♫ Light My Fire ♫

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I like Latin music … not all of it, but some.  Tonight’s song was originally released by the American rock band the Doors in 1967, and saw success in both the U.S. and the U.K.  But the following year, it was released by one of my favourite Latin musicians from Puerto Rico, José Feliciano.  Now, I prefer José’s version, but I’m sure many of you remember the one by the Doors best, so I will include both for your listening pleasure.

Most of the song was written by Doors guitarist Robby Krieger, who wanted to write about one of the elements: fire, air, earth, and water …

“I was living with my parents in Pacific Palisades – I had my amp and SG. I asked Jim [Morrison], what should I write about? He said, ‘Something universal, which won’t disappear two years from now. Something that people can interpret themselves.’ I said to myself I’d write about the four elements; earth, air, fire, water, I picked fire, as I loved the Stones song, ‘Play With Fire,’ and that’s how that came about.”

This became The Doors’ signature song. Included on their first album, it was a huge hit and launched them to stardom. Before it was released, The Doors were an underground band popular in the Los Angeles area, but Light My Fire got the attention of a mass audience.

Jim Morrison indicated in his notebooks that he disliked this song and hated performing it. He also seemed to resent that the popularity of the band derived from this song, which he had just a small part in writing.  In 1968, Buick offered The Doors $75,000 to use this song in a commercial as “Come on Buick, light my fire.” With Morrison away, Krieger, Densmore, and Manzarek agreed to allow it. When Morrison found out, he pitched a fit and killed the deal.

This was the last song Jim Morrison performed live. It took place at the Doors concert at The Warehouse in New Orleans on December 12, 1970. Mid-way through the song, Morrison became exasperated and smashed his microphone into the floor, ending the show.  He died in July of the following year.  The Doors’ final performance took place at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles on September 10, 1972.

José Feliciano, blind from birth, is a Puerto Rican singer and composer, best known for this song, and his Christmas song, Feliz Navidad.  Robby Krieger said in an interview about the cover: “It’s really a great feeling to have written a classic. I think I owe a big debt to Jose Feliciano because he is actually the one, when he did it, everybody started doing it. He did a whole different arrangement on it.”  I like that, when a musician shares credit when it is deserved.

And so … without further ado … I leave you to choose your version.

Light My Fire
The Doors / José Feliciano

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

Produced by Paul A. Rothchild

22 thoughts on “♫ Light My Fire ♫”

  3. Mmmm ❤ the doors. To quote Blake, from “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” — “If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is, infinite. In other words, quiet ur mind and all will be revealed/ Be still and know thyself/ Ah this…..

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    • I wasn’t sure if you had even heard the José Feliciano version over in the UK or not, but I’m glad you like it … it’s my fave too. However, the Doors did it well … just not with that Latin beat.
      Cwtch

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  6. Just a reminder, this is the song that got the Doors banned from the Ed Sullivan Show, something we all respected them for. Eddy believed he could do anything he wanted, kinda like Trump. We need someone to stand ip to Trump.

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  7. Jill, I like both versions as they sound like slightly different songs. It is not unlike when Joe Cocker recorded a previous hit, making his version a new song. “The Letter” is good by the Box Tops as well as Cocker. Keith

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  8. Aw Jill, this is even better than the 5 strips of bacon which you promised. My best girl and I got drunk and high listening to the Doors. She’s gone, I don’t drink or smoke anymore, but the Doors are still a favorite of mine.😍🙏

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