Light My Fire
Encyclopedia
"Light My Fire" is a song by The Doors
which was recorded in August 1966
and released the first week of January 1967
on the Doors' debut album
. Released as a single in April, it spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
chart, and one week on the Cash Box Top 100
, nearly a year after its recording. A year later, it re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 following the success of Jose Feliciano's version of the song, peaking at number 87. The song was largely written by Robby Krieger
, and credited to the entire band. The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
in 1967, representing sales of one million units.
A live version was released in 1983 on their album Alive, She Cried
, the first of several live albums released in subsequent decades to include the song. "Light My Fire" achieved modest success in Australia, where it peaked at #22 on the ARIA chart. The single originally reached #49 in the UK in 1967, but experienced belated success in that country in 1991 when a re-issue peaked at #7. The re-issue occurred on the back of revived interest in the band following Oliver Stone's film biopic "The Doors". The song is #35 on Rolling Stone
s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It was included in the Songs of the Century
list and was ranked number 7 in VH1
's 100 Greatest Songs of All Time 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.
. Although the album version was just over seven minutes long, it was widely requested for radio play, so a single version was edited to just under three minutes with nearly all the instrumental break removed for airplay on AM radio. However, the album version was more popular for up and coming FM radio stations, and at social gatherings of young people.
, 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; 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 seven-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."
recalls that Buick
offered $75,000 in October, 1968 to adapt the song for use in a Buick Opel TV commercial ("Come on, Buick, light my fire".) Morrison, however, was still in London after a European tour had just ended on September 20 and could not be reached by the other group members who agreed to the deal in his absence. As the band had agreed in 1965 to both equal splits and everyone having veto power in decisions, Morrison consequently called Buick and threatened to smash an Opel with a sledgehammer on television should the (presumably ready) commercial be aired.
and catchy rhythm (particularly Ray Manzarek
's swirling, barrel organ
-style keyboard motif) lent itself readily to pop
or MOR styled cover versions.
Cover versions were recorded by Astrud Gilberto
, Will Young
(whose version hit number one in the United Kingdom
), Amii Stewart
(whose version got to number 5 in the United Kingdom, in 1979, and to number 7 as a remix in 1985) Natalia Oreiro
, Jose Feliciano
(whose version won a Grammy in 1969 Best Pop song of the year), Nancy Sinatra
, Julie London
, Friedrich Gulda
, Julie Driscoll
& the Brian Auger
Trinity, Shirley Bassey
, Erma Franklin
, Baccara
, Birth Control
, Cibo Matto
, Divididos
, UB40
, Massive Attack
, The Mike Flowers Pops
, the LN Elektronische Ensemble
. Amorphis
, Hide
, Minnie Riperton
, Stevie Wonder
, Type O Negative
, Al Green
, Electric Screwdrivers, B.J. Thomas, Ananda Shankar
, Trini Lopez
, John Tartaglia, Zacharias and Train
, whose version can be found on the tribute compilation Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors. The Challengers
did an instrumental version in 1969, as title track to one of their last albums.
NB The Massive Attack cover actually sampled a combination of the Young-Holt Unlimited
cover of "Light My Fire" (1969) and the Jackie Wilson
cover version of "Light My Fire" from his Do Your Thing album. In 2008, pianist
David Benoit offered a rendition of the song "Light My Fire" from his album Heroes. The next month in that same year, another instrumental
ist named Warren Hill released a cover of "Light My Life" from his album La Dolce Vita.
José Feliciano
experienced significant international success when he released his version of "Light My Fire" in 1968 as a single on the RCA Victor label. It is perhaps the best known cover of this song, reaching #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, only a year after the original had been a #1 hit on the same chart. Feliciano's remake blended Latin influences, including a mixture of classic Spanish guitar and flamenco, with American pop sounds. The single helped to spur the worldwide success of its album, Feliciano!, which was nominated for multiple Grammy awards in 1969. Feliciano's arrangement of "Light My Fire" has influenced several subsequent versions, including that by Will Young
. Song writer 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."
in 1999. This is a remix of the vocal recorded in 1970 for the album Something, which is also included on this release. The single was issued by Blue Note
, EMI Music France in two formats a 12" single and a CD single.
