Green Door
Encyclopedia
" Green Door" is a 1956 popular
song
with music composed by Bob Davie
and lyrics
written by Marvin Moore. The lyrics describe a nondescript establishment, with a green door, behind which "a happy crowd" play piano, smoke and "laugh a lot", and inside which the singer is not allowed.
, where singer Jim Lowe had attended the University of Missouri
. Long-time Shack owner Joe Franke doubts this theory, however.
The song has also been said to refer to the lesbian Gateways club
(first opened in 1930), which had a green door and was featured in the movie The Killing of Sister George
, although some express doubt over this connection.
It is also said that the establishment was a place for musicians unions who would be the only ones admitted into this private club. The door was Yellow, not green, however, Lowe thought that the word "Yellow" was one syllable too many, so Lowe thought of "Red Door", however, due to the "Red Scare", that would not work, so he settled on "Green Door", and that one worked.
from his 1906 book The Four Million
, in which a man named Rudolf Steiner
, though apparently not the Austria
n esotericist
, is handed a mysterious card reading, The Green Door. He enters a green door where he meets a starving young woman. He quickly rushes out and returns laden with food, and they become friends over supper; finally Steiner promises to visit her again the next day and there is romance in the offing. Eventually it turns out that the card was an advertisement for an entirely different "Green Door", a theatre play. O. Henry uses the eponymous green door as a symbol for everyday adventures which he encourages us to seek out.
It is also possible that the song is a reference to an H. G. Wells
short story, "The Door in the Wall."
Another possible origin comes from the green color of a certain union card. Without a union card, one could not experience work and income, the "happy times behind the green door".
Fitz-James O'Brien's short story, "The Lost Room", details a man being locked out of his own room by a group of demons and bears some similarity to the themes of the song.
It is possible that the song is a response to the song "Hernando's Hideaway" (1954) which was written for the musical The Pajama Game
and describes a dark and secretive nightclub where the password is "Joe sent me". In the lyrics of "Green Door" this password merely makes "someone laugh out loud behind the Green Door." The Johnston Brothers had a hit with this one year before "Green Door" appeared.
In A. A. Milne
's Winnie-the-Pooh (book)
(1926) Christopher Robin lives "behind a green door in another part of the Forest" (the 100 Acre Wood).
. People "in the know" realize that the Mitchell brothers were inspired by an anonymous underground short story that was in circulation (via Mimeographed copies) from the time of the Second World War.
It is also behind the name of a live album by Irish American
punk band Flogging Molly
, Alive Behind the Green Door
.(this may only reference the Irish bar in Los Angeles Molly Malone's where they record was recorded and has a green door. It is also where the Molly in their name comes from.)
It is also the name of a letter written by David Berg
, the former leader of the cult once called the Children of God
and later renamed "The Family"-—he used it as a term for molesting little children.
Psychobilly
band The Cramps
covered the song on their 1981 album, Psychedelic Jungle
.
The Spanish
pop-punk group Los Nikis
made a Spanish version of this song in 1986.
"The Green Door" is the name of a saloon in Cheyenne, Wyoming
, as well as Park Hall, Maryland
Within the American intelligence community, "green door" is a slang verb, meaning to restrict an individual's or organization's access to information and/or locations. "We green doored them" or "The situation has been highlighted by the 'Green Door' compartmentation and exclusion".
was recorded by Jim Lowe
(backed by the orchestra
of songwriter Davie, with Davie also playing piano
), and it reached #1 on the Billboard charts
in 1956
.
In the United Kingdom
, Lowe's version reached #8 on the charts, but a version by Frankie Vaughan
was even more popular, reaching #2. Another UK recording, by Glen Mason
, reached #24 on the UK chart. The most popular version was by rock and roll star Shakin' Stevens
which spent four weeks at number one in July 1981
.
