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The Doors — Light My Fire
Album: The Doors
Avg rating:
8.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1608









Released: 1966
Length: 7:04
Plays (last 30 days): 0
You know that it would be untrue
You know that I would be a liar
If I was to say to you
Girl, we couldn't get much higher

Come on, baby, light my fire
Come on, baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire

The time to hesitate is through
No time to wallow in the mire
Try now, we can only lose
And our love become a funeral pyre

Come on, baby, light my fire
Come on, baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire, yeah

The time to hesitate is through
No time to wallow in the mire
Try now, we can only lose
And our love become a funeral pyre

Come on, baby, light my fire
Come on, baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire, yeah

You know that it would be untrue
You know that I would be a liar
If I was to say to you
Girl, we couldn't get much higher

Come on, baby, light my fire
Come on, baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire
Try to set the night on fire
Try to set the night on fire
Try to set the night on fire
Comments (168)add comment
I adore the first three minutes of this song. It's a classic. Tight band, and a great vocal performance. The extended keyboard noodling for the middle three minutes, not so much.
How do we spell 'iconic'? 
GREAT TUNE!! I was 12yrs old when this came out. I had already bought the 45 (short version). I bought the album for the long version and wound up loving every tune on the album!
The same year, or even the same season, as Sgt. Pepper, Somebody to Love and White Rabbit, and Voodoo Child.  Among many others.  Freakish. 
That transition was perfect.
Smithereens... bass line sounds like "The Doors"
next song THIS 
 Isabeau wrote:

1969: Before my 11th birthday, my mother, almost insane hearing the same Monkee album over and over for months suggested she buy some other music for my  birthday party. I looked at her like she had three heads.
She came home one afternoon with one of those large, white thin bags and said, "The man at the record store said these were great for parties."
I pulled out Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow and The Doors, 'The Doors."
I went from Last Train to Clarksville to Back Door Man.
Mom has never bought me music since.


Your poor mother.  
 cavemanleong wrote:
More organ!!!!!



That's what she said!   GREAT TUNE!!
This song catapulted The Doors to fame. 
 Bridieboo wrote:

That organ grates on my nerves.  Yuck.  IMO The Doors were highly over-rated.



I don't think you would make a decent opinion maker. 
More organ!!!!!
 everettwa wrote:

I used to be a big fan. Now, like so much of the music I grew up with, I've just heard it too many times. All of the life has been beaten out of it for me.
For those that still love it - enjoy!
For me - mute!


I agree this is one beaten to death song
1969: Before my 11th birthday, my mother, almost insane hearing the same Monkee album over and over for months suggested she buy some other music for my  birthday party. I looked at her like she had three heads.
She came home one afternoon with one of those large, white thin bags and said, "The man at the record store said these were great for parties."
I pulled out Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow and The Doors, 'The Doors."
I went from Last Train to Clarksville to Back Door Man.
Mom has never bought me music since.
A huge part of my youth [another era!]
 stevesaw wrote:

1967, NJ pool party. There was a guy in our school that was a talented guitarist. I remember him nailing this song.



What happened to him? 
I used to be a big fan. Now, like so much of the music I grew up with, I've just heard it too many times. All of the life has been beaten out of it for me.
For those that still love it - enjoy!
For me - mute!
 h8rhater wrote:

I dont (sic) care how many hundreds of thousands of times i (sic) hear these whiners - they still suck. 

Let's all start calling out, shunning, and deleting useless "Hate Porn" posts, with no informative content, posted solely for effect.  

Let's ban the Twitter hobby of posting "cute denigrating comments", solely appreciated by grumbler hobbyists on Twitter.  No RP listener cares to hear useless complaints or praise, without including specifically what is disliked or liked.

Instead, only use VOTE or "PSD",  (the " >| " button next to play / pause), which always means "Play Something Different" on any media device.
 kremfresch wrote:

Joking, right?  If not, why would you listen to RP?
 
