Light My Fire (The Doors)

24 AUGUST 1966


Los Angeles band The Doors began recording their self-titled debut album in Hollywood on this day. Recording was finished in a week, although the album was not released until 1967. 

The album version of the song 'Light My Fire' was 7-minutes-plus, but a shorter edited version was released as a single in early 1967 and reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and #7 in the UK.

The Doors were indicative of the transformation of popular music during 1966. Not only in their subject matter (for example, the album track 'The End' featured the lines 'Father / Yes son? / I want to kill you / Mother, I want to... (screaming)') but also in their capacity for live improvisation and highly sexualised stage performances of Jim Morrison. It is hard to imagine such an act being popular a couple of years earlier.

B-side: 'The Crystal Ship'
Released: May 1967
Recorded: August 1966
Length: 7:06 (album version), 2:52 (single version)
Label: Elektra
Writers: The Doors
Producers: Paul A. Rothchild