In the spring of 1998, Blue Note France and Radio Nova organised a competition to find the best remix, created from the Groove and Jazz back catalogues. The DJ had to me an unknown that had not yet had any work published. DJ Booster was the winner and the Hip-hop, club dance remixes of Light My Fire were released to the public. French musician DJ Olivier Armbuster, alias Booster has origins in the suburbs of Paris, he is a musician who plays a variety of different instruments, he went on to release an album titled Loop in 2001.
Tracklisting
Personnel
UK series 1 winner Will Young
covered the song in 2002. Young originally performed a piano version the song in the final 50 of Pop Idol, and again, with a backing track, in the final 10. It was later released as his second single. It went straight to the number one spot in the UK Singles Chart
, selling 177,000 copies in its first week of release. The single stayed at number one for two weeks. The cover version was recorded in the style of José Feliciano's version.
Young also performed the song on World Idol
, where he came in fifth place.
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
which was recorded in August 1966
1966 in music
-Events:*January 3 – Hullabaloo shows promotional videos of The Beatles songs "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work it Out".*January 8 – Shindig! airs for the last time on ABC, with musical guests the Kinks and the Who...
and released the first week of January 1967
1967 in music
The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The summer of 1967 is "The Summer of Love" in San Francisco. It also became an important year for psychedelic rock, with releases from The Beatles The...
on the Doors' debut album
The Doors (album)
The Doors is the debut album by the American rock band The Doors, recorded in August 1966 and released in January 1967. It was originally released in significantly different stereo and mono mixes...
. Released as a single in April, it spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart, and one week on the Cash Box Top 100
Cashbox Top 100 number-one singles of 1967
These are the number-one singles of 1967 according to the Top 100 Singles chart in Cash Box magazine.-References:*http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/randypny2/cashbox/1967.html*http://www.cashboxmagazine.com/archives/60s_files/1967.html...
, nearly a year after its recording. A year later, it re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968 following the success of Jose Feliciano's version of the song, peaking at number 87. The song was largely written by Robby Krieger
Robby Krieger
Robert Alan "Robby" Krieger is an American rock guitarist and songwriter. He was the guitarist in The Doors, and wrote some of the band's best known songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."...
, and credited to the entire band. The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
in 1967, representing sales of one million units.
A live version was released in 1983 on their album Alive, She Cried
Alive, She Cried
Alive, She Cried is a live album by the American rock band The Doors; the title of the album is taken from a line in the song "When the Music's Over". The recordings are from various concerts during the period 1968–1970; they include "Gloria", originally a hit for Them, and an extended version of...
, the first of several live albums released in subsequent decades to include the song. "Light My Fire" achieved modest success in Australia, where it peaked at #22 on the ARIA chart. The single originally reached #49 in the UK in 1967, but experienced belated success in that country in 1991 when a re-issue peaked at #7. The re-issue occurred on the back of revived interest in the band following Oliver Stone's film biopic "The Doors". The song is #35 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It was included in the Songs of the Century
Songs of the Century
The "Songs of the Century" list is part of an education project by the Recording Industry Association of America , the National Endowment for the Arts, and Scholastic Inc. that aims to "promote a better understanding of America’s musical and cultural heritage" in American schools...
list and was ranked number 7 in VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's 100 Greatest Songs of All Time list. José Feliciano
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
's cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
won a 1969 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, the same year he won
Grammy Awards of 1969
The 11th Grammy Awards were held on March 12, 1969. They recognized accomplishments of musicians for the year 1968.-Award winners:*Record of the Year**Paul Simon & Roy Halee & Simon & Garfunkel for "Mrs...
another Grammy for Best New Artist.
History
The song originated as a Robby Krieger unfinished composition, which the other band members then expanded upon, namely the recognizable intro composed by Ray ManzarekRay Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
. Although the album version was just over seven minutes long, it was widely requested for radio play, so a single version was edited to just under three minutes with nearly all the instrumental break removed for airplay on AM radio. However, the album version was more popular for up and coming FM radio stations, and at social gatherings of young people.
