had this dream stopped?
Is the dream or desired reality coming to an end?
The snake was pale gold
The snake symbolizes something alluring but dangerous
Glazed and shrunken
The snake appears lifeless and diminished
We were afraid to touch it
There is a sense of fear and apprehension towards this symbol
The sheets were hot dead prisons
The bedding represents confinement and discomfort
And she was beside me
There is a female presence or relationship that is close to the artist
Old, she's not, young
The woman appears to be ageless or timeless
Her dark white hair
Her hair color is conflicting or paradoxical
Her white soft skin
Her skin is described as soft and pale
Now, run to the mirror in the bathroom
The singer is urged to reflect and confront themselves
Look!
Observe and pay attention
She's coming in here
There is a sense of invasion or intrusion
I can't live through each slow century of her moving
The artist feels overwhelmed by the passage of time and the enduring presence of this woman
I let my cheek slide down
The singer submits or surrenders to the situation
The cool smooth tile
The coldness and hardness of the tile represents detachment and numbness
Feel the good cold stinging blood
There is a sensation of pain, but it is strangely satisfying
The smooth hissing snakes of rain
The rain is depicted as serpents, emphasizing its mysterious and unsettling nature
Once I had, a little game
The artist had a way of coping or distracting himself
I liked to crawl back into my brain
He found solace and escape within his own thoughts
I think you know the game I mean
The listener is invited to understand this coping mechanism
I mean the game called 'go insane'
The game involves losing touch with reality and embracing madness
Now, you should try this little game
The singer encourages someone else to engage in this escapism
Just close your eyes, forget your name
Detach yourself from your identity and surroundings
Forget the world, forget the people
Let go of external influences and distractions
And we'll erect a different steeple
Together, they will create a new reality or perspective
This little game is fun to do
Escaping reality can be enjoyable and liberating
Just close your eyes, no way to lose
There are no negative consequences in this world of imagination
And I'm right here, I'm going too
The artist is willing to join in this shared delusion
Release control, we're breaking through, yeah
Letting go of rationality and inhibitions leads to a sense of freedom and transcendence
Way back deep into the brain
Diving into the depths of the mind
Way back past the realm of pain
Beyond the realm of suffering and anguish
Back where there's never any rain
Returning to a place of emotional and mental stability
And in the labyrinth of streams beneath
Exploring the intricate and complex thoughts and emotions hidden within
The quiet unearthly presence of gentle hill people
Encountering peaceful and harmonious aspects of oneself
In the gentle hills around
Surrounded by these serene elements
Reptiles abounding
Reptiles symbolizing ancient instincts and primal desires are prevalent
Fossils, caves, cool air heights
Exploring remnants of the past and hidden depths within oneself
Each house repeats a mold
Society's expectations and patterns are repetitive and confining
Windows rolled
Windows closed off or concealed
Beast car locked in against morning
Suppressing wild or chaotic aspects until the morning comes
Rugs silent, mirrors vacant
The environment lacks vitality and reflection
Dust blind under the beds of lawful couples
The mundanity and stagnation of conventional relationships
Wound in sheets
Trapped or entangled in the confines of bedding
And daughters smug with semen
Suggesting a sense of arrogance or complacency in reproduction
Eyes in their nipples
Provocative imagery highlighting the objectification of women
Wait
Pause and stay alert
There's been a slaughter here
There has been a violent and brutal incident
Don't stop to speak or look around
Keep moving forward without distractions or hesitation
Your gloves and fan are on the ground
Symbolic items of disguise or protection have been discarded
We're getting out of town
Escaping and leaving the current environment
We're going on the run
Embarking on a journey of escape and freedom
And you're the one I want to come
The artist desires the company and support of another person
Not to touch the earth
Avoiding the harsh realities or dangers outside
Not to see the sun
Choosing to remain in darkness and ignorance
Nothing left to do, but
There are no other options or alternatives
Run, run, run
Emphasizing the urgency and necessity of escape
Let's run
Let us flee together
House upon the hill
A prominent and powerful residence
Moon is lying still
The moon is calm and unmoving in the sky
Shadows of the trees
The dim shapes cast by the trees
Witnessing the wild breeze
Observing the untamed wind
C'mon baby, run with me
Inviting someone to join in the escape and adventure
Dead president's corpse in the driver's car
Symbols of power and authority are corrupted and lifeless
The engine runs on glue and tar
The machinery that powers society is built upon fragile and unstable foundations
C'mon along, we're not going very far
Encouraging someone to join in despite the limited distance of the journey
To the East to meet the Czar
Heading towards an encounter with a figure of authority and power
The mansion is warm, at the top of the hill
The luxurious residence offers comfort and security
Rich are the rooms and the comforts there
The interior is filled with opulence and indulgence
Red are the arms of luxuriant chairs
The lavish furnishings exude a sense of decadence and extravagance
And you won't know a thing till you get inside, yeah
The true nature of this privileged world remains hidden until one becomes a part of it
Some outlaws lived by the side of the lake
Rebels or outsiders reside near the peaceful lake
The minister's daughter's in love with the snake
A forbidden or unconventional romance has developed between the daughter of authority and a dangerous figure
Who lives in a well by the side of the road
The snake lives in an ordinary and overlooked place
Wake up, girl! We're almost home, yeah, c'mon
An urgent call to awareness and action, as they are close to reaching their destination
We should see the gates by morning
They anticipate arriving at their intended location in the morning
We should be inside by evening
Their goal is to enter and establish themselves within their destination before the evening
Ohh
Expression of longing or anticipation
Let the carnival bells ring
Welcoming the excitement and celebration of their arrival
Let the serpent sing
Allowing the snake, symbolizing temptation or liberation, to have its voice
Let everything
Embracing all aspects and experiences
We came down the rivers and highways
They made their journey through various paths and routes
We came down from forests and falls
They descended from natural and untamed environments
We came down from Carson and Springfield
They traveled from different cities or towns
We came down from Phoenix enthralled
They arrived from a place of fascination and captivation
And I can tell you the names of the Kingdom
The artist possesses knowledge and insight into realms of power and authority
I can tell you the things that you know
There is a shared understanding and recognition of certain truths
Listening for a fistful of silence
Seeking moments of peace and tranquility
Climbing valleys into the shade
Embarking on a journey through challenging and hidden paths
I am the Lizard King
The artist proclaims their mastery and control over their own identity
Retire now to your tents and to your dreams
Encouraging others to retreat and reflect on their own desires and aspirations
Tomorrow we enter the town of my birth
They are on the brink of returning to their origins and confronting their past
I want to be ready
Expressing a desire to be fully prepared mentally and emotionally for the upcoming reunion
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Jim Morrison, John Paul Densmore, Raymond D Manzarek, Robert A Kreiger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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