THE DOORS - "Light My Fire"

The Doors
"Light My Fire"
Single - B-Side: "The Crystal Ship"
Released: May 1967
Album: The Doors (Released: 4 January 1967)
Writer: The Doors
Label: Elektra

"Light My Fire" is a song by The Doors, which was released the first week of January 1967 on the Doors' debut album nearly a year after its recording. It was their breakthrough hit, and is considered their signature song. The song is number 35 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It was included in the Songs of the Century list. José Feliciano's cover version won a 1969 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, the same year he won another Grammy for Best New Artist.

The Doors' single "Light My Fire", 1967
(Photo courtesy of  Elektra)

The song originated as an unfinished Robby Krieger composition, which the other band members then expanded upon. Ray Manzarek said that the distinctive organ intro was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach's Two and Three Part Inventions. Although the album version was just over seven minutes long, it was widely requested for radio play, so a single version was edited to under three minutes with nearly all the instrumental break removed for airplay on AM radio.

The Doors - "Light My Fire" (vinyl LP version)

The Doors' dutch 7 inch sleeve Ligh My Fire

The band appeared on various TV shows, such as American Bandstand, miming to a playback of the single. However, "Light My Fire" was performed live by The Doors on The Ed Sullivan Show broadcast on September 17, 1967. The Doors were asked by producer Bob Precht, Sullivan's son-in-law, to change the line "girl, we couldn't get much higher", as the sponsors were uncomfortable with the possible reference to drug-taking. The band agreed to do so, and did a rehearsal using the amended lyrics, "girl, we couldn't get much better"; however, during the live performance, the band's lead singer Jim Morrison sang the original lyric. Ed Sullivan did not shake Morrison's hand as he left the stage. The band had been negotiating a multi-episode deal with the producers; however, after breaking the agreement not to perform the line, they were informed they would never do the Sullivan show again. Morrison's response was "We just 'did' Sullivan."

The Doors - "Light My Fire" (Ed Sullivan Show)

The Doors - "Light My Fire" (official music video)

The Doors at Ed Sullivan Show, 1967 

"... we have a masterpiece, "Light my Fire" is a musical piece very well written, yet better performed in their concerts, this is without a doubt one of the proggiest songs that they ever released, and again, without a doubt, one of the most significative songs in their history, and the history of rock, here we can also notice the way of the weird lyrics...." 
(Progarchives, review by: memowakeman)

Line-up / Musicians:

Jim Morrison - lead vocals

Robby Krieger - Gibson SG electric guitar

Ray Manzarek - Vox Continental combo organ, keyboard bass

John Densmore - drums

With:

Larry Knechtel - bass guitar 

Link / Review:

wikipedia: Light My Fire 
songfacts: Light My Fire by The Doors  
thedoors.com: Light My Fire - The Doors
ppcorn: The Doors "Light My Fire" Still On Fire
rollingstone: 500 Greatest Songs of All Time