Pamela Courson...the lost little girl

We all know Jim Morrison as the charismatic vocalist of one of the most famous bands of all times, "The Doors". A singer, a poet, a person that broke through to the other side without hesitation. A visionary who was not afraid to experiment and breach reality in the most literal sense. But behind every successful man there is a woman. But was Jim successful in the true meaning of the word? He is, without doubt successful in living the way he wanted to live his life with no barriers and no rules. True to his own spirit. Was he successful in the meaning most people desire themselves to be successful? Perhaps not. Jim was only an illusion to his fans. A hero that would stand on stage and provoke ideas the world still lives by. But really now...did we see Jim in his entire glory or was he held back?

Pamela Courson is known by many as the 5th door of the band. She met Jim when she was studying art, fell in love and became attached to the poet in an unreal, drug-induced world where confusion and weakness ruled her self-esteem. She was nevertheless, Jim's muse and more importantly the flame that kept "The Doors" alive. The bank released "Other Voices" and "Full Circle" after Jim but after Pam's death it was like the fire really stopped burning. Then again, Pam is said by many to have attempted to persuade Morrison to leave the rather "trivial rock world" and concentrate in becoming a "full-time poet". She also became addicted to heroine before Jim was introduced to the drug. Logic wants Pam to have turned Jim onto heroine. Then again the Lizard King knew well enough what heroine was. Thus, as many times in his life, logic does not stand a chance. Jim took up heroine because he wanted to.

My personal opinion is that Pam was turned into this sad, desperate woman who wanted to get kicks out of life and wanted Jim to be hers and only hers. She was hurt numerous times by the tabloids and Morrison himself that it is hard to understand how a person could live like this in the shadow of a rock star.

After Morrison's death, Courson became a recluse, using heroin and showing signs of mental instability. On April 25, 1974, she died of a heroin overdose on the living room couch at the Los Angeles apartment. A neighbor said she had talked about looking forward to seeing Jim again soon. Her parents intended that she be buried next to Morrison at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, and they listed this location as the place of burial on her death certificate, but due to legal complications with transporting the body to France, her remains were buried at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, California, under the name "Pamela Susan Morrison".

Was it love? Was it attachment? Many times these two get mixed up and can be confusing for sensitive people, as were Jim and Pam.

Nonetheless, Pamela Courson remains a mystery. Ray Manzarek and Pam's family have stated many times that Jim and Pam were "soul-mates" but many want her to be the cause of Morrison's death. The beautiful red-haired muse of "The Doors" most of all loved Jim's poetry and it is far more likely that it was selfless love.