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LIGHT MY FIRE

LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-APRIL 24, 2020…ON THIS DATE IN 1967 THE DOORS RELEASED THEIR BREAKTHROUGH SINGLE ‘LIGHT MY FIRE.’ THIS WAS THE SECOND TRACK TAKEN FROM THEIR DEBUT ALBUM. THE FIRST SINGLE WAS ‘BREAK ON THROUGH’ WHICH PEAKED AT #126 ON THE CHARTS. THE ALBUM HAD COME OUT IN JANUARY 1967, AND AT 6 MINUTES & 50 SECONDS ‘LIGHT MY FIRE WAS DEEMED TO LONG FOR AIRPLAY! HOWEVER, RADIO STATIONS GOT A SH**LOAD OF CALLS FROM LISTENERS WHO HEARD IT OFF THE ALBUM. THE RECORD COMPANY CHOPPED IT DOWN TO 2:52 AND RELEASED THE SONG THAT WOULD BECOME THE DOORS FIRST NUMBER ONE HIT. 

ACCORDING TO ELEKTRA RECORDS FOUNDER JAZ HOLZMAN “We had that huge problem with the time length – seven-and-a-half minutes. Nobody could figure out how to cut it. Finally I said to Rothchild, ‘Nobody can cut it but you.’ When he cut out the solo, there were screams. Except from Jim. Jim said, ‘Imagine a kid in Minneapolis hearing even the cut version over the radio, it’s going to turn his head around.’ So they said, ‘Go ahead, release it.’ We released it with the full version on the other side.”

TO MANY ROCK FANS, THE CHOPPED UP SHORTER VERSION WAS A TRAVESTY, AND MANY DJ’S WOULD PLAY THE LONGER ALBUM CUT. THE DOORS WENT ON TO HAVE 17 HIT SINGLES, INCLUDING 3 TOP TEN HITS. YOU THOUGHT THE ALBUM VERSION WAS LONG ! HERE’S A LIVE VERSION FROM 1970 THAT CLOCKS IN AT 13:52