Sorry... but not joking... - Your question doesn't make sense... does RP only play The Doors? - Anyway... I listen to RP because it is a wonderful place to listen to assorted good music, old and new.
I guess everybody has their share of classic songs that they just can't stand.


1967, NJ pool party. There was a guy in our school that was a talented guitarist. I remember him nailing this song.
 kingart wrote:

{#Moon}{#No}

Show hater the door. 

Consistently the most WRONG opinion on RP.
Opinions can't be wrong. H8ter's are regardless.

 

 Edm23Rocha wrote:
Oh... if only it were 7:04 minutes shorter...
 
Joking, right?  If not, why would you listen to RP?
How this doesn't have a 100% is beyond me. There was never a pop song like this, before or after.
Oh... if only it were 7:04 minutes shorter...
Arguably one of the greatest debut albums ever.
If there was a Hall of Fame just for rock and roll songs, this one is in on the first ballot. 
uh oh  "Rock Mix" button  got mixed up with "Mellow Mix"                                                   needs more Bass     needs any Bass
 LaurieinTucson wrote:
my favorite song in the 4th grade
at V I Grissom elementary on Clark air base in the Philippines!
 
One of my very favorite 1967 summer songs after 6th grade in Clark, NJ. (Among my other about 29 favorite other tunes of that unsurpassed year in popular music.) 
 Baby_M wrote:
There's an interesting article by columnist Mark Steyn on the influences behind this song:

. . . the next time The Sound Of Music turns up on TV and Julie Andrews starts going on about bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, remember that there's a direct line between those brown paper packages tied up with strings and wallowing in the mire when our love becomes a funeral pyre. "My Favorite Things" was one of Ray Manzarek's favorite things, and he drew on it for "Light My Fire."
 

Very interesting.  I do notice a bit of resemblance in the melody. 
 justin4kick wrote:

The organ solo will still stand straight up when we're all on Viagra.


To me 7 - Quite Likeable   but sadly very a WEAK  7  
my favorite song in the 4th grade
at V I Grissom elementary on Clark air base in the Philippines!
 h8rhater wrote:

I dont (sic) care how many hundreds of thousands of times i (sic) hear these whiners - they still suck. 

 
{#Moon}{#No}

Show hater the door. 



Ain't a thing wrong with this track except maybe not hearing it anywhere often enough. 
 sergeant_x wrote:
It's a decent song. But time has not been kind to that organ solo.

 
The organ solo will still stand straight up when we're all on Viagra.
There's an interesting article by columnist Mark Steyn on the influences behind this song:

. . . the next time The Sound Of Music turns up on TV and Julie Andrews starts going on about bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, remember that there's a direct line between those brown paper packages tied up with strings and wallowing in the mire when our love becomes a funeral pyre. "My Favorite Things" was one of Ray Manzarek's favorite things, and he drew on it for "Light My Fire."
In 1967 I was in Southwestern Community College in Chula Vista, CA.  One of the best profs I ever had used to let us play boom boxes in chem lab.  He knew that the music could help us focus.  Lotsa Doors, Credence and Hendrix.  BTW Jim was in a Navy family and I met his younger brother in Coronado.  I think Jim would have been more interesting as a friend.
 Nerubo wrote:
Since the haters seem to be more vocal, despite the 8.2 rating (as of April Fools 2015), here is some love:

I love a great organ solo, and this song is one of my all time favorites.  It does get played a lot on classic rock stations, and that has ruined some songs for me — but not this one.  

Also, it occurs to me that I live in Colorado, and I have never listened to the Doors while high.  How is that even possible? What have I been doing with my life?  Bucket list addition!

 
I was a bigbig Doors fan as a teenager and I never got high while listening to them. Don't worry about it, Nerubo. 

I always chuckle when Jim first sings "Try to set the night on fye-uh"...He can get his chops around "higher", though. 

I do wish the Doors had stuck around a little longer but I also wonder whether they would have lost their cool after a few more years... 
 gjr wrote:
i dont care how many hundreds of thousands of times i hear this song - it still sucks.  and it HASN'T gotten better with age.....please, bill, leave this song on the"corporate classic rock" stations where it belongs.... whats next?  stairway to heaven?

