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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
| This became The Doors' signature song. Released on their first album, it was a huge hit and launched them to stardom. |
| The Doors' record company thought this was too long to get radio play, so the guitar solos were edited down for the single to make it considerably shorter. Many stations played the 6:50 album version anyway. Since the single was a shortened version, fans had to buy the album to get the extended mix, which helped spur sales of the album. |
| Most of the lyrics were written by Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger. He wanted to write about one of the elements: fire, air, earth, and water. Jim Morrison wrote some of the second verse, and Ray Manzarek came up with the organ intro. |
| Before this was released, The Doors were an underground band popular in the Los Angeles area. This got the attention of a mass audience. |
| The chord progression was inspired by John Coltrane's "My Favourite Things," a version of which Julie Andrews sang in The Sound of Music. |
| This was produced by Paul Rothchild and was recorded in late 1966 and then released in April 1967. |
| The song topped the chart for the first three weeks in July 1967. It sold over one million copies and was the first #1 hit for their record label Elektra. (thanks, Kain - Charleston, SC, for above 2) |
| The producers of The Ed Sullivan Show asked the band to change the line "Girl we couldn't get much higher" for their appearance in 1967. Morrison said he would, but sung it anyway. Afterwards, he told Sullivan that he was nervous and simply forgot to change the line. This didn't fly, and The Doors were never invited back. |
| The Doors sold the recording rights to Jose Feliciano. His version reached #3 in 1968. (thanks, Jim - Hopatcong, NJ) |
| Buick offered The Doors $100,000 to use this 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 Morrison performed live. It was a show at The Warehouse in New Orleans. |
| Train covered this on the 2000 Doors tribute album Stoned Immaculate. Lead singer Pat Monahan sang with the remaining members (Manzarek, Krieger, Densmore) on the VH1's Storytellers dedicated to the Doors. |