In 1964, Bill Haley & His Comets
recorded a version for a single release on Decca Records
during an unsuccessful attempt to make a comeback with the label that had made them famous with "Rock Around the Clock
" (this version was produced by Milt Gabler
). Country humorist Mayf Nutter re-charted the song in 1973. Crystal Gayle
recorded the song in 1977, and it has since become a fan favorite at her concerts. The Cramps
have also recorded the song, on the 1981 album, Psychedelic Jungle
. The Spanish pop-punk group Los Nikis made a Spanish version of this song in 1986.
Other versions have been recorded by Roland Alphonso
, Wynder K. Frog
, Houston and Dorsey, Ray Hamilton, Danny Colfax Mallon, Gene McDaniels, Country Dick Montana, Eskew Reeder, Jumpin' Gen Simmons, Skip & Flip
(1961), and Skitzo.
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
with music composed by Bob Davie
Bob Davie (songwriter)
Bob Davie is an orchestra leader, pianist, and composer of popular music.He composed the song "The Green Door", and led the orchestra which backed Jim Lowe on the best-selling version of the song in 1956.- References :...
and lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
written by Marvin Moore. The lyrics describe a nondescript establishment, with a green door, behind which "a happy crowd" play piano, smoke and "laugh a lot", and inside which the singer is not allowed.
Possible inspirations
At the time the song was popular, many believed it was inspired by a green-doored restaurant and bar called "The Shack" in Columbia, MissouriColumbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
, where singer Jim Lowe had attended the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
. Long-time Shack owner Joe Franke doubts this theory, however.
The song has also been said to refer to the lesbian Gateways club
Gateways club
The Gateways club was a noted lesbian nightclub located at 239 Kings Road on the corner of Bramerton Street, Chelsea, London, England. It was the longest-surviving such club in the world, opening in 1930 and legally becoming a "members club" in 1936...
(first opened in 1930), which had a green door and was featured in the movie The Killing of Sister George
The Killing of Sister George
The Killing of Sister George is a 1964 play by Frank Marcus that was adapted as a 1968 film directed by Robert Aldrich.- Stage version :Sister George is a beloved character in the popular radio series Applehurst, a nurse who ministers to the medical needs and personal problems of the local villagers...
, although some express doubt over this connection.
It is also said that the establishment was a place for musicians unions who would be the only ones admitted into this private club. The door was Yellow, not green, however, Lowe thought that the word "Yellow" was one syllable too many, so Lowe thought of "Red Door", however, due to the "Red Scare", that would not work, so he settled on "Green Door", and that one worked.
Possible literary origins
"The Green Door" is also a short story by O. HenryO. Henry
O. Henry was the pen name of the American writer William Sydney Porter . O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings.-Early life:...
from his 1906 book The Four Million
The Four Million
The Four Million is the second published collection of short stories by O. Henry originally released in 1906. There are twenty five stories of various lengths including several of his best known works such as "The Gift of the Magi" and "The Cop and the Anthem"...
, in which a man named Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
, though apparently not the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n esotericist
Esotericism
Esotericism or Esoterism signifies the holding of esoteric opinions or beliefs, that is, ideas preserved or understood by a small group or those specially initiated, or of rare or unusual interest. The term derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward",...
, is handed a mysterious card reading, The Green Door. He enters a green door where he meets a starving young woman. He quickly rushes out and returns laden with food, and they become friends over supper; finally Steiner promises to visit her again the next day and there is romance in the offing. Eventually it turns out that the card was an advertisement for an entirely different "Green Door", a theatre play. O. Henry uses the eponymous green door as a symbol for everyday adventures which he encourages us to seek out.
It is also possible that the song is a reference to an H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
short story, "The Door in the Wall."
Another possible origin comes from the green color of a certain union card. Without a union card, one could not experience work and income, the "happy times behind the green door".
Fitz-James O'Brien's short story, "The Lost Room", details a man being locked out of his own room by a group of demons and bears some similarity to the themes of the song.