 
I dont (sic) care how many hundreds of thousands of times i (sic) hear these whiners - they still suck. 
 kingart wrote:

What he said. This is one of the greatest. Timeless. And it is one of the theme tracks for some of my fondest and most indelible memories. The summer of 1967 was my season in suburban paradise. 
 

 
yes, you had to be there. we were all a bit foolish
Since the haters seem to be more vocal, despite the 8.2 rating (as of April Fools 2015), here is some love:

I love a great organ solo, and this song is one of my all time favorites.  It does get played a lot on classic rock stations, and that has ruined some songs for me — but not this one.  

Also, it occurs to me that I live in Colorado, and I have never listened to the Doors while high.  How is that even possible? What have I been doing with my life?  Bucket list addition!


 Fotay wrote:
I don't care how many thousands of times I hear this song.  I LOVE IT.  Thanks Bill.  

 
 
What he said. This is one of the greatest. Timeless. And it is one of the theme tracks for some of my fondest and most indelible memories. The summer of 1967 was my season in suburban paradise. 
 
The organ's the thing here.  
It's a decent song. But time has not been kind to that organ solo.
PS. - play Stairway to Heaven.  
I don't care how many thousands of times I hear this song.  I LOVE IT.  Thanks Bill.  







 
 WonderLizard wrote:
RIP, Ray Manzarek. And he played the bass on one keyboard while playing that incredible, signature organ on another.

 
He did indeed. And didn't you just love those rimless octagonal glasses?
i dont care how many hundreds of thousands of times i hear this song - it still sucks.  and it HASN'T gotten better with age.....please, bill, leave this song on the"corporate classic rock" stations where it belongs.... whats next?  stairway to heaven?
 On_The_Beach wrote:

Wow, I wasn't aware 'til I saw your post. A key player in one of the all-time great bands (haters be damned).
Of course he plays a big part in this song and I always loved his piano solo on Riders on the Storm.

 
The band members all went away having decided they'd all have a go at writing, and Robbie Krieger came back with this. Simplicity and pure inspired genius.
Recalibrated my little world when I first heard it.  Still rocks on a level that requires sunglasses in public.
That organ grates on my nerves.  Yuck.  IMO The Doors were highly over-rated.
Unimpressed. Sounds exactly like vintage Doors.
You ruined "Stranger by the Minute" by following it with this piece of crap
 WonderLizard wrote:
RIP, Ray Manzarek. And he played the bass on one keyboard while playing that incredible, signature organ on another.
 
Wow, I wasn't aware (of Ray's passing) 'til I saw your post. A key player in one of the all-time great bands (haters be damned).
Of course he plays a big part in this song and I always loved his piano solo on Riders on the Storm.
 WonderLizard wrote:
RIP, Ray Manzarek.

 
Amen. {#Bananapiano}  I cut my rock n roll teeth on this album.  I remember vividly asking mom or dad to turn it up a little when what ever Doors was playin would come on.  Ah the memories of those sunny days of an 8 year old.  {#Notworthy}
1980   -   Sixth-grade
Found this vinyl sitting amongst all of Dad's weird "old dude" records.  Looked interesting.  Headphones, comfy, fat, leather chair and over the course of the next week.... I had my first real taste.  Rock 'n Roll baby! 
This was my gateway.
Asked around, to this day, no one can tell me where the record came from or how it ended up next to our family's turntable that night....
RIP, Ray Manzarek. And he played the bass on one keyboard while playing that incredible, signature organ on another.
Missing Ray...

Everybody in my church loves this song...
 
 unclehud wrote:
Verses and chorus are proof that they had songwriting talent.  Personally, I like the extended solos/jamming/noodling even though others do not.  No matter your opinion of the 'bonus material', there's no denying their abilities to create poetry and melody.
 
