Nico - "The End"

I'm notorious for my dislike of The Doors. It's not that I think they as a band are awful, it's just that Jim Morrison is. He is by far one of the most overrated singer/lyricists of all time, and his behavior both on stage and off was appalling. I usually don't condemn rockstarish behavior as it really doesn't have anything to do with the music, but it bothers me in the case of Morrison because I don't feel he was a strong enough artist to warrant his erratic behavior. However, I digress...

One of The Doors' most famous songs is the dirge "The End," which closes out their debut album. Long and surreal, i's a decent entry in the progression of experimental music on pop records. But while the original gets lost in its jammy excesses, the cover performed by Nico on the June 1, 1971 album fares much better. Accompanied by Brian Eno on synthesizer, Nico plays a droning harmonium throughout the nine minutes of the performance. While The Doors version is drugged out and hazy, Nico's is focused and haunting, feeling like inevitable, impending danger.