Jim Morrison: Mystery Still Surrounds The Doors Singer's Death 50 Years Later

Saturday, July 3 2021 was the 50th anniversary of singer Jim Morrison's death, and there are still some major mysteries surrounding his passing. Morrison, the lead singer of the band The Doors was just 27 years old when he passed away in Paris, France in 1971. Scroll down for an overview of his death and the lingering questions fans still have about it.

Morrison was a singer, songwriter and poet known for his erratic stagecraft and his eccentric persona. He co-founded The Doors in 1965 with pianist Ray Manzarek, and their quick rise to fame contributed to his indulgence in drugs and alcohol. However, Morrison seemed to be reaching a turning point on those vices at the time of his passing. To this day, some fans maintain that he actually faked his own death to attain a "clean slate" and start over.

Today we remember and honor The Doors’ legendary frontman, poet, lyricist, singer, and icon, James Douglas Morrison.

Celebrate Jim’s legacy by tweeting one of your favorite quotes, poetry verses, or lyrics of his.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.#JimMorrison pic.twitter.com/WgM1lglAZp

— Jim Morrison (@JimMorrison) July 3, 2021

Morrison went to Paris after The Doors finished recording L.A. Woman, intending to spend some time away with his girlfriend, Pamela Courson. According to a report by Far Out Magazine, Morrison went to Europe to escape the hustle and bustle of the entertainment industry and the obligations of his rock star status. His bandmates encouraged him, thinking it would help him reduce his alcohol consumption and clear his head a bit.

Morrison reportedly wrote letters to his friends and bandmates describing long, contemplative walks in the city by himself. He was photographed there, having lost some weight relatively fast and having shaved his long beard and mustache off. A popular speculation is that Morrison was using heroin heavily in Paris, resulting in his weight loss and, ultimately, his death.

Courson reportedly found Morrison dead in the bathtub of their French apartment on July 3, 1971. First responders were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead on the scene. His official cause of death was listed as congestive heart failure, but the circumstances were confusing as his death was not announced for almost a week, and Courson continued insisting to his friends and colleagues that he was alive during that time.

Adding to the mystery of it all, Morrison had often joked about faking his own death in one way or another. This has led fans to believe that Morrison is still alive, and even to claim they have seen him out and about over the years. If Morrison were alive today he would be 77 years old, so he would be difficult to recognize.

On top of all the recent alleged "sightings," Morrison's former bandmates threw serious fuel on the fires of conspiracy theories just last year. At the time, guitar player Robby Krieger told Classic Rock: "I used to love talking to Ray, and he would always say, 'I wouldn't be surprised if Jim turned up.' And I used to think, 'Come on, man, you don't really believe that, do you?' That was pretty much some bulls—."

Hints about fake death, reincarnation and other elaborate conspiracy theories abound in Morrison's poetic lyrics. Fans are also fond of reading into perceived numerological significance in the circumstances of his death — Morrison died two years to the day after Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, nine months after Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. All four of them died at the age of 27, and three years later, Courson died of a heroin overdose at the age of 27 as well.

Finally, various theories claim that Morrison was murdered for one reason or another. Many believe that he and the other members of the "27 Club" were taken out by the CIA in an effort to quell the countercultural movement of the era. Morrison did have several high-profile legal issues in the years leading up to his death.

Others say that Morrison was simply killed by drug dealers to whom he owed money. In 2014, singer Marianne Faithful even claimed that her ex-boyfriend, a Parisian drug dealer had killed Morrison with a bad dose of heroin. Her story was not verified by any authorities.

Officially speaking, none of these theories can be verified or vouched for, but they continue to fuel fan speculation. If Morrison were still alive, it would be clear by now that he has no interest in further fame or national attention.