The hook of the song is a distorted G5 chord played three times by guitarist Robby Krieger, followed by a brief percussive Wah-wah effect. Morrison begins nearly every line with the word blood, often referring to "Blood in the streets... blood everywhere...". A brief musical interlude is next, followed by a guitar solo, and a spoken word verse ("Indians scattered on dawn's highway bleeding..."). The song ends with a final chord as it segues into the next track, "Blue Sunday".
Peace Frog
The Doors Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's up to my ankles
There's blood in the streets
It's up to my knees
Blood in the street
The town of Chicago
Blood on the rise
It's followin' me
Just about the break of day
She came in
And she drove away
Sunlight in her hair
Blood on the streets
Runs a river of sadness
Blood in the streets
It's up to my thighs
The river runs down
The leg of the city
The women are crying
Red rivers of weeping
She came in town
And then she drove away
Sunlight in her hair
Indians scattered on dawn's highway bleeding
Ghosts crowd the young child's fragile
Egg-shell mind
Blood in the streets
In the town of New Haven
Blood stains the roofs
And the palm tress of Venice
Blood in my love
In the terrible summer
Bloody red sun of
Fantastic L.A.
Blood screams her brain
As they chop off her fingers
Blood will be born
In the birth of a nation
Blood is the rose of
Mysterious union
There's blood in the streets
It's up to my ankles
Blood in the streets
It's up to my knees
Blood in the street
The town of Chicago
Blood on the rise
It's followin' me
The Doors' song "Peace Frog" is a reflection of the turbulent times in which it was written. Released in 1970, during the height of the Vietnam War and civil unrest in the United States, the song speaks to the violence and bloodshed that was increasingly becoming part of American life. It speaks of the "blood in the streets" of Chicago and New Haven, and describes a city where women are crying "red rivers of weeping."
The lyrics also allude to the treatment of Native Americans, with the haunting line "Indians scattered on dawn's highway bleeding." This line suggests the violence and displacement that Native Americans faced as part of the country's expansionism. The song also speaks to the power of the sun, with references to "sunlight in her hair" and the "bloody red sun of fantastic L.A." This could be interpreted as a symbol of hope and renewal amidst the violence and destruction.
Overall, "Peace Frog" is a provocative commentary on the state of the nation at the time of its release. It confronts the issues of violence, racism, and social unrest head-on, making it a powerful and evocative song that speaks to the enduring spirit of protest and activism.
Line by Line Meaning
There's blood in the streets
Violence and chaos are rampant in society
It's up to my ankles
The situation is only starting to affect the singer
There's blood in the streets
Violence and chaos are rampant in society
It's up to my knees
The situation is becoming more dire and affecting the artist more heavily
Blood in the street
A literal depiction of the violence in Chicago
The town of Chicago
A location where the violence is particularly extreme
Blood on the rise
The situation is escalating and worsening
It's followin' me
The violence and chaos are difficult to escape and are affecting the artist personally
Just about the break of day
The morning is approaching
She came in
A woman entered the scene
And she drove away
She left as quickly as she came
Sunlight in her hair
She appeared in a bright and positive manner
Blood on the streets
A continuation of the violent theme in different locations
Runs a river of sadness
The violence is causing grief and pain
Blood in the streets
A continuation of the violent theme in different locations
It's up to my thighs
The violence is now directly affecting and overwhelming the artist
The river runs down
The violence is so pervasive that it can be described as a river
The leg of the city
The violence has become a part of the city itself
The women are crying
Innocent people are suffering and grieving over the violence
Red rivers of weeping
The crying is so extensive that it is as if the city is bleeding
She came in town
A woman entered the scene
And then she drove away
She left quickly, without making an impact
Sunlight in her hair
Her appearance was bright and positive but ultimately insignificant
Indians scattered on dawn's highway bleeding
A depiction of native people losing their lives during the spread of American civilization
Ghosts crowd the young child's fragile
The memory of past violence continues to haunt and traumatize the next generation
Egg-shell mind
The child's mind is vulnerable and easily impacted by the trauma around them
Blood in the streets
A continuation of the violent theme in different locations
In the town of New Haven
Another location where violence is prevalent and noticeable
Blood stains the roofs
The violence is so extreme that it has affected the architecture and infrastructure of the town
And the palm trees of Venice
Even in the idyllic scenery of California, violence continues to exist
Blood in my love
The violence has even impacted the singer's personal relationships
In the terrible summer
The violence is even worse during the hot and stifling summer months
Bloody red sun of
The hot sun is representative of the violence and chaos of Los Angeles
Fantastic L.A.
The glamour of Los Angeles is tarnished by the presence of violence
Blood screams her brain
The violence is so horrific that it is psychologically damaging
As they chop off her fingers
Torture and harm are becoming more specific and brutal
Blood will be born
The violence will continue to create more suffering and pain
In the birth of a nation
The violence is woven into the very fabric of society and culture
Blood is the rose of
The violence has become a symbol of a deeper, more complex force
Mysterious union
Violence is intertwined with the underlying structures and systems of society
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: John Densmore, Robby Krieger, James Morrison, Ray Manzarek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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