| "Not to Touch the Earth" | |
|---|---|
) Single release in 1980 as b-side of "People Are Strange" from Greatest Hits | |
| Song by the Doors | |
| from the album Waiting for the Sun | |
| Released | July 3, 1968 |
| Recorded | February–May 1968 |
| Genre | Psychedelic rock |
| Length | 3:54 |
| Label | Elektra |
| Songwriter(s) | The Doors |
| Producer(s) | Paul A. Rothchild |
"Not to Touch the Earth" is a 1968 song by the Doors from their third album Waiting for the Sun. It is part of an extended performance piece called "Celebration of the Lizard" that the band played live multiple times. A 17-minute studio recording of the complete piece was attempted during the sessions for Waiting for the Sun, and the lyrics were printed in their entirety on the gatefold LP sleeve, but only the musical passage "Not to Touch the Earth" was included on the LP.[1]
The full 1968 studio recording of "Celebration of the Lizard" was released in 2003 on the Legacy: The Absolute Best compilation and the 40th Anniversary Edition CD re-issue of Waiting for the Sun.[2]
Lyrical meaning
The song begins, "Not to touch the earth, not to see the sun", these are subchapters of the 60th chapter of The Golden Bough by James Frazer. The chapter is called "Between Heaven and Earth", with subchapter 1, "Not to Touch the Earth", and subchapter 2, "Not to See the Sun".[3] These subchapters detail taboos against certain people (generally royalty or priests) walking upon the ground or having the sun shine directly upon them. Frazer had noted that these superstitions were recurring throughout many primitive cultures, and appeared to be related to traditions and taboos concerning menarche and the following female initiation rites. Frazer's work had an influence on Morrison, according to the Doors biography No One Here Gets Out Alive (1980).[4]
Cover versions
The song has been covered by Deceased, Marilyn Manson, Queens of the Stone Age, Bile, Nicole Atkins, Madrugada and Otep.
References
- ^ Weidman, Rich (2011-10-01). The Doors FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Kings of Acid Rock. Backbeat Books. ISBN 978-1617131103.
- ^ Peterson, Gary (2003). Legacy: The Absolute Best (Liner notes). The Doors. Burbank, California: Elektra Records. R2 73889.
- ^ Frazer, James George (2009-05-01). The Golden Bough: A Study of Magic and Religion. The Floating Press. ISBN 978-1775410560.
- ^ Hopkins, Jerry; Sugarman, Danny (1995). No One Here Gets Out Alive. New York: Warner Books. p. 179. ISBN 978-0446602280.
External links
- Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics