my father’s.
Remembering Jim Morrison on His Birthday
December 8 marks the birthday of legendary rock icon Jim Morrison. In honor of this occasion, we are revisiting an article from the June 1981 issue of High Times. The article, written by Tom Baker, addresses the portrayal of himself and his late friend in the bestselling Morrison biography, No One Here Gets Out Alive.
“They shambled down the street like dingledoodies, and I shambled after them, as I’ve been doing all my life, after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time. The ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue center light pop, and everybody goes ‘Awwwwwwwwwww………………!” – Jack Kerouac, On the Road
These words, written by Kerouac, struck a chord with a young Tom Baker when he first read them as a high school freshman in San Francisco. He was convinced that he, too, could be one of the “mad ones” who would explode across the stars like a “blue center light.” However, as he reached his 30th birthday, he realized he had settled for being just another Kerouac.
But then, he met two people who embodied that same cosmic brilliance described by Kerouac: James Douglas Morrison and his wife, Pamela Courson. In their short and tumultuous lives, they would become one of the most intense and dramatic romances of modern times.
Baker had been living in New York City, pursuing a career in acting, when he impulsively signed a seven-year contract with Universal Studios. He was whisked away to Hollywood just ten days before Thanksgiving in 1966. It was there that he met Pamela, who had come to his friend’s house to use the phone. Her own phone had been cut off and she had been desperately trying to reach her boyfriend, who was working in New York and not answering her calls.
Pamela, dressed in old jeans and a man’s work shirt with her hair in curlers, caught Baker’s attention with her beauty. But it was her intelligence and knowledge of literature that truly captivated him. Despite being only 18 years old and lacking a high school diploma, she was well-read and well-spoken. She had been exposed to many “serious” writers, including Norman Mailer, who happened to be a friend of Baker’s father.
It was clear to Baker that Pamela was more than just a pretty face. And in the midst of her unraveling relationship, they became immediate friends and lovers. Baker moved in with her that very night.
As Baker got to know Pamela, he also got to know her boyfriend, Jim Morrison. The three of them formed a close bond, with Morrison and Baker sharing a love for literature and poetry. They would often spend hours discussing their favorite writers and exchanging books.
But as Baker’s contract with Universal Studios came to an end, he and Pamela decided to move to Paris to join Morrison, who had already relocated there. It was there that Baker witnessed the intense and volatile relationship between Morrison and Pamela, which would ultimately end in tragedy with Morrison’s death in 1971.
As Baker reflects on his time with Morrison and Pamela, he is reminded of Kerouac’s words and the “mad ones” who burn brightly and leave a lasting impact on those around them. And on Jim Morrison’s birthday, we remember him as one of those “mad ones” who will forever be remembered for his music, his poetry, and his wild spirit.
