Jim Morrison’s famous line “Break on through to the other side,” from The Doors’ debut single in 1967, is a call for transcendence — a desire to go beyond the limits of ordinary consciousness, societal norms, and conventional reality.
Here’s what he likely meant:
1. Transcendence of the Self:
Morrison was deeply influenced by philosophy, poetry, and mysticism. The “other side” can be interpreted as a deeper level of awareness or an altered state of consciousness — breaking through the ego, the false self, or the illusions of the everyday world. He was interested in pushing boundaries of the mind and exploring what lies beyond the surface of reality.
2. Liberation from Conformity:
The phrase also suggests a rejection of societal expectations and the pursuit of personal freedom. Morrison often critiqued the structures that suppress individuality — consumerism, routine, moral codes — and he encouraged people to challenge them.
3. Psychedelic and Spiritual Experience:
Given the era and Morrison’s known experimentation with drugs and interest in shamanism, the “other side” might also represent the altered states achieved through psychedelics. He often saw these states as gateways to profound truth and spiritual awakening.
4. Death and the Afterlife:
On a darker note, Morrison had a fascination with death and often spoke about it as a kind of ultimate boundary or door. “Break on through” could be seen as a metaphor for confronting mortality and seeing what lies beyond.
In short, “Break on through to the other side” is both a personal and cultural mantra — urging listeners to go beyond the superficial, to question reality, and to seek a more intense, authentic experience of life.
In the song “Break On Through (To the Other Side)” by The Doors, the line:
“But can you still recall the time we cried?”
comes from the second verse. This lyric holds emotional and symbolic weight, especially when interpreted in the context of Jim Morrison’s lyrical style and the overall themes of the song.
Breakdown of the Line
1. “Can you still recall…”
This phrasing suggests looking back on a shared past experience, evoking memory and nostalgia. It’s intimate — asking someone (possibly a lover, friend, or even the audience) if they remember something significant.
2. “…the time we cried?”
Crying here symbolizes deep emotional release. It could imply a moment of:
- Shared vulnerability
- Loss or sorrow
- Catharsis
- Transformation
Morrison may be referencing a crucial emotional event — not necessarily sadness alone, but the full weight of human experience. Crying is often seen as a moment when the mask drops, when people confront their true selves or real emotions.
Broader Context in the Song
“Break On Through (To the Other Side)” is fundamentally about transcendence — pushing past limitations, whether they be societal, psychological, or spiritual. Morrison was deeply influenced by existentialism, psychedelia, and mysticism. He often explored how humans could break free from conventional life and experience a more profound reality.
In this light, the line becomes more than a personal memory. It could mean:
- Recalling a moment of emotional awakening, a time when they glimpsed the “other side” of existence together.
- Acknowledging the pain that comes with breaking through boundaries, where tears are part of the journey.
- A reminder that before transcendence or liberation, there’s often suffering or inner confrontation.
Possible Interpretations
- Romantic/Personal: Recalling a moment of intense vulnerability in a relationship — crying as a couple, bonding deeply before things changed.
- Psychedelic/Spiritual: A shared trip or mystical moment where emotions overflowed — a symbolic death of the ego.
- Collective Human Experience: Speaking more broadly to the audience — a universal appeal to remember what it means to feel, to be alive, to suffer and seek meaning.
Morrison’s Style and Themes
Jim Morrison’s lyrics were poetic, often ambiguous, layered with mythological and existential references. He used imagery to evoke feelings more than to tell literal stories. In this line, as in many others, he plays on both the personal and universal, anchoring a mystical journey in a simple, emotional memory.
In essence, “But can you still recall the time we cried?” is a powerful emotional checkpoint in a song about liberation. It’s a moment that asks: Before you “broke through,” do you remember what it felt like to be raw, real, and human together?
