What does Break on Through (To the Other Side) mean?

The Doors: Break on Through (To the Other Side) Meaning

Album cover for Break on Through (To the Other Side) album cover

Song Released: 1967


Break on Through (To the Other Side) Lyrics

You know the day destroys the night
Night divides the day
Tried to run
Tried to hide
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side, yeah

We chased our pleasures here
Dug our...

  1. checkeredpast
    click a star to vote
    Jul 31st 2007 !⃝

    Any artist that creates honestly and with depth of emotion does so with what they know. What is known is from experience, either directly or **indirectly.

    Something that occurs frequently, almost like a theme amongst troubled geniuses, is obsessive curiosity. They understand complexities of this universe that can drive them to the point of insanity, but also allows an understanding to take place that allows them to see that existence has too many patterns and designs to be random. Beyond normalcy, some may see the hand of God in daily life, which is invisible to most. Perhaps insanity was created to mask the intended plans of our creator. Jim was a genius and no one may ever know what he saw or understood. But if I were to guess I would say the unknown questions, the mysteries of life, were equally inspiring as they were conflicting in his life.

  2. borbas001
    click a star to vote
    May 21st 2007 !⃝

    This song could mean anything because JIM MORRISON was the singer and song writer also a poet so all of his song could mean anything

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  3. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 2nd 2006 !⃝

    "you know the day destroys the night
    night divides the day
    tried to run
    tried to hide"

    this is just how the song struck me. He is running from truth, (his own form of truth like previously mentioned?), obviously it is something he didn't want to find out, hence why he tried to run from it. The days are bleeding together since he has this knowledge.

    "we chased our pleasures here
    dug our treasures there
    but can you still recall
    the time we cried"

    he is remembering the time he had with a certain girl. And specifically a certain time when something bad happened. If we read this in relation to the first lines maybe this girl told him something upsetting. I think maybe she was unfaithful.

    "I found an island in your arms
    country in your eyes
    arms that chain us
    eyes that lie"

    island and country meaning she had a lot of depth, and substance. But those turned out be wrong, lies.

    "made the scene
    week to week
    day to day
    hour to hour
    the gate is straight
    deep and wide
    break on through to the other side"

    he was able to keep up appearances only so long. It was a constant minute by minute fight within himself. Till eventually he broke down and accepted the truth.

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Aug 17th 2006 !⃝

    At the begining of the song it sounds like it's talking about breaking through the doors of perception, realizing what's really happening, seeing the the government controled media, realizing the truth or whatever... But at the end of the song it says "deep and wide"!!! Well jim's obviosly talking having sex with a virgin! Hahahahahahahhaha ! ! ! ! ! ! Actually I'm not sure, knowing jim morrison, a lot of his songs did have sexual related lyrics and song titles. (back door man, lol!It's true! I read it in a biography) however it's not clear exactly what he's talking about. It could very possibly be about the doors of perception.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
1234 next ›



More The Doors songs »


 


Latest Articles

 


Submit Your Interpretation

[ want a different song? ]




Just Posted

Happy? anonymous
Rock Show anonymous
Don't Go anonymous
Tek It anonymous
Don't Leave Me anonymous
Chop Suey anonymous
Taking Over Me anonymous
All The Good Girls Go To Hell anonymous
Wingriddenangel anonymous
I Spoke to The Devil in Miami anonymous
This Woman's Work anonymous
Action! Not Words anonymous
Everybody Loves Me, Baby anonymous
Fall in to Sleep anonymous
Lemon Boy anonymous

(We won't give out your email)