Comments: 32

• Robert Shirley from Torrance, CaThe correct lyrics in the bridge section is:
  An ancient lunatic reigns in the trees of the night
• Mike from TexasI tend to agree with this comment: "And the bit about Africa ties in with the theme of child, of the youth - he's talking about the human race and how it came from Africa."
  Jim was possibly referring to the origins of the human race. Our beginnings in the African savannah. The basic primitive soul of humans.
• AnonymousI think he mocks hippies and then describes how one hippie turned to prostitution.
  Pirate in this context might mean a thief that stole someone's virginity. Pirate prince ~ womanizer.
  Also, the lines "She dances on her knees", "A pirate prince at her side", "...cool face", and "Starrin' into the hollow idol's eye" seem to me to be describing a b--wjob.
• Eddie D. from Brentwood, New YorkConsidering the few lyrical discrepancies in Wild Child (An ancient rulage of grains...An ancient lunatic reigns...or a hollow idols eyes...Apollo idols eyes) I think Jim at the end of the song isn't screaming "Your Cool Face" but rather "Your Two Faced". There's no question at this time of Jim's life he was well versed in poetry and was yearning to be recognized as an accomplished poet by all, most importantly his audience. People then were interested in Jim performing his crazy antics and acting the fool on stage instead of taking him seriously as a poet. This often happens in entertainment and leads to severe frustration or sometimes worse. It might explain what led to Jim's actions in Miami and eventual arrest. From then on he was labeled as a "troublemaker" and constantly watched by the authorities. I think Jim is admonishing the 60's protesting "wild child" for not fully pursuing social change. During Jim's early days when he was "starving" he found refuge in minority communities, particularly African American. He alludes to this in certain songs like "Soul Kitchen" and "Hello, I Love You". Civil rights was at its zenith in the 60's and in the early years there were many white youth committed to the movement some even loosing their lives. Towards the latter 60's things had changed; assassinations of leaders, the anti-war movement, political strife and civil unrest had refocused the priorities of protesting. Consequently the priority of the civil rights movement was lessened. Jim points out the beautiful potentials of the wild child but as was the case they only went so far. He similarly admonishes the peace-loving flower child of the mid-60's in the song "Five to One". In the first verse of "Wild Child" he says it in a mockingly sarcastic manner. In the middle of the song there is so much drive towards hope (hunger at her heals, freedom in her eyes) but inevitably the realization of the wild child is that of superficiality and hypocrisy motivated solely by a "Lizard King" persona. Lastly, at the end of the song and the "Africa" question is the final admonishment of the privileged wild child. Their ancestors involvement in the African slave trade has resulted in inequality and the social conditions of the day and the need for civil rights, a moral cause that you never fully committed to. That's what Jim is asking in relation to Africa. Of course all of this is just my opinion. With all the protesting on racism taking place today and the abundance of diversity in who is protesting might we see the "Wild Child" that Jim was hoping for? The song following Wild Child on this album is Runnin Blue, a tribute to Otis Redding. Just saying, another link to the black experience.
• David from Woburn, MaAccording to Stephen Davis' book about Jim, he traveled to Morocco several times from 1969-1970. Apparently, Jim believed he was of Moorish decent (Morrison meant Moor's son) so the last line of the song "Remember when we were in Africa?" could be a reference to his family's history, culminating with Jim, the Wild Child.
• Nady from Adelaide, Australiaonce again, someone has dragged religious mumbo-jumbo into this. SHUT UP. NOT EVERY EFFING SONG IS ABOUT JESUS. if Jim wanted to sing about 'the lord' he would've written freaking gospel music. Go preach elsewhere.
• Josh from Bemidji, MnArthur Rimbau faked his death to become a gun runner in Africa. Jim was largely inspired by the life of Rimbau, and had once joked about using the name Mr. Mojo Risin' (an anagram of Jim Morrison) to contact the remaining Doors after he split to Africa...
• Jesse from San Antoino, Txinteresting john samara interesting
• Valerie from Eureka, CaWhat a day. I have been a Doors fan since 1960something. I don't recall the year I heard the first song by the Doors (Light My Fire) but I have been a fan of them from that day on. I love reading all the stuff people come up with on this site. It is very entertaining. I keep thinking if everyone who feels there are mysterious messages, thoughts etc, behind the Doors songs could put all of their imagination into creating some sort of art of their own, the world would be a better place. Wha'da ya think?
• Josh Samara from Oklahoma City, Mexicowell I read Jim's biography and it said the song was written about danny sugarman. but I kind of have my doubts. I'm not a religious person, but to me the lyrics sound a lot like the "Wild Child" is Jesus Christ. I know The Doors wouldn't do that, but if you look at the lyrics the connection is there.
  "Savior of the human race" Jesus was supposed to have saved mankind from its sin for eternity. "Not your mother or your father's child" Jesus was born of a virgin so therefore he couldn't be from his mother Mary or his father Joseph. "Screamin' wild" this could be reference to Jesus' preaching to the people, and how his miracles could be considered very wild. "an ancient lunatic reigns in the trees of the night" this could possibly be zaccheus (the little short guy that climbed into the sycamore tree to see Jesus over the crowd) or John the Baptist who lived out in the wilderness and ate locust. "With hunger at her heels, freedom in her eyes, she dances on her knees, Pirate Prince at her side" This could be Mary on her knees looking up at Jesus when he was being crucified upon the cross, and the Pirate Prince could be the disciple Matthew or John (i'm not sure which one was there with Mary at the foot of the cross) Then the final line "remember when we were in africa?" could be a reference to Jesus' childhood because after he was born, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph fled to Egypt in order to escape king Herod's killing of newborn baby's to prevent Christ from living and becoming king of the jews
  But like I said i'm not religious, but this is how my mind perceived the song
• Jarrod from Andamooka, AustraliaI'm not really sure how this song could be about Danny Sugerman, I personally don't see any reference to him at all... I agree with Megan, my belief being that this song is about Jim himself - just listen to the lyrics... Interestingly, I read somewhere that Robby disliked Jim's closing line "remember when we were in Africa?" saying that it had nothing to do with the song...
• Sam from Melbourne, AustraliaIm just taking a guess and saying this song is about Danny Sugerman, he grew up with the Doors, he was hanging out with them since he was 12 and he was a 'wildchild'
• Nady from Adelaide, AustraliaL.A. Woman is actually about L.A., not an actual woman. Jim was sad at how much L.A. had changed and thought it was disiesed and dying. i love the little amarican indian boy dancing in the clip to wild child, its all very spiritual.ilovejimmorrisonmorethanyoucoulddream
• Kh from Turkey Town, MeWhat a great riff!
• Jens from Copenhagen, DenmarkI thought the song was a tribute to the french poet Arthur Rimbaud??
  a revolutionary poetic wild child like Mr. Morrison
• Ernie from Dover, De"Apollo idol" died on the porcelain god after many offerings from his every orifice.
• Only1out10livestr8 from In Your Uterus..., United StatesOr drugs, not your child, a child of the world, grown in nature and dying in nature, often by the hands of humans...Existing with grace, a peyote cactus has grace, is wild, is making drunk, natural grown with often horrible effects, feet that make the user stand different, eyes that are openend by the drug plant, how to operate your brain, to use your eyes, huxleys expedition about using your eyes in another way, which eyes, all eyes, your eyes' eyes and the eyes of your mind, the all seeing eye, providence, forgiveness, forgetting, loving, extacsy, dying on the own feet, in a dream, being reborn, living again, free...
• Jayme from San Clemente, CaI think its about a stripper.
  