The Ed Sullivan Show
The band appeared on various TV shows, such as American BandstandAmerican Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
, miming to a playback of the single. However, "Light My Fire" was performed live by The Doors on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
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; however, during the live performance, the band's lead singer Jim Morrison sang the original lyric. Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast from 1948 to 1971 , which made it one of the longest-running variety shows in U.S...
did not shake Morrison's hand as he left the stage. The band had been negotiating a seven-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 Buick Incident
John DensmoreJohn Densmore
John Paul Densmore is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the drummer of the rock group The Doors.-Early life and The Doors:Born in Los Angeles, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and Cal...
recalls that Buick
Buick
Buick is a premium brand of General Motors . Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make...
offered $75,000 in October, 1968 to adapt the song for use in a Buick Opel TV commercial ("Come on, Buick, light my fire".) Morrison, however, was still in London after a European tour had just ended on September 20 and could not be reached by the other group members who agreed to the deal in his absence. As the band had agreed in 1965 to both equal splits and everyone having veto power in decisions, Morrison consequently called Buick and threatened to smash an Opel with a sledgehammer on television should the (presumably ready) commercial be aired.
Chart positions
| Chart (1967) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Go-Set National Top 40 Go-Set Go-Set was the first Australian pop music newspaper, published weekly from 2 February 1966 to 24 August 1974, and was founded in Melbourne by Phillip Frazer, Peter Raphael and Tony Schauble... |
16 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
1 |
| Netherlands Singles Chart | 27 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
49 (1967), 7 (1991 reissue) |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 1 |
Covers
The song's chord progressionChord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
and catchy rhythm (particularly Ray Manzarek
Ray Manzarek
Raymond Daniel Manzarek, Jr., better known as Ray Manzarek , is an American musician, singer, producer, film director, writer, co-founder and keyboardist of The Doors from 1965 to 1973, Nite City from 1977–1978 and Manzarek-Krieger since 2001.Manzarek is listed #4 on Digital Dreamdoor's "100...
's swirling, barrel organ
Barrel organ
A barrel organ is a mechanical musical instrument consisting of bellows and one or more ranks of pipes housed in a case, usually of wood, and often highly decorated...
-style keyboard motif) lent itself readily to pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
or MOR styled cover versions.
Cover versions were recorded by Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto
Astrud Gilberto is a Brazilian samba and bossa nova singer. She is well known for the Grammy Award-winning song "The Girl from Ipanema".-Biography:...
, Will Young
Will Young
William Robert "Will" Young is a British singer-songwriter and actor who came to prominenceafter winning the 2002 inaugural series of the British music contest Pop Idol, making him the first winner of the now-worldwide Idols-format franchise...
(whose version hit number one in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
), Amii Stewart
Amii Stewart
Amy 'Amii' Paulette Stewart is an American contemporary R&B/disco/dance-pop singer, dancer and actress most famous for her hit disco record "Knock on Wood". Stewart is the stepsister of actress-singer Miquel Brown and aunt to Brown's actress-singer daughter Sinitta.-Career:Amy Stewart was the...
(whose version got to number 5 in the United Kingdom, in 1979, and to number 7 as a remix in 1985) Natalia Oreiro
Natalia Oreiro
Natalia Marisa Oreiro Iglesias is a Latin Grammy-nominated Uruguayan singer, actress and fashion designer of Galician ancestry, who developed most of her career in Argentina. Oreiro began her career in soap operas. Since 2008 she has switched to work primarily in films...
, Jose Feliciano
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
(whose version won a Grammy in 1969 Best Pop song of the year), Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Nancy Sandra Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer/actor Frank Sinatra, and remains best known for her 1966 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"....
, Julie London
Julie London
Julie London was an American singer and actress. She was best known for her smoky, sensual voice. London was at her singing career's peak in the 1950s. Her acting career lasted more than 35 years...
, Friedrich Gulda
Friedrich Gulda
Friedrich Gulda was an Austrian pianist and composer who worked in both the classical and jazz fields.Born in Vienna as the son of a teacher, Gulda began learning to play the piano from Felix Pazofsky at the Wiener Volkskonservatorium, aged 7...
, Julie Driscoll
Julie Driscoll
Julie Tippetts is an English singer and actress, known for her 1960s versions of Bob Dylan's "This Wheel's on Fire", and Donovan's "Season of the Witch", both with Brian Auger & The Trinity...
& the Brian Auger
Brian Auger
Brian Auger is a jazz and rock keyboardist, who has specialized in playing the Hammond organ.A jazz pianist, bandleader, session musician and Hammond B3 player, Auger has played or toured with artists such as Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon...