NOW, HERE BENEATH- MY OWN TAKE ON JIM MORRISON’S WORDS:
Here’s my Take on what he meant by those words – AND, i choose to return back to the post where-as the question were ”How many of you ACTUALLY KNOW YOU’RE ALIVE??”
I mean: It displays… IF you KNOW you’re ALIVE – you don’t even WALK, like down the streets, in a NORMAL FASHION– like a CHILD– like Jim Morrison walking around high and drunk in LA in the 60s– like, he BALANCED ON THE CURB, twirled around and jumped up on stuff, balancing on stuff and was like a CHILD as he went along…LIKE A JUVENILE NYMPH, DANCING AROUND AND LIVING AS HE WERE FLYING. Fuck enjoying the walk; DRUNK AND HIGH
That what it means to; “Break On Through To The Other Side” – TO UNLEASH YOUR FULL ABNORMALITY, AND LET YOUR SPIRIT LOOSE – and turn into some sort of BEAST OF SUNLIGHT – as Aleister Crowley said, in court during a trail against him; “’The Beast 666′ only means ‘sunlight.’ You can call me ‘Little Sunshine.”.
IF you know YOU’RE ALIVE- you got nothing to lose– you just celebrate living, you have endured so much PAIN THAT YOU’VE LOST THE CHAINS – AS BECOME FULLY ALIVE, like A BEAST!
“He who makes a beast of himself loses the pain of being man”– SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT – like this statement which Jim Morrison uttered about how he LOOKED UPON HIMSELF AS A HUMANBEING ALIVE ON EARTH:
IF you KNOW you’re ALIVE, REALLY ARE ALIVE; you choose a ROMANTIC VIEW– BECAUSE WHY NOT– what do you got to lose in just minding your own business AND JUST FLY? Why not choose a ROMANTIC VIEW ON YOUR EXISTENCE ON EARTH – and see NATURE as a source of ZEN – TAP INTO THAT ROMANTIC SENSE, become free-as-nature, and JUST FLY ALONG IN YOUE EXISTENCE, LIKE A BEAST OF SUNSHINE – like an ANGEL, who got nothing to lose – which becomes FULL-ON-FREEDOM..
Just love life and love living, and just TREAT EVERYTHING WITH SOME FINALIZING RESPECT; AS YOU MERELY RIDE THE HIGHWAY TO THE END OF THE NIGHT…
Jim Morrison had BROKEN THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE – i mean, the petty, ordinary world of day-jobs and LIVING THE MUNDANE LIFE; working as A STIFF and keep yourself DOWN, down from the full POTENTIAL OF A TOALLY WEIRD REALITY – be a nobody, and not trying to live a SUPER-STAR-EXISTENCE – making something FOR THE GODS– that kind of life goes down the trash-can. THAT KIND OF LIFE IS NOT HAVING BROKEN THROUGH..
As for the other phrase – ”But can you still recall the time we cried, break on through to the other side..”
As the phrasing before; ”Chased our pleasures here, dug our treasured there…but can you still recall..”
It’s. I think. Like stating how Mankind has forgotten it’s OWN HISTORY – so that mankind, the ORDINARY MAN, can’t break over to the other side…like MANKIND has forgotten how we once CRIED – if you know about it, you will have a easier time conducting, considering, A BREAKING ON THROUGH – and JUST LIVE YOUR LIFE, AS A FREE-SPIRIT – because, we were CRYING, BACK THEN: MAN HAS FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT – so in some sort of GREAT-RESET; HE, MAN, has once again been placed into a KIND OF *NEW* HISTORY, A SORT OF NEW MEANING OF BEING ALIVE, that Morrison saw as A NEW KIND OF SUBDUED WAY TO LIVE – when you break on through, AS LOOKING TO HOW WE CRIED – YOU CAN DO A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G! NO RULES NO LAWS – that was all erased as we cried in hell, as we ONCE WERE.. We were CRYING as a SPEICES – so you can live your life ACCORDINGLY TO THAT, and BREAK THROUGH!