I think the instrumental bits are stunning - everything melds together seamlessly and all the instruments evoke the element of fire!  And Bill's right, it was mind-altering when it came out in '67.
Verses and chorus are proof that they had songwriting talent.  Personally, I like the extended solos/jamming/noodling even though others do not.  No matter your opinion of the 'bonus material', there's no denying their abilities to create poetry and melody.
 jim1964 wrote:

I was stationed in Philly in '69 and I remember how the local underground FM station played that song a lot and the djs spent a lot of airtime talking about Author Brown and how strange his shows were.
 
That would have been WDAS.  Hy Lit and My Father's Son were the two DJ's I remember from those days.  My Father's Son had the 10 till whenever shift.  We went down to the studio and hung out a few times during his show.  We could smoke right handers in the studio, but had to  go outside for the left handers. 

I can guarantee that very few dj's were in the studio actually listening to InnAGaddaDaVida when it was playing back in those days.

C'mon Bill dust this off again.  Been awhile.




The Doors Robby Krieger by ~pinkstarlights
©2010 ~pinkstarlights

The Doors' Robby Krieger

Come on baby, light my fire~
Shot at Monterrey, Mexico

-Alicia



I heard this when it was first released while I was in San Diego.  You had to be there, and I LOVE the guitar solo!
 alanthecowboy wrote:

Tell me about it.  That guitar solo has to be one of the lamest ever recorded, at least until Nickleback hit the scene.

 
OK, that made me LOL.

But the wailing organ solo was always a fave in the days of an AM radio with one speaker in the middle of the dashboard.

 kalkin84 wrote:
ok, the screeching needs to stop.
 
Tell me about it.  That guitar solo has to be one of the lamest ever recorded, at least until Nickleback hit the scene.

This song gets better each time I hear it.

The Doors - "Light My Fire" Live (1967)
"The Doors were founded by Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison in Los Angeles in 1965. They released their eponymous debut album, which contained their hit single Light My Fire, in 1967 and went on to be one of the most controversial and influential rock acts of the sixties. Jim Morrison's early death in Paris in 1971 only served to fuel their legend and both he and the band have continued to enjoy iconic status for more than thirty years."

The Doors and Eddie Vedder - "Light My Fire" Live (1993)
"Ray also looks much cooler if he can sit and shake his head as he improvs it out! The original keyboards, which I believe he still has, are just plain are better. I don't like the modern keyboards, they don't have that magical quality. The only organ I want to get from our modern era is the Clavia Nord C1 Combo Organ. It has copied the sounds of the Flavia, Hammond B3, and Vox Continental on almost a scary level. They are AMAZING! Ray should really use one of those when he performs! "
 redstorm wrote:
this sounds like a '68 camaro, 350 cubic inches, of hot damn fun! {#Motor}
 
That bad huh?

A '70 Hemi 'Cuda would sound much better.

 kurtster wrote:

Saw them in Philly in '69.  Remember it, too.  A great freakin show.  Jacob's Feather was the opener.
 
I was stationed in Philly in '69 and I remember how the local underground FM station played that song a lot and the djs spent a lot of airtime talking about Author Brown and how strange his shows were.

 jagdriver wrote:

I AM THE GOD OF HELL FIRE AND I BRING YOU....

Oh, sorry...wrong song. But it is interesting that The Crazy World of Arthur Brown opened for the Doors in Detroit all those years ago. Personally, I think Arthur's Crazy World <click here> topped any act the Doors could have put on that evening.


 

YOU CANNOT PETITION THE LORD WITH PRAYER!

whoops... wrong song again.  We trekked to Detroit a few times for rock shows back in the day.  Cobo Arena was a great place to watch a concert.


finally, a doors song i've never heard before! 
ok, the screeching needs to stop.
 jagdriver wrote:
I AM THE GOD OF HELL FIRE AND I BRING YOU....

Oh, sorry...wrong song. But it is interesting that The Crazy World of Arthur Brown opened for the Doors in Detroit all those years ago. Personally, I think Arthur's Crazy World <click here> topped any act the Doors could have put on that evening.