It is possible that the song is a response to the song "Hernando's Hideaway" (1954) which was written for the musical The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game
The Pajama Game is a musical based on the novel 7½ Cents by Richard Bissell. It features a score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story deals with labor troubles in a pajama factory, where worker demands for a seven-and-a-half cents raise are going unheeded...
and describes a dark and secretive nightclub where the password is "Joe sent me". In the lyrics of "Green Door" this password merely makes "someone laugh out loud behind the Green Door." The Johnston Brothers had a hit with this one year before "Green Door" appeared.
In A. A. Milne
A. A. Milne
Alan Alexander Milne was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children's poems. Milne was a noted writer, primarily as a playwright, before the huge success of Pooh overshadowed all his previous work.-Biography:A. A...
's Winnie-the-Pooh (book)
Winnie-the-Pooh (book)
Winnie-the-Pooh is the first volume of stories about Winnie-the-Pooh, by A. A. Milne. It is followed by The House at Pooh Corner. The book focuses on the adventures of a teddy bear called Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends Piglet, a small toy pig; Eeyore, a toy donkey; Owl, a live owl; and Rabbit, a...
(1926) Christopher Robin lives "behind a green door in another part of the Forest" (the 100 Acre Wood).
Cultural impact
The song's title inspired the title of a short story that was made into a pornographic film, Behind the Green DoorBehind the Green Door
Behind the Green Door is a 1972 feature-length pornographic film, widely considered one of the genre's "classic" pictures. It was the first hardcore film widely released in the United States. It was the first feature-length film directed by the Mitchell brothers and starred Marilyn Chambers...
. People "in the know" realize that the Mitchell brothers were inspired by an anonymous underground short story that was in circulation (via Mimeographed copies) from the time of the Second World War.
It is also behind the name of a live album by Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
punk band Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
, Alive Behind the Green Door
Alive Behind the Green Door
Alive Behind the Green Door is a live album by the band Flogging Molly, recorded at Molly Malone's in 1997.-Songs:The album features two cover songs, "What's Made Milwaukee Famous " and "De Lilah", which is a combination of "Delilah" by Tom Jones and "That's All Right " by Elvis Presley...
.(this may only reference the Irish bar in Los Angeles Molly Malone's where they record was recorded and has a green door. It is also where the Molly in their name comes from.)
It is also the name of a letter written by David Berg
David Berg
David Brandt Berg , frequently known by the pseudonym Moses David, was the founder and leader of the New Religious Movement formerly called Children of God, now called "The Family International".-Early years :Berg was born to Hjalmer Emmanuel Berg and Rev...
, the former leader of the cult once called the Children of God
Children of God
The Family International , formed as as the Children of God and later named Family of Love and the Family, is a new religious movement, started in 1968 in Huntington Beach, California, United States. It began in the late 1960s, with many of its early converts drawn from the hippie movement...
and later renamed "The Family"-—he used it as a term for molesting little children.
Psychobilly
Psychobilly
Psychobilly is a fusion genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is one of several subgenres of rockabilly which also include thrashabilly, trashabilly, punkabilly, surfabilly and gothabilly...
band The Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
covered the song on their 1981 album, Psychedelic Jungle
Psychedelic Jungle
Psychedelic Jungle! is the second LP by the American garage punk band The Cramps. It was released on IRS Records. It was engineered by Paul McKenna and recorded at in January 1981 at A&M Studios. It was self-produced by The Cramps...
.
The Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
pop-punk group Los Nikis
Los Nikis
Los Nikis were a Spanish pop-punk group of the 1980s that were associated with la Movida. They were nicknamed "The Ramones from Algete" with songs that feature very simple music and humorous lyrics and subject matter...
made a Spanish version of this song in 1986.
"The Green Door" is the name of a saloon in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
, as well as Park Hall, Maryland
Within the American intelligence community, "green door" is a slang verb, meaning to restrict an individual's or organization's access to information and/or locations. "We green doored them" or "The situation has been highlighted by the 'Green Door' compartmentation and exclusion".
