The surviving band members (keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore) recorded two additional albums as a trio, but broke up in 1973.

[12] The first session included poems like "Bird of Prey", "Under Waterfall" and "Orange County",[10] sung a cappella by Morrison with the latter cut featuring piano played by him.

[14] Prior to leaving for Paris in March 1971, Morrison had also approached composer Lalo Schifrin as a possible collaborator on the music to accompany the poetry, instead of the other members of the Doors.

The left panel depicting a radiant moon-lit beach and an endless stream of young naked couples running silently along the water's edge.

"[20]After Morrison's death however, the album's producers were unaware of his intention to use the painting,[21] and used for the front and back cover photos taken by Edmund Teske and Joel Brodsky respectively.

[33] In a review published in Creem magazine in January 1979, musician Patti Smith felt that the record had some "certain flaws", but commended the fact that it "documents a fragment of the passion of Jim Morrison", adding that, "An American Prayer has been pieced together delicately with obsessive devotion.

"[28] On the occasion of the 1995 reissue release, Entertainment Weekly journalist David Browne similarly wrote that An American Prayer is "primarily for those who place great weight on Jim Morrison.

"[25] More recently, Vik Iyengar of AllMusic found the album "interesting", but concluded that it's "not for everyone, but is a must-own for Doors completists and fans of Jim Morrison's poetry.

"[37] Poetry, lyrics and stories are written and recited by Jim Morrison; the music is composed by Ray Manzarek, Robby Krieger and John Densmore.