 
Saw them in Philly in '69.  Remember it, too.  A great freakin show.  Jacob's Feather was the opener.

 Papernapkin wrote:

A cameo on Entourage? Or, oh! a guest spot on American Idol. Maybe Dancing with the Stars (if times were tough).
 
american idol is out of question...he'd need a whole lot of singing practice to even make it to the first round....

this sounds like a '68 camaro, 350 cubic inches, of hot damn fun! {#Motor}
 lingchih wrote:
Anyone ever contemplate, if Jim Morrison had lived, what he would be doing now?
Sorry, stupid hypothetical. He would never had lived.
 
A cameo on Entourage? Or, oh! a guest spot on American Idol. Maybe Dancing with the Stars (if times were tough).
govna wrote:
classic, but definitely one of the worst guitar solos of all time.

It's not the most spirited solo, granted, but certainly not one of the worst of all time. He stays in key, doodles around with a few modes. etc. My problem with this song is that I've heard it thousands of times and can't go a single day without hearing it.  Though I guess for songs I hear every day, I prefer this to "Sweet Home Alabama" or "Draggin' The Line".

 govna wrote:
classic, but definitely one of the worst guitar solos of all time.
 
But you like the organ solo?

 kaybee wrote:
All you Doors naysayers pay close attention to the instrumental middle section; Densmore on drums; Manzarek on organ and Kreiger on guiter:  pure genius.  And the rest of this album lives up to it.   Even though Jimbo never lived to wear the white sweaty jumpsuit, the influence he's had on modern rock is seminal.  I know someone's going to make an ironic comment on that last word!   {#Naughty}
 
What influence has he had on modern rock? Serious question.

All you Doors naysayers pay close attention to the instrumental middle section; Densmore on drums; Manzarek on organ and Kreiger on guiter:  pure genius.  And the rest of this album lives up to it.   Even though Jimbo never lived to wear the white sweaty jumpsuit, the influence he's had on modern rock is seminal.  I know someone's going to make an ironic comment on that last word!   {#Naughty}
 scraig wrote:

He would be doing the things he loved...staying out of the public eye, partying with a small group of friends, writing poetry and performing as little as possible.

 

Oh yes — lord knows that Jim was such a shy and retiring person who shunned the limelight and cared little for fame. Oh my yes.
 lingchih wrote:
Anyone ever contemplate, if Jim Morrison had lived, what he would be doing now?

 
He would be doing the things he loved...staying out of the public eye, partying with a small group of friends, writing poetry and performing as little as possible.

classic, but definitely one of the worst guitar solos of all time.
 The_Enemy wrote:

...plus he'd be 300 lbs and wearing a white jump suit

 

{#Lol} {#Lol} {#Lol} {#Lol} {#Lol}
 holborne wrote:
He'd also be performing "Touch Me" in Vegas, where he'd be opening for the guy who won the last season of "America's Got Talent."
 
...plus he'd be 300 lbs and wearing a white jump suit

I AM THE GOD OF HELL FIRE AND I BRING YOU....

Oh, sorry...wrong song. But it is interesting that The Crazy World of Arthur Brown opened for the Doors in Detroit all those years ago. Personally, I think Arthur's Crazy World <click here> topped any act the Doors could have put on that evening.


Funny, now that I'm about to be 5 years older than Morrison was when he died, it gives me some interesting perspective. I used to be always younger than all the greats. Interesting to think about.... He may have been "enlightened" and had some really cool thoughts, but he never experienced life after 30 and 2 kids.... Hmmm.
go jim...doors still awesome. better than todays shit that for sure.
 lingchih wrote:
Anyone ever contemplate, if Jim Morrison had lived, what he would be doing now?
 

He would be waving his dick around a lot, just as he did in real life. He was no dope — he knew that was his only real asset.

He'd also be performing "Touch Me" in Vegas, where he'd be opening for the guy who won the last season of "America's Got Talent."