  I mean...shes wild for doing it....shes full of grace(dancing) she doesnt care what her parents say (not your mother or your fathers child), and she is there for the men now (you're our child...)
  
  maybe the ancient luntatic in the trees is a stalker?
  
  
  (hunger in her heeels)..hunger for money and her heels...the 6 inch platforms the strippers wear..
  (freedom in her eyes) like shes focoused on being free...getting the money from the guys so she can have a better life...or dancing naked sets her free...(she dances on her knees), hey im a stripper and yes i DO dance on my knees haha.
  
  idont know what "pirate prince by her side.." not sure what tht means. a prince? maybe a rich guy trying to buy her?
  
  (remeber when we were in africa?) maybe he went to a strip club, and seen this chick who he met in africa who now dances at the club????
  
  well thats just my opinon. ;)
  
• Jonathon from Clermont, FlThis is one of the most underrated songs they've got.
• Joey from Tampa, FlBy the time Jim wrote "Wild Child" he had read extensively about primitive cultures & the song/poem is something of a tribute to a creatre untouched by the constraints of civilization. The ending of the song & one of the most arresting moments of the whole album is when Morrison asks, "Do you rember when we were in Africa?" At first it sounds like a strange throw-away line, more of his lyrical Dadaism. But is actually veiled reference to one of Jim's most deepest influences, French poet, Arthur Rimbaud.
• Douglas from Melbourne, FlGreat song. Hands down.
• Keith from Thebes, IlIn Celine's 'Journey to the End of the Night",obviously an influence on Morrison, the main charachter goes to Africa after World War I. "Remember when we were in Africa"
• Jim from Qinhuangdao, ChinaI always thought this was Morrison writing about Morrison. Come on man, can you imagine what it would be like to read about yourself in newspapers and magazines? Can you imagine all the different stuff you'd read? Natural child/ terrible child/ Not your mother or your father's child/ You're our child/ Screaming wild
  And the bit about Africa ties in with the theme of child, of the youth - he's talking about the human race and how it came from Africa.
• Car from Tulsa, OkIn the book 'Light My Fire' by Ray Manzarek it lists a few songs and says who their for and under wild child it says "that ones for danny" as in danny sugarman i suppose.
• Katie from Annapolis, MdIsn't this song written about Pam?
• Megan from Upper Darby, PaI always thought this song was written for Jims adopted son, Danny Sugarman?
• Eric from Fargo, Ndthis was actually his self portrait if you will
• NÃ?sio from Belo Horizonte, BrazilSomeone said that the first verse, "Wild Child, full of grace" contains a reference to the bow of Gabriel angel to Maria, mother of Jesus. And, the last one, "Remember when we were in Africa" it will be a reference to poet Arthur Rimbaud - very admired by Morrison - who gave up poetry at 19 years and became an african traveler and warrior.
• Andrew from Cleveland, OhThe most underrated Doors song, in my opinion.
• Majesta from Waynesboro, VaWatch The Doors video tape/dvd "The Soft Parade" and you can see them recording the song. I've had it on tape since I was a child, but it has gotten warped. :(
  
  The correct line is "An ancient lunatic reigns in the trees of the night."
• Daniel from Saint-brieuc, FranceThe spoken line : "An ancient rulage of grains and the trees of the night" might also be : "An ancient lunatic reigns in the trees of the night" ? That's what I hear.
• Al from Olympia, Wasupposedly written for Linda Ashcroft, also his "L.A. woman". Contraversy over her and his other main lady. Linda wrote Living With Jim Morrison. Pretty good book. i recommend it.

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