Trinity, Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
, Erma Franklin
Erma Franklin
Erma Franklin was an American gospel and R&B singer. She was the oldest daughter of Barbara and the Reverend C. L. Franklin and the elder sister of Aretha Franklin...
, Baccara
Baccara
Baccara was a female vocal duo formed in 1977 by Spanish artists Mayte Mateos and María Mendiola . The pair rapidly achieved international success with their debut single "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie", which reached number one across much of Europe...
, Birth Control
Birth Control (band)
Birth Control is a German rock band known for their progressive hard rock sound and provocative album covers.Birth Control formed in the middle of 1968 in Berlin from two other bands, the Earls and the Gents...
, Cibo Matto
Cibo Matto
Cibo Matto are a New York City-based band formed by two Japanese women, Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori, in 1994...
, Divididos
Divididos
Divididos is an Argentine rock band.The band was formed in 1988 after the death of Luca Prodan and the consequent dissolution of the band Sumo...
, UB40
UB40
UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
, Massive Attack
Massive Attack
Massive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
, The Mike Flowers Pops
The Mike Flowers Pops
The Mike Flowers Pops was a British easy listening band fronted by Mike Flowers and supported by the "Sounds Superb Singers" and "Super Stereo Brass". There were either thirteen or fourteen of them on stage at any time...
, the LN Elektronische Ensemble
Little Nobody
Little Nobody is the electronic music production alias of Australian musician and writer Andrez Bergen.-Background:An expatriate Melburnian, who currently resides in Tokyo, Japan, Bergen is also an author and photographer, as well as a music, movie and anime journalist for the Daily Yomiuri...
. Amorphis
Amorphis
Amorphis is a Finnish heavy metal band started by Jan Rechberger, Tomi Koivusaari, and Esa Holopainen in 1990. Initially, the band was a death metal act, but on later albums they evolved into playing other types of genres, which include heavy metal, progressive metal, and folk metal...
, Hide
Hide (musician)
, better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
, Minnie Riperton
Minnie Riperton
Minnie Julia Riperton was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single "Lovin' You". She was married to songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph from 1972 until her death in the summer of 1979. They had two children - music engineer Marc Rudolph and actress/comedienne Maya...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Type O Negative
Type O Negative
Type O Negative was a gothic metal band from Brooklyn, New York City. The band also incorporated elements of doom metal and thrash metal. Their dramatic lyrical emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname "The Drab Four"...
, Al Green
Al Green
Albert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
, Electric Screwdrivers, B.J. Thomas, Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar was a Bengali musician best known for fusing Western and Eastern musical styles. He was married to Tanusree Shankar.-Early life:...
, Trini Lopez
Trini Lopez
Trini Lopez is an American singer, guitarist and actor.-Career:Lopez was born in Dallas, Texas, on Ashland Street in the Little Mexico neighborhood. He began his entertainment career in Dallas playing at the Vegas Club, a nightclub owned by Jack Ruby...
, John Tartaglia, Zacharias and Train
Train (band)
Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
, whose version can be found on the tribute compilation Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors. The Challengers
The Challengers (band)
The Challengers were an instrumental surf music band started in late 1962. They were located in Los Angeles. They represented a growing love for surf music and helped make the genre popular...
did an instrumental version in 1969, as title track to one of their last albums.
NB The Massive Attack cover actually sampled a combination of the Young-Holt Unlimited
Young-Holt Unlimited
Young-Holt Unlimited were an American soul and jazz instrumental musical ensemble from Chicago, Illinois.Drummer Isaac "Red" Holt and bassist Eldee Young, formerly members of Ramsey Lewis' jazz trio, formed a new outfit called the Young-Holt Trio with pianist Don Walker in 1966...
cover of "Light My Fire" (1969) and the Jackie Wilson
Jackie Wilson
Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history...
cover version of "Light My Fire" from his Do Your Thing album. In 2008, pianist
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
David Benoit offered a rendition of the song "Light My Fire" from his album Heroes. The next month in that same year, another instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
ist named Warren Hill released a cover of "Light My Life" from his album La Dolce Vita.
