Been Down So Long

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

Well, I've been down so Goddamn long
That it looks like up to me
Well, I've been down so very damn long
That it looks like up to me
Yeah, why don't one you people
C'mon and set me free

I said, warden, warden, warden
Won't you break your lock and key
I said, warden, warden, warden
Won't ya break your lock and key
Yeah, come along here, mister
C'mon and let the poor boy be


Baby, baby, baby
Won't you get down on your knees
Baby, baby, baby
Won't you get down on your knees
C'mon little darlin'
C'mon and give your love to me, oh yeah


Well, I've been down so Goddamn long
That it looks like up to me
Well, I've been down so very damn long
That it looks like up to me
Yeah, why don't one you people
C'mon, c'mon, c'mon and set me free

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

The song gets it's inspiration from the 1966 book by Richard Farina.
Farina was married to Joan Baez's sister and was also a folk singer as well as author. He recorded two albums with his wife.
He was killed in a motorcycle accident a few days after the book had been released.
Morrison used to recommend this novel to his friends.
Jim's tribute to this novel is a screaming thunderous vocal performance which is both stunning and sad as it showcases the state of Jim's vocals by the end of 1970.
Too many cigarettes and too much booze had left him a pale shadow of the electric shaman of 1967.
Nonetheless the bluesman Morrison even when reduced to almost shouting the lyrics was a force to be reckoned with.

Musically it's another primal effort with Densmore's brilliant tribal drumbeat that merges with a cacophony of insanely screaming guitars to become a maelstrom of madness with the thunderous Morrison vocal statement.

Robby Krieger and Marc Benno provide some great guitar interplay and this is heard throughout the LA Woman album.

Unusual as Ray Manzarek's keyboard is conspicuous by it's absence but as this was probably recorded live in the studio Ray is likely as not adding a further guitar to the vortex of noise in the studio.
He is not credited on the album as such but Ray was known to dabble in guitar whilst with The Doors so it's likely he was there on this track.

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

Ray showing Robby how to play the blues.

Evidence from the LA Woman CD booklet that Ray most likely joined in on guitar during this song.
These photos seem likely to have been taken during rehearsal or recording of Been Down So Long

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]

Ray Manzarek:
[Morrison] took the title of a Richard Farina novel. It's another retrospectively prophetic song. He was tired and worn out. He needed to be in a quieter, calmer place.
Growing up, we both heard lots of blues on the radio.
When I turned 12 and found the Chicago black radio station, I was turned on to Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Jimmy Reed. It was unbelievable.

Jac Holzman:
Jim always thought he was the world's best blues singer. He'd see somebody up on the stage and say, "You can't sing the blues worth shit," and nearly get into a fight with them. He was generally drunk by then.
Jim had a preponderance of wonderful qualities, a great gentleness. But he was Mr. Hyde when he was liquored up.
It wrecked his insides. He was funny, lighthearted, but accepting of his fate. The idea of the tragic poet appealed to his dark side.

[TheWallsScreamedPoetry]