C-90: Light My Fire

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"Light My Fire", written by Robbie Krieger was a perfect vehicle for Jim Morrison's arrogant sexuality, promising something beyond ordinary eroticism, towards an ultimate thrill that nonetheless seems alarmingly fatal. It became an immediate "standard", especially with artists normally classed as 'easy listening' and has been covered many times (it's not in the "Yesterday" league in terms of sheer numbers of covers, but is up there with many other Beatles favourites).

It's a pet project of mine to assemble the best of these covers. So Search and Destroy please.

Jeff W, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Al Green's version simmers decently--not up to his best work but still pretty interesting.

M. Matos, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Astrud Gilberto. Excellent. Also heard a great sitar version in some Andy Weatherall remix IIRC.

Omar, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Jeff's weekend purchases #1: question partly inspired by getting a copy of the "Sounds from the Verve Hi-Fi" compilation, which has a so- so Astrud Gilberto version on it. But lots of other great stuff.

Jeff W, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

would that be the ananda shankar one, omar?

gareth, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I don't know if it's any good, but Stevie Wonder covered it back in the Sixties.

Michael Daddino, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

would that be the ananda shankar one?

Well that sounds probable Gareth. But I wouldn't know for sure (it was one of these webmixes without a tracklisting).

Omar, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

the Dead C version is the best, mainly because of Michael Morley's beautiful singing voice and the sheer enthuisiam he puts into the performance.

hamish, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Jose Feliciano, an obvious answer.

The Living Strings also did an easy listening/ Muzak version in the 70's. It was almost as bad as their cover of 'Satisfaction'

Dave225, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The Massive Attack version bites.

Andrew L, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Val Kilmer's version, of course...

WiLLeM, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Amii Stewart's disco version is the business. I must dig it out.

Daniel, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Mae West does a version on one of the Golden Throats comps.

fritz, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The Shirley Bassey version is worth hearing.

Mark Dixon, Monday, 11 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Will Young from ITV's Pop Idol did a storming version on saturday night.. 4.6 million can't be wrong.

jk, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger. Moody Hammond organ rainy day classic version.

Ben Williams, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

margarita pracatan's live version also rates highly

Geoff, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The dead C have done a version of this! Which record is it? I need this!

Julio Desouza, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

4.6 million can't be wrong
Yeah, if Will does this as his debut single, which rumour has it he will, that's definitely going on the tape.

I'm glad someone mentioned Shirley Bassey - has to be my favourite of the ones I've heard. But keep 'em coming. What's the Beastie Boys & Miho Hatori version like?

Jeff W, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Shirley Bassey version produced by Johnny Harris. the whole LP is damn good (except for My Way - ugh!), and his own LPs ('Movements' and 'All to Bring You Morning' are worth picking up for more of his production/arrangement skills - first worth about 25 quid, but reissued, second is easy-ish charity shop find)

Jose Feliciano was i think first famous cover of it - and inspired most of the subsequent ones. Jim Morrison supposedly sent Feliciano a letter saying thanks 'for making the song a standard', which is suitably cheesy, as befits the track. again that whole LP (Feliciano!) is ace, and really easy to find. loads of great Beatles covers etc

also have Minnie Ripperton cover, a Spanky Wilson one (I think), Edmundo Ros latin one, Ted Heath big band one, couple of jazz ones i can't remember right now, errr... loads more - is one of the standard tracks you look for on LPs, along with Little Green Apples, Spinning Wheel, Ain't No Sunshine etc, when there's a good chance the band will get funky

michael, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The death metal cover by Amorphis in their early years! Music exactly the same as the original, + growly death vocals.

Jordan, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The dead C have done a version of this! Which record is it?

Sketch 42 for a Poster

hamish, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Jose Feliciano's version on his "Feliciano!" album is very nice, I think it really captures the bossa nova mood of the song.

Adam, Tuesday, 12 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

three months pass...
After hearing that absolutely awful version of whatshisname from pop idol singing 'light my fire' (poor Jim must be turning in his grave...unless this version was an attempt to see if he will call to compalin and is still actually alive....hot scoop!!!)...after the song the radio girl was adamant that Jose Feliciano actually wrote light my fire and that Robbie Kreiger changed a few of the lyrics for his own version. As a Doors fan I was amazed at this and do not think it to be true. Anyone out there have the actual facts...ive looked on the album credits for this and it definitely says kreiger wrote this. I think the radio broadcaster hasnt got a clue what shes on about and anyone can get on radio these days.....answers on a postie please....she'll be saying that the spice girls wrote all their own songs next!!!!

danny newman, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Jose Feliciano's was the first released cover version of it, or at least one of the very first (out of about a 1000 i reckon). the Will Young version is an identical arrangment to the Feliciano one, and he even tries to copy Feliciano's singing style exactly.

michael, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

dude did you not see the oliver stone movie in which everything turthful about jim was expressed - kreiger wrote it man, it's just a song, you know, and jim was likea ll yeah, cmon, burrrrrrrrrrrrn

not booournssss

buuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrn

Queen of the Mentalist Gs, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

no it was booo urns

mark "the s stands for oliver stone is my old god" s, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

A few decent versions that haven't been mentioned: Booker T and the MGs (on The Booker T Set), Isaac Hayes (Live At The Sahara Tahoe) and the Four Tops (Soul Spin, also on The Look Of Love).

Martin Skidmore, Tuesday, 28 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Thanks, Martin. I should also mention that I finally tracked down a copy of The Enoch Light Singers' Whoever you are I love you LP the other day. Their version of Light My Fire is ace.

Jeff W, Wednesday, 29 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

there's something weirdly stately and respectful about the way will young so carefully COPIES the passion of JF's: it actually speaks to the apparent content of the song better than most covers of it do, because it says, look, i'm still all technique (be it never so excellent) and not a smidge of wayward passion yet. LIGHT MY FIRE DAMMIT!! I'm waiting, I can melisma to the end of time, you syre won't be sorry, if only you LIGHT MY FekKIN FIRE!!

Jimbo's version by contrast is addressed entirely to himself, serenely, ironically, utterly self-absorbed: since he always DID totally light his own fire, and everyone else on the planet can piss off.

mark s, Sunday, 2 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Hurrah! Oh wait, that's a bad thing.

Ned Raggett, Sunday, 2 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

five months pass...
My sad Beck obsession comes in handy once more as I have learned that he has opened a fair amount of concerts circa 1996 with a weird countrified cover of "Light My Fire". It's pretty good, if you can find a quality live boot (which, so far, has proved unsuccessful - the one I have is marred by muddy sound and too much crowd hooting).

Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Sunday, 3 November 2002 08:40 (twenty-two years ago) link

twenty-two years pass...

Small beer in the scheme of things, but terrible to lose things connected to the culture.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-11/the-doors-hit-light-my-fire-was-written-in-pacific-palisades-home-that-went-up-in-flames

Dan Worsley, Saturday, 11 January 2025 21:32 (four weeks ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBZiYMx0Ltk

scott seward, Sunday, 12 January 2025 18:57 (four weeks ago) link

i like pre-youtube threads. people actually tried to explain how stuff sounded. thank god for youtube. now i can just leave!

scott seward, Sunday, 12 January 2025 18:57 (four weeks ago) link


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