An American Prayer is the ninth and final studio album by the Doors. In 1978, seven years after lead singer Jim Morrison died and five years after the remaining members of the band broke up, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, and John Densmore reunited and recorded backing tracks over Morrison's poetry (originally recorded in 1969 and 1970). Other pieces of music and spoken word recorded by the Doors and Morrison were also used in the audio collage, such as dialogue from Morrison's film HWY: An American Pastoral and snippets from jam sessions.

The album also includes a composite live version of "Roadhouse Blues", splicing together performances at New York City's Felt Forum and Detroit's Cobo Hall, both captured during the Doors' 1970 Roadhouse Blues Tour. This version of the song later appeared on the In Concert compilation.

Despite managing a RIAA platinum certification in the US, the album received mixed reviews and still divides critics. When the album was originally released, longtime Doors' producer Paul A. Rothchild labeled the album a "rape of Jim Morrison." Rothchild claimed that he had heard all of the reels of master tapes from both the 1969 and the 1970 poetry sessions, insisting that the three remaining Doors failed to realize Morrison's original intent for an audio presentation of the poetry. Prior to leaving for Paris, Morrison had approached composer Lalo Schifrin as a possible contributor for the music tracks meant to accompany the poetry, with no participation from any of the other Doors members. Additionally, he had developed some conception of the album cover art work by January 1971, and was in correspondence with artist T. E. Breitenbach to design this cover in the form of a triptych. However, John Haeny (who recorded the original session tapes with Morrison in 1970 and safeguarded them before the project was resurrected as An American Prayer) insisted that the album "was made by those people who were closest to Jim, both personally and artistically" and "everyone had the best intentions," stating: "Jim would be pleased. Jim would have understood our motivation and appreciated our dedication and heartfelt handling of his work."

No. Title Length
1. "Awake Ghost SongDawn's HighwayNewborn Awakening"

7:10
2. "To Come of Age

Black Polished Chrome

Latino Chrome

Angels and Sailors

Stoned Immaculate" 8:41
3. "The Poets Dreams

The Movie Curses,

Invocations" 3:28

Side two
No. Title Length
4. "The World On Fire

American Night

Roadhouse Blues

Lament

The Hitchhiker"

11:59
5. "An American Prayer" 6:52

1969 readings

Jim Morrison – vocals, spoken word (recorded on March 1969)

1970 readings

Jim Morrison – vocals, spoken word (recorded on December 8, 1970)

The Doors

Ray Manzarek – keyboards, piano bassRobby Krieger – guitarJohn Densmore – drums

Additional personnel

Arthur Barrow – synthesizer programming on "The Movie"Reinol Andino – percussionBob Glaub – bass on "Albinoni – Adagio"Jerry Scheff – bass

Production[edit]

Producer – John Haeny, Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger, John Densmore, Frank LisciandroAssistant producer – Paul BlackEngineers – John Haeny, Paul Black, Bruce Botnick, Cheech d'Amico, Paul Ferrara, Ron Garrett, Babe Hill, James Ledner, Frank Lisciandro, Rik Pekkonen, Fritz Richmond, Dr. Thomas G. Stockham, John WeaverAssistant engineer – Paul BlackDirectors – John Densmore, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Frank LisciandroMastering – Ken Perry, Bernie GrundmanRemastering – Bruce Botnick, Paul RothchildSynthesizer programming – Arthur Barrow on "The Movie"Art direction – Ron Coro, Johnny Lee, John Van HamersveldIllustrations – Jim MorrisonPhotography – Joel Brodsky, Paul Ferrara, Art Kane, Edmund Teske, Frank Lisciandro