Anyone ever contemplate, if Jim Morrison had lived, what he would be doing now?
Sorry, stupid hypothetical. He would never had lived.

 nigelr wrote:
Felicianos' version blows this away, except for the keyboard work.................
 

literally {#Silenced}

EDIT: oops . . . . misread it as "Fellatios' version blows this away . . ." {#Shifty}
my father played trumpet in a band to make his way thru college
he was pretty distant from  and cool to  the music i was listening to in the 60's - but i had this tune on one Saturday and he looked at me and said "I like that"
totally surprised
{#Cowboy}
I suddenly feel very Baroque... hmmmm?
I think it's safe to say that when these guys got a chance to go into the studio for that first record, they had some worthy material ready
 birdland wrote:
When I hear this on a CR station, I enjoy.

When I hear this on RP -  it puts me beside my big brother in the livingroom in 1967, admiring his grownupness and feeling included in his coolness, and enjoying the newness of the music.

RP has a knack for eliciting emotion from music that doesn't come through in other contexts.

It's this element that's lost by commercial radio and inattention to what happens when you don't treat music with the delicate attention and precise placement it demands.

 

I totally agree.  No other venue for this music makes me stop and ride wave after wave of memories as does RP.  This song brings back memories of listening to my older sister's Doors records when she came home from college - and told me about the protests and other events they were involved in there.

40 years and still counting...
Robby's excellent finger stylings

I never get tired of this.
I can appreciate Feliciano's version.  I think it's a very good interpretation and he gives his own "soul" to it.  I do prefer the Doors though.

What a great debut album that one was!  From that great rocker and party song Break on Through right to The End.  Blues, jazz influences.  Even a little country flavor.
When I hear this on a CR station, I enjoy.

When I hear this on RP -  it puts me beside my big brother in the livingroom in 1967, admiring his grownupness and feeling included in his coolness, and enjoying the newness of the music.

RP has a knack for eliciting emotion from music that doesn't come through in other contexts.

It's this element that's lost by commercial radio and inattention to what happens when you don't treat music with the delicate attention and precise placement it demands.

damn you, RP... doncha know I have WORK to do...??!!!{#Bananajam}
9 - Outstanding
nigelr wrote:
Felicianos' version blows this away, except for the keyboard work.................
No, Sir. Nothing blows this away. To me this is one of the deepest rocksongs ever. And yes, the keyboard work is awesome.
Felicianos' version blows this away, except for the keyboard work.................
Does anyone else think that the solos are perhaps just a tiny-weeny bit too long? It's not as if there's even a particularly interesting riff below. Maybe I need some weed. But the moment JM starts singing again is blessed relief. Time to get my head below the parapet methinks...
winter wrote:
About the only Doors song I actually like. Most of the rest are just tolerable, IMO. But to each their own.
You should have heard my mom play this on the piano.
About the only Doors song I actually like. (Well, this and "Break On Through".) Most of the rest are just tolerable, IMO. But to each their own.
"...but, this one goes to eleven."
Am I sick of this song yet?? Looks down at watch 40 years has passed... nope, not sick of it yet!
A major catalyst for the FM free form revolution - put the 3 minute pop format on notice. Every tune on the album is a standout.
GIRL! We couldn't get much higher!
Hard to believe this song is over 40 years old. It still rocks my face off.
One of the great iconic songs of the 60s. It also happened to be number one on the charts when I was born.
Sorry, but how put the Rate "11" My favorite song in this planet....
pallasathene82 wrote:
Havuing grown up hearing this song, I am sick to death of it. Pah.
dude I was standing in a gas station drinking a bottle of seven up standing in dust with bare feet and it was about 1966 (I was maybe 5 years old). It's the first (radio) song I can remember. I've heard it a gillion times since and it's still cool I think.
1
Porgie_Tirebiter wrote:
C'mon baby - fight my lawyer!
Sweet!
Havuing grown up hearing this song, I am sick to death of it. Pah.
Shesdifferent wrote:
What happened to thosse perfect seques? Who's mixing your music eh?
buh? I was just going to write how much I liked that segue....
What happened to thosse perfect seques? Who's mixing your music eh?