Break on Through (To the Other Side)

The Doors

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 treasures there
But can you still recall
The time we cried?
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side

Yeah
Come on, yeah

Everybody loves my baby
Everybody loves my baby
She get
She get
She get
She get high

I found an island in your arms
Country in your eyes
Arms that chain us
Eyes that lie
Break on through to the other side
Break on through to the other side
Break on through, oww
Oh, yeah

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
Break on through to the other side
Break on through
Break on through
Break on through
Break on through
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah


Lyrics submitted by kevin

Break On Through (To The Other Side) Lyrics as written by Raymond Manzarek John Densmore

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Doors Music Company

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Break on Through (To the Other Side) song meanings
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116 Comments

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  • +7
    My Opinion
    I think what he means by this is to Break free from all the limitations that are stopping you from truly being your own natural self and to just be free and open to new ideas and to just let your imagination, along with your subconscious, take over. This was during the late 60's so ya, this song definitely has the psychadelic feel to it but the point is to just LET GO of the need for approval from others, become independent, and just live your life the way YOU want
    andrewhalesdotblogspotdotcomon April 27, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    The Doors movie's not too accurate... if you're interested in the Doors and Jim you should read "Light My Fire" by Ray Manzarek, and the biography of Jim Morrison "No one here gets out Alive". I suggest you read no one here gets out alive first because it'd be boring after reading light my fire. Its more factual, whereas Light my Fire was written by the keyboardest so you get a very good inside look at the type of person Jim was. The song's about drug use.
    Victory Marchon May 19, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    "break on through" is definitely about breaking through to the other side of consciousness by taking drugs... "chased our pleasures/ dug our treasures"... not to mention the common notion that drugs are an escape- "tried to run, tried to hide" but the most obvious reference to me is "made the scene, week to week, day to day, hour to hour" because that's how the drug life goes
    mrmojorisinon July 02, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    its about drugs, and how we can use them as tools to expand our minds not to escape, the song is about appreciating drugs as a form of vessel not a plce of refuge, The Doors movie was Okay, I still think they should make a better version, val kilmer is a terrible singer. and i do hate that they made jim look like an ass, but he was an individual, a poet, an artist, an artist is both negative and positive. human who have realized they have potential, which alot of us dont get to do, drugs helps you realize this if you use them right, Usedrugs dont let them use you
    The Lizard Queenon April 04, 2003   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    Its about drugs. The door is wide open would you come inside? It's about the possibility to access your sub-consciousness on LSD.
    undersignon July 06, 2003   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    I found an island in your arms Country in your eyes Arms that chain us Eyes that lie Break on through to the other side those are some great fucking lyrics
    mrs-mojo-risinon October 26, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    haha yeah man, but yeah the movie was pretty good, i didn't like the way he was interpreted either. it was more of a third person view, like i guess that's how people saw him, but you could always see there was something deeper. val kilmer deserved the part tho man, he used to be in a doors cover band i heard. when he went to try out for the part he gave stone 3 doors songs and said that two were of him and one was of morrison and to try and see if he could tell which ones were him. Stone said that one definitely wasnt morrison, but then kilmer told him none of them were of morrison and it was all him so he got the part. great song though, bottom line.
    Souperman55on November 09, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    You know the day destroys the night Night divides the day We chased our pleasures here Dug our treasures there But can you still recall The time we cried I found an island in your arms Country in your eyes Arms that chain us Eyes that lie Jim Morrsion uses paradox in the lyrics in order to show that breaking through entails living life beyond its preconceived limits. Hence the intense highs and despairng lows--the pleasures and treasures are found but despairing tears remain; the perfect woman, although seemingly a paradise and refuge from the oppressive world, can also be an imprisoning chain whose lies and misdeeds emanate from her eyes--the gateway to the soul.
    breaktheage420on January 17, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    this song changed my life
    the scenic worldon November 09, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    Jim was quite the character, obsessed with death as he was for reasons simply of seeking out the truth, but as I read this it can be about many types of transitions, regarding drug use to escape the monotony of daily life, the boredom of having already done it all or committing suicide. Daily life, nothing left to live for, relationships that don't pan out or whatever. With Jim it was always about the other side. He and Pam used to scare each other by overdosing - their "recreational" activity. Jim would creep around the outside of their home behind the Country Store in Laurel Canyon ( Where the creatures meet in "Love Street" ) just to scare her! A couple made for each other!
    Milquetoaston July 10, 2013   Link

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