Hyacinth House

"Hyacinth House" is a song written and performed by the Doors. It appears on the band's final album with frontman Jim Morrison, ''L.A. Woman'' (1971). Its lyrics were written by Morrison, while the music was composed by keyboardist Ray Manzarek.

Composition

"Hyacinth House" was recorded on a four track tape machine, contrary to all the other album tracks which were recorded on a professional-quality 8-channel recorder.
Morrison recorded his vocals on the studio's bathroom due to the audio's resolution.

Withal the other songs on ''L.A. Woman'', the album liner notes list the track's songwriters as the Doors; the performance rights organization ASCAP shows the writers as the individual Doors members. However, the music has also been attributed to keyboardist Ray Manzarek, which references Frédéric Chopin's Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53 during the organ solo, and the lyrics to Morrison, while he was at guitarist Robby Krieger's beach house.

Lyrics

The title along with some of the lyrics, refer to the mythological Hyacinth, who was a beautiful youth and lover of the Greek god Apollo. According to the myth, Apollo accidentally killed Hyacinthus in a discus throwing contest when the latter ran to catch Apollo's discus in an effort to impress the god. After the unfortunate death, Apollo refused to let Hades claim the youth. Rather, from Hyacinthus blood, Apollo created the hyacinth, a plant with a fragrant cluster of flowers.

The lyricism of "Hyacinth House"
deeply express Morrison's sorrow. The line "someone who doesn't need me", refers to his troubles with his girlfriend Pamela Courson. Doors' drummer John Densmore said about Morrison's interpretation and lyrics, "He was re-examining, but not with regret. Toward the end, Jim said, 'Probably next time, I'd be a little solitary, Zen gardener working in his garden.' I don't interpret that as a regret, but he had a hunch." He therefore acknowledged it as one of Morrison's "saddest songs".

According to Krieger, the line heard in the song's bridge: "I see the bathroom is clear", is a reference to an occurrence when Morrison's friend Babe Hill left the studio's bathroom so Morrison could use it. Krieger has also said that the line "To please the lions" was inspired after Morrison was in Krieger's house and saw a baby bobcat that he had owned.

Reception

"Hyacinth House" has been alternately reviewed by both music critics and journalists. In a ''PopMatters'' review of the 40th Anniversary edition of ''L.A. Woman'', Nathan Wisnicki commented that Morrison's delivery is "a bit lethargic and flaccid," and found some of the lyrics to be "laughable". ''The Doors FAQ'' author Richie Weidman, declared "Hyacinth House" as "one of the strangest Doors' songs ever recorded."

''Stereogum'' critic Michael Nelson, who ranked ''L.A. Woman'' the second best Doors album, praised "Hyacinth House" as "secretly one of the Doors' finest songs" and that it
"still fits into the universe of ''L.A. Woman''." He viewed Morrison's delivery of the lyrics "And I'll say it again / I need a brand new friend" sounding "like a man who has seen way too much for his young age. Who knows what could've come after." ''Rolling Stone'' critic Narendra Kusnur considered it to be one of Morrison's 10 most underrated songs, saying that lines like "'I need a brand new friend who doesn't bother me, I need a brand new friend who doesn’t trouble me, I need someone, yeah who doesn’t need me' were charged with emotion, and were an example of Morrison’s intense side."

Personnel

Per 2007 reissue of ''L.A. Woman'' CD booklet:

The Doors
* Jim Morrison – vocals
* Ray Manzarek – Hammond organ
* Robby Krieger – guitar
* John Densmore – drums

Additional musicians
* Jerry Scheff – bass guitar

References

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The Doors songs
1971 songs
Songs written by John Densmore
Songs written by Robby Krieger
Songs written by Ray Manzarek
Songs written by Jim Morrison
Song recordings produced by Bruce Botnick