The Doors, “Hyacinth House” | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

On the 12^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2022), we recollect and reflect on “Hyacinth House” by the classic rock band, The Doors. 

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he vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome – we don’t discriminate ‘round here! On the 12^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2022), we recollect and reflect on 🎵 “Hyacinth House”, performed by the classic rock band, 🎙 The Doors. 

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Theme & Lyrics ✍

“What are they doing in the Hyacinth House? / To please the lions, yeah / This day.”  Say what 🎙 Jim Morrison?  🎵 “Hyacinth House,” appears on 🎙 The Doors’ iconic 1971 album, 💿 L.A. Woman. From a musical perspective, it’s ear-catching! 🎙 Ray Manzarek kills it on the organ, giving The Doors that utterly distinct sound.  Furthermore, the listener’s ears are blessed with bluesy guitar (🎙 Robby Krieger), robust, present bass line (🎙 Jerry Scheff), and a superb drum groove (🎙 John Densmore).  Perhaps the biggest talking point regarding “Hyacinth House,” however, is frontman Morrison, who died only months after L.A. Woman was released at the age of 27.

Honestly, Morrison sounds a bit, um, un-energetic here to say the least.  That said, I believe his low-energy performance is intentional, reflecting the negative connotation of the lyrics.  If you think about it from that perspective, his performance is, dare I say, brilliant.  Morrison is only moderately aroused throughout, getting a lift from backing vocals and occasionally upping the ante.  His lyrics may be more interesting than his pipes, subject to various interpretations.  A number of passages stand out, including:

“Why did you throw the Jack of Hearts away?

Why did you throw the Jack of Hearts away?

It was the only card in the deck that I had left to play.”

Clearly, Morrison is being metaphorical, with most considering his ‘Jack of Hearts’ to represent youth, handsomeness – being a stud.  He seems to lament the fact that that has been taken away from him at that point in his career. Analyzed extensively, “Hyacinth House” seems to reference everything from Hyacinthus (Greek mythology), a person literally walking out of the bathroom (“I see the bathroom is clear”), the plight of fame (“I think that somebody’s near / I’m sure that someone is following me, oh yeah”), and perhaps most notably, Morrison’s own depression.

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Final Thoughts 💭 

“And I’ll say it again, I need a brand-new friend.” Sure, “Hyacinth House” is a ‘flowery’ number in the name, this classic seems to show a rock star clearly in decline.  Its metaphors and themes suggest that the 27-year-old wasn’t at his best where mental health is concerned.  Worth reiterating, L.A. Woman was the final album released by The Doors when Jim was alive.

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🎙 The Doors • 💿 L.A. Woman • 🏷 Rhino • 📅 1971
The Doors, “Hyacinth House”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 12 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, cotton bro,  The Musical Hype, Rhino]

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