José Feliciano
Vocalist and guitaristGuitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
José Feliciano
José Feliciano
José Feliciano is a Puerto Rican singer, virtuoso guitarist and composer known for many international hits including the 1970 holiday single "Feliz Navidad".-Childhood:...
experienced significant international success when he released his version of "Light My Fire" in 1968 as a single on the RCA Victor label. It is perhaps the best known cover of this song, reaching #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts, only a year after the original had been a #1 hit on the same chart. Feliciano's remake blended Latin influences, including a mixture of classic Spanish guitar and flamenco, with American pop sounds. The single helped to spur the worldwide success of its album, Feliciano!, which was nominated for multiple Grammy awards in 1969. Feliciano's arrangement of "Light My Fire" has influenced several subsequent versions, including that by Will Young
Will Young
William Robert "Will" Young is a British singer-songwriter and actor who came to prominenceafter winning the 2002 inaugural series of the British music contest Pop Idol, making him the first winner of the now-worldwide Idols-format franchise...
. Song writer 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."
| Country | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia | 3 |
| Brazil | 2 |
| Canada | 1 |
| France | 62 |
| Ireland | 14 |
| Netherlands | 24 |
| United Kingdom | 6 |
| United States | 3 |
Shirley Bassey
Light My Fire Remix is a single released by Shirley BasseyShirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
in 1999. This is a remix of the vocal recorded in 1970 for the album Something, which is also included on this release. The single was issued by Blue Note
Blue note
In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note sung or played at a slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale for expressive purposes. Typically the alteration is a semitone or less, but this varies among performers and genres. Country blues, in particular, features wide variations from the...
, EMI Music France in two formats a 12" single and a CD single.
In the spring of 1998, Blue Note France and Radio Nova organised a competition to find the best remix, created from the Groove and Jazz back catalogues. The DJ had to me an unknown that had not yet had any work published. DJ Booster was the winner and the Hip-hop, club dance remixes of Light My Fire were released to the public. French musician DJ Olivier Armbuster, alias Booster has origins in the suburbs of Paris, he is a musician who plays a variety of different instruments, he went on to release an album titled Loop in 2001.
Tracklisting
- "Light My Fire" (Booster-Remix Edit) -3.17
- "Light My Fire" (Booster Mix) -5.05
- "Light My Fire" (Shirley Bassey original version) -3.23
- "Light My Fire" (Booster Jungle Mix) -4.23
Personnel
- Shirley Bassey - Vocal
- Nicolas Gueguen, Rob - Keyboards
Will Young
Pop IdolPop Idol
Pop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on 6 October 2001. The show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer in the United Kingdom, based on viewer voting and participation. Two series were broadcast - one in 2001-02 and a second in 2003...
UK series 1 winner Will Young
Will Young
William Robert "Will" Young is a British singer-songwriter and actor who came to prominenceafter winning the 2002 inaugural series of the British music contest Pop Idol, making him the first winner of the now-worldwide Idols-format franchise...
covered the song in 2002. Young originally performed a piano version the song in the final 50 of Pop Idol, and again, with a backing track, in the final 10. It was later released as his second single. It went straight to the number one spot in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, selling 177,000 copies in its first week of release. The single stayed at number one for two weeks. The cover version was recorded in the style of José Feliciano's version.
Young also performed the song on World Idol
World Idol
World Idol was the title of a one-off international version of the television show Pop Idol, featuring winners of the various national Idol shows around the world competing against each other.The performance show was held on Christmas Day 2003, with the results show held on New Year's Day...
, where he came in fifth place.
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Germany | 44 |
| Italy | 4 |
| Netherlands | 35 |
| Republic of Ireland | 5 |
| Switzerland | 76 |
| United Kingdom | 1 |
Other covers
- In 1967, Bob ThieleBob ThieleBob Thiele was an American record producer who worked on countless classic jazz albums and record labels.-Biography:...
And His New Happy Times Orchestra recorded a version with Gábor SzabóGábor SzabóGábor Szabó was a Hungarian jazz guitarist, famous for mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music.-Biography:...
