2007-09-06 03:28:16 · 7 answers · asked by Candi Apples 7 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Rock and Pop
The Lizard King is a mythic figure created as an alter ego by Jim Morrison, lead singer of the popular psychedelic rock group The Doors.
Morrison was deeply interested in occultism, both modern and classical. He was a proponent of both Jungian and Nietzschean ideas, and was also fascinated by Native American mysticism. Performances by the Doors often used words, actions, images and patterns intended to provoke a subconscious reaction in the audience. On stage, Morrison would often imitate a shaman by screeching, making animal sounds, suddenly falling over, and then either getting up laughing or playing dead. He would then slowly awaken from this "death" and smile wryly.
Shamans identified strongly with one deity—often embodied in an actual animal, such as a bear or a crow—in many forms of Native American shamanism. Morrison was fascinated by the lizard, believing that it symbolized a powerful force in the subconscious mind, epitomizing fear and longing in the psyche. His conception of the Lizard King has been interpreted by some as a recognition of a profound and transcendent spiritual reality. Like Buddha-nature, the Lizard King allegory represents a transcendent experience dormant in all humans, an archetype of the subconscious mind, like the achievement of nirvana. The Lizard King agitates and disrupts, much like a Trickster Hero. Attributes often associated with the Trickster archetype include cleverness and raw instinct.
Like many of his lyrics, a parallel can be seen between this and popular blues artist John Lee Hooker whose song "crawling king snake" was an influence.
2007-09-06 07:20:28 · answer #1 · answered by Peepaw 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jim Morrison
2016-05-22 13:57:24 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure how accurate the peyote story is, though I don't doubt it. Jim Morrisons main influence for his lizard king persona was native american shamanizm and culture. He was particularly partial to the Mayan god Quetzalcoatl, a large feathered snake the was worshiped as one of the major gods of the tribe.
2007-09-06 04:09:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
He may have given it to himself. At the end of the song "Not To Touch The Earth" he says...
"I am the lizard king...I can do anything..."
2007-09-06 03:32:42 · answer #4 · answered by GK Dub 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've read that he often referred to his very large member as his "lizard".
2007-09-06 05:39:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
He had a peyote vision wherein he was a giant lizard. You can look it up, it's true.
2007-09-06 03:31:45 · answer #6 · answered by Chip Sweatervest 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
That's what he called his ****?
2007-09-12 08:40:36 · answer #7 · answered by Dayna B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