When the Music's Over

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So, in a sense, I guess I am going to school in Paris. Classes are laid-back but the one assignment we have is to turn something in. Anything. A story. A slideshow. But it has to be journalistic and it has to be about the city. Fair enough.

Because I am patriotic (and was struggling with a story idea as well as the French language) I chose to do something American. That way I didn’t have to attempt to stumble through interviews in broken English (some of them) and non-existent French (me). Even better, I thought, would be a story that would say something without having to actual have a boatload of PEOPLE say something.

So who speaks but doesn’t talk? Well, dead people speak yet don’t talk. But who is dead and American in Paris? The Doors’ iconic front man Jim Morrison. But what’s the story? After all, he’s dead.

Venturing over to the famed Parisian cemetery Pere Lachaise I found somewhat of a story. Albeit a pretty lame one, but, hey, it's a story nonetheless.

Apparently many of the tombs and mausoleums of arguably the most famous cemetery in the world are getting vandalized in homage to Morrison. And the owners and families of these mausoleums are none too happy. Basically, Morrison's grave is gated and surrounded by 24-hour security. You can get close to the grave but can't touch it. Vistors to the grave site are now expressing their endearment for him on other people's graves by etching tributes to Morrison through lyrics and skrawling makeshift directions to his hideaway tomb site.

Ironically, in the same cemetery, is the most “defaced” grave site the world knows.

Oscar Wilde, the Irish playwright, novelist and poet, is also buried in Pere Lachaise. Wilde’s grave site is smothered in lipstick marks and messages of love. To many, especially in the artistic and gay communites, Wilde is a hero. A superb writer imprisoned, basically, for defending his sexual orientation.

Wilde’s grave is unguarded and, essentially, full of vandalism. But the tombs surrounding his grave site are unmarked. Morrison’s, however, gets visited by 3,000 people per day and is gated off with a 24-hour security guard posted.

So, I guess the question is whether or not gating off Morrison’s grave is contributing to the vandalism of the surrounding tombs. To me, the answer is yes. But, apparently before the all-night guard was instituted 10 years ago, people were shooting heroin on Morrison’s grave and participating in other activities that are highly for the public realm. Let alone a hallowed ground.

But what about the families that are having their sacred resting places scarred with Doors lyrics and messages such as, “Jim Lives On”? Wouldn’t it be better to let people "deface" Morrison’s grave in tribute, as they do Wilde’s, in order to maintain some sort of dignity for the others buried there? What is the proper solution? Is there one? Does it even matter?

I thought it was interesting. If nothing else, I hope you enjoy the pictures. Very cool cemetery. Any photographer worth his/her salt would have a field day at this place. My shots are basically amateur. Intramural at best. No varsity letter here. But, hey, I tried.

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Photos

The Tributes
Even though Morrison's grave is blocked off, many tributes are left to him. They are most likely placed on the grave by cemetery personnel.

The Grave
Morrison's grave itself.

Leading the Way
Arrows, scrawled on tombs around the vast cemetery, point the way to Morrison's grave.

When the Music's Over
Fittingly, lyrics from The Doors' "When the Music's Over" are marked inside an older tomb adjacent to Morrison's grave.

The End
Made famous by the opening scene of "Apocalypse Now", the Doors' song "The End" has different meaning at Pere Lachaise. And it, too, is scrawled on the sides of bystanding tombs.

Homage
Jim Morrison's name is scrawled into tombs along the path leading to his grave site.

Wilde's Grave
Oscar Wilde's grave, unlike Morrison's, is allowed to be marked on and touched.

Oscar's grave
A full view of Wilde's grave at Paris' Pere Lachaise

The Tombs
Peering through some of the tombs in Paris' Pere Lachaise Cemetery.

The Paths
Tombs of varying shapes, sizes and ages adorn the twisty paths of Pere Lachaise.

Stacked Up
Tombs and mausoleums are jammed into the cemetery's blocks.