. - Erma FranklinErma FranklinErma Franklin was an American gospel and R&B singer. She was the oldest daughter of Barbara and the Reverend C. L. Franklin and the elder sister of Aretha Franklin...
recorded a soulSoul musicSoul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
style version of the song in 1969. It was released on the album Soul Sister. - Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
performed a soulful version of the song for the album My Cherie AmourMy Cherie Amour (album)My Cherie Amour is a 1969 album by American recording artist Stevie Wonder on the Tamla label, his eleventh studio album. The album yielded a couple of major hits, including the title track and "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday", as well as Wonder's takes on the 1967 hit "Light My Fire" by The...
in 1969. - Shirley BasseyShirley BasseyDame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
recorded this song on her 1970 album Something. - Ananda ShankarAnanda ShankarAnanda Shankar was a Bengali musician best known for fusing Western and Eastern musical styles. He was married to Tanusree Shankar.-Early life:...
released his first self-titled album in 1970, featuring original Indian classical material alongside sitar-based cover version of The Doors' "Light My Fire." - German heavy prog band Birth ControlBirth Control (band)Birth Control is a German rock band known for their progressive hard rock sound and provocative album covers.Birth Control formed in the middle of 1968 in Berlin from two other bands, the Earls and the Gents...
released it on their debut album Birth Control in 1970. - Etta JamesEtta JamesEtta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
also covered the song. It can be found on the 3 CD set, Etta James: The Chess Box, a compilation of her songs recorded from 1960-1976. - In 1977, the song was covered by the Spanish group BaccaraBaccaraBaccara was a female vocal duo formed in 1977 by Spanish artists Mayte Mateos and María Mendiola . The pair rapidly achieved international success with their debut single "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie", which reached number one across much of Europe...
. The song was called "Light My Fire (Baby, Won't You Reach Out)", and included on their album with the same name. - Baccara's 1978 version is the second known discoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
version of the song, and appeared on the album of the same nameLight My Fire (Baccara album)Light My Fire is the second studio album by Spanish duo Baccara, first released on label RCA-Victor in West Germany in August 1978. It contains the European hit singles "Darling" and "Parlez-Vous Français?", their entry for the 1978 Eurovision Song Contest...
. - Minnie RipertonMinnie RipertonMinnie Julia Riperton was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single "Lovin' You". She was married to songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph from 1972 until her death in the summer of 1979. They had two children - music engineer Marc Rudolph and actress/comedienne Maya...
(in a duet with José Feliciano) covered the song in 1979 on her last album MinnieMinnie (album)Minnie is the fifth and final studio album by Minnie Riperton. She died of cancer two months after its release. It was also her first album for Capitol Records....
shortly before her death from cancer. - The song was also covered by discoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
artist Amii StewartAmii StewartAmy 'Amii' Paulette Stewart is an American contemporary R&B/disco/dance-pop singer, dancer and actress most famous for her hit disco record "Knock on Wood". Stewart is the stepsister of actress-singer Miquel Brown and aunt to Brown's actress-singer daughter Sinitta.-Career:Amy Stewart was the...
in 1979 as "Light My Fire/137 Disco Heaven". - In 1988, the Argentinian band DivididosDivididosDivididos is an Argentine rock band.The band was formed in 1988 after the death of Luca Prodan and the consequent dissolution of the band Sumo...
covered the song on their debut album 40 Dibujos Ahi en el Piso (40 Drawings there on the floor). - The Hampton String QuartetHampton String QuartetThe Hampton String Quartet considered by many to be one of the founders of the "alternative music" genré of chamber music is a string quartet specializing in rock music and other popular styles, playing serious chamber music arrangements of songs using classical composer influences and frequently...
arranged the song and recorded it on an early album, What if Mozart Wrote "Born to be Wild", in 1988. - Bristol trip-hop group Massive AttackMassive AttackMassive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
covered the song in 1994 on the album ProtectionProtection (album)-Sound:Protection was featured in the top ten of Rolling Stone magazine's 'Coolest Albums of All Time List,' calling it "great music for when you're driving around a city at 4 am," due to the 'chill out' nature of the album...
. - Beastie BoysBeastie BoysBeastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
covered the song for the vinyl release of Aglio e Olio in 1995. - Chicago based Jazz vocalist and composer Patricia BarberPatricia Barber-Discography:* Split Premonition Records * Distortion of Love Antilles * Cafe Blue Blue Note, Premonition Records * Modern Cool Blue Note, Premonition Records...
released a very cool and bluesy cover on the Bluenote 1999 release Modern Cool in 1998. - The song was also covered in 2000 by Scott StappScott StappScott Alan Stapp is an American musician and singer-songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Creed, of which he is a founding member. His debut solo album, The Great Divide, was released in 2005. A second album, Between Lust and Love, is currently in production...
with the rest of The DoorsThe DoorsThe Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
on VH1 StorytellersVH1 StorytellersStorytellers is a television music series produced by the VH1 network.In each episode artists perform in front of a live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat similar to MTV Unplugged...
