JULY 29, 1967: "LIGHT MY FIRE" LAUNCHES THE DOORS' CAREER

The lack of success of The Doors' first single, "Break On Through (To The Other Side)", released in early 1967, also had a negative impact on the chart performance of their first LP ("The Doors", January '67).

Starting from this disappointing climate, the following that the band had built in California revealed itself too limited compared to the expectations of the Elektra label that was promoting the quartet.

To find a way out of this impasse, producer Paul Rothchild suggested releasing a second single from the first album, