An American Prayer is a posthumous album released on November 17, 1978 on Elektra Records, combining Jim Morrison's spoken-word poetry recordings with new musical backing by the three surviving Doors members — Ray Manzarek on keyboards, Robby Krieger on guitar, and John Densmore on drums. Morrison had recorded his poetry in private sessions in 1969 and 1970, reading from both published and unpublished works. After his death in 1971, the surviving members reconvened in the studio to compose and record instrumental accompaniment around Morrison's vocal tracks. The result is a hybrid of rock album and poetry recital, with the music ranging from quiet, atmospheric passages to driving rock segments. "Roadhouse Blues" appears in a live version featuring Morrison's original vocal. Krieger's guitar solos are prominent on several tracks, providing melodic counterpoint to Morrison's spoken word. The album received polarized reviews — some critics viewed it as a fitting tribute to Morrison's literary ambitions, while others considered the posthumous musical additions inappropriate. It reached number fifty-four on the Billboard 200. The project remains unusual in rock history as a major-label attempt to present a rock vocalist primarily as a poet, with the music serving the words rather than the reverse.
