"People are Strange" by The Doors

My favorite Doors song. I remember hearing this song when I was like 8-years-old and feeling like Jim Morrison knew exactly how I felt. Morrison struggled with depression most of his life. Like many people with depression, he self-medicated and eventually, he added drug addiction and alcoholism to his myriad of problems. Ultimately, he ended up dead under mysterious circumstances (probably a drug overdose but they didn't do an autopsy). His long time lover, Pamela Courson, found him in the bathtub in his Paris apartment, which sounds more poetic than it is. He's buried in Pere LaChaise Cemetery. One day, when I visit Paris, I plan to visit his grave, simply because it's fucking Jim Morrison. There are other folks I plan to visit at Pere LaChaise - Oscar Wilde, Colette, Isadora Duncan, and Edith Piaf (just to name a few) - but The Lizard King's final resting place is definitely Stop #1.

Morrison was kind of a weird guy. Ignore the fact that he was attractive (which he didn't feel he was at all), he was also incredibly deep person. One of those people who thought deeply about everything but was usually very quiet and introverted, unless you really knew him. I guess that added to his allure. Girls thought he was dark and mysterious, which I suppose is sexy. It can also be highly infuriating too, which Courson would probably attest. She and Jim were together intermittently since they met in college. People described her as his "other half" and even though they both had relationships with other people, they shared a special, unwavering connection right up until the end. People say that she's the only one he gave him some sense of peace, so you have to wonder why they never managed to make it work. Even though they were never married, when Pam died a few short years after Morrison did, her parents buried her under the name Pamela Susan Morrison. And thus, that's how another tragic love story ends.

This song always struck me as rather sinister whenever I heard it. Maybe it's because of the words or the hollow way that Morrison sings it. But I understand the feeling. I never understood why, though. How could I be in a room full of people and still feel lonely? Even when I'm with the Husband, I'll just feel lonely and no amount of cuddling can fill the hollowness. It's an ongoing problem, I just try to deal with it. Alcohol helps occasionally, as old Jim can attest. Distraction works well - I've been keeping myself busy with work and special projects, volunteering, and teaching my son stuff (mostly sick dance moves). But when I get a little time to myself - like when I'm reading or meditating - that familiar emptiness creeps in.

People are strange when you're a stranger

Faces look ugly when you're alone

Women seem wicked when you're unwanted

Streets are uneven when you're down

The song lyrics came about because Morrison realized he was depressed because "people are strange when you're strange." I can see what he means. I find that when I'm less than chipper, human interactions and interests seem meaningless, almost futile. Why bother? We're all going to die eventually anyway. Possibly tomorrow. Thus spake Fatalist Jess, killjoy extraordinaire. But that's not normal me - talking to and helping people usually makes me happy, so that's how I know a course correction is needed. I'm rambling and I have no idea where this paragraph is going, so I'm going to end it here. Video below.

"People are Strange" Video