Recordings
The hit version of the song in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was recorded by Jim Lowe
Jim Lowe
Jim Lowe is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his 1956 number-one hit record, "The Green Door". He also served as a disc jockey and radio host and personality, and has been considered an expert on the popular music of the 1940s and 1950s.-Biography:Born in Springfield, Missouri, Lowe...
(backed by the orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
of songwriter Davie, with Davie also playing piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
), and it reached #1 on the Billboard charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
in 1956
1956 in music
-Events:*January 26 – Buddy Holly's first recording sessions for Decca Records take place in Nashville, Tennessee*Roy Orbison signs with Sun Records*January 27 – Elvis Presley's single "Heartbreak Hotel" / "I Was the One" is released...
.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Lowe's version reached #8 on the charts, but a version by Frankie Vaughan
Frankie Vaughan
Frankie Vaughan, CBE, DL was an English singer of traditional pop music, who issued more than 80 recordings in his lifetime. He was known as "Mr. Moonlight" after one of his early hits.-Life and career:...
was even more popular, reaching #2. Another UK recording, by Glen Mason
Glen Mason
Glen O. Mason is an American football coach. Mason previously served as the head football coach at Kent State University, the University of Kansas, and the University of Minnesota, compiling a career college football record of 123–121–1.-Playing career:Mason played college football at...
, reached #24 on the UK chart. The most popular version was by rock and roll star Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens
Shakin' Stevens, also known as "Shaky" is a platinum selling Welsh rock and roll singer and songwriter who holds the distinction of being the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s . His recording and performing career began in the late 1960s, although it was not until 1980 that he saw...
which spent four weeks at number one in July 1981
1981 in music
See also:* Timeline of musical eventsThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1981.-January–April:*January 10 – A revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadway's Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith.*January 24 –...
.
In 1964, Bill Haley & His Comets
Bill Haley & His Comets
Bill Haley & His Comets was an American rock and roll band that was founded in 1952 and continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band, also known by the names Bill Haley and The Comets and Bill Haley's Comets , was the earliest group of white musicians to bring rock and roll to the attention of...
recorded a version for a single release on Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
during an unsuccessful attempt to make a comeback with the label that had made them famous with "Rock Around the Clock
Rock Around the Clock
"Rock Around the Clock" is a 12-bar-blues-based song written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers in 1952. The best-known and most successful rendition was recorded by Bill Haley and His Comets in 1954...
" (this version was produced by Milt Gabler
Milt Gabler
Milton Gabler was an American record producer, responsible for many innovations in the recording industry of the 20th century.-Early life:...
). Country humorist Mayf Nutter re-charted the song in 1973. Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle
Crystal Gayle is an American country music singer best known for her 1977 country-pop hit, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". An award-winning singer, she accumulated 18 number one country hits during the 1970s and 1980s...
recorded the song in 1977, and it has since become a fan favorite at her concerts. The Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
have also recorded the song, on the 1981 album, Psychedelic Jungle
Psychedelic Jungle
Psychedelic Jungle! is the second LP by the American garage punk band The Cramps. It was released on IRS Records. It was engineered by Paul McKenna and recorded at in January 1981 at A&M Studios. It was self-produced by The Cramps...
. The Spanish pop-punk group Los Nikis made a Spanish version of this song in 1986.
Other versions have been recorded by Roland Alphonso
Roland Alphonso
Roland Alphonso O.D. or Rolando Alphonso aka The Chief Musician was a Jamaican tenor saxophonist, and one of the founding members of The Skatalites....
, Wynder K. Frog
Mick Weaver
Mick Weaver is a session musician best known for his playing of the Hammond B3 organ and is a much respected exponent of the Blues and Funk styles.-Career:...
, Houston and Dorsey, Ray Hamilton, Danny Colfax Mallon, Gene McDaniels, Country Dick Montana, Eskew Reeder, Jumpin' Gen Simmons, Skip & Flip
Skip & Flip
Skip & Flip was a U.S. pop duo, consisting of Skip Battin and Flip aka Gary S...
(1961), and Skitzo.