, as well as on a recorded version. - The Finnish death metalDeath metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
band AmorphisAmorphisAmorphis is a Finnish heavy metal band started by Jan Rechberger, Tomi Koivusaari, and Esa Holopainen in 1990. Initially, the band was a death metal act, but on later albums they evolved into playing other types of genres, which include heavy metal, progressive metal, and folk metal...
covered the song as a bonus track on the re-release of Tales from the Thousand LakesTales from the Thousand Lakes-Bonus tracks:Tracks 11-13 added from the Black Winter Day EP:-Band members:* Tomi Koivusaari – vocals, rhythm guitar* Esa Holopainen – lead guitar* Olli-Pekka Laine – bass guitar* Jan Rechberger – drums* Kasper Mårtenson – keyboards...
in 2000. - British reggaeReggaeReggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
band UB40UB40UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. One of the world's best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records.Their hit singles...
cover the song on their 2000 album, The Very Best of UB40 1980-2000The Very Best of UB40The Very Best of UB40 1980-2000 is a greatest hits album from the British dub/reggae band UB40.There is another, later release with the similar title The Best Of UB40 Volume I & II, with different contents.-UK Track listing:# "One in Ten"...
. - A piano version of the song was created by pianist George WinstonGeorge WinstonGeorge Winston is an American pianist who was born in Michigan, and grew up mainly in Miles City, Montana as well as Mississippi and Florida. He attended Stetson University in Deland, Florida and lives in Santa Cruz, California.-Background:...
in 2002 on his album Night Divides the Day - The Music of the DoorsNight Divides the Day - The Music of the DoorsNight Divides the Day – The Music of the Doors is the thirteenth album of pianist George Winston and ninth solo piano album, released in 2002. It features only piano covers of rock band The Doors. The Doors' keyboard player Ray Manzarek stated: "I love this CD; George has captured the essence of...
. - In 2006, French singer Laurent VoulzyLaurent VoulzyLaurent Voulzy is a French singer and composer.-Biography:Voulzy originally led the English-pop-influenced Le Temple de Vénus before joining Pascal Danel as guitarist from 1969 to 1974...
covered the song on the album La Septième vague. - Jackie WilsonJackie WilsonJack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history...
's 1968 cover is sampled in track 2 of Lemon JellyLemon JellyLemon Jelly is a British electronic music duo from London, formed in 1998. Since their inception, the band's line-up has included Fred Deakin and Nick Franglen. Lemon Jelly has been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and BRIT Awards....
's Triptych Mix. - The lyrics from the song's chorus were used by hip hopHip hopHip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
artist Necro on the track "Light My Fire". The song is off of his 2002 album Gory DaysGory DaysGory Days is the second studio album by American hip hop musician Necro, released on November 7, 2001 by Psycho+Logical-Records. In this album, Necro emphasizes his death rap theme, rather than sex, such as in his 2005 album The Sexorcist. The album spawned two singles, "Bury You with Satan" and...
and has nothing in common with the original song other than its chorus lyrics. - Richard Cheese covered the song in an easy listeningEasy listeningEasy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
style on his album OK BartenderOK BartenderOK Bartender is the ninth album by Richard Cheese. The album includes lounge music versions of contemporary pop, rock and rap hits and it's the band's first album to include voicemail messages from drunken fans. The title is a play on Radiohead's 1997 album OK Computer.-Track listing:# "Supersonic"...
. - Tim HawkinsTim HawkinsTim Hawkins is a Christian comedian, songwriter, and singer, best known for parodying popular songs, such as Carrie Underwood's "Jesus Take The Wheel" and "The Candy Man" stand-up material based on marriage, homeschooling and parenting. Hawkins has released three CDs and five DVDs of his material...
did a parody called "Quit the Choir".
External links
- Ray Manzarek of 'The Doors', an interview on Fresh AirFresh AirFresh Air is an American radio talk show broadcast on National Public Radio stations across the United States. The show is produced by WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its longtime host is Terry Gross. , the show was syndicated to 450 stations and claimed 4.5 million listeners. The show...
- Light My Fire from All Things ConsideredAll Things ConsideredAll Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
, 2000 interviews about the song with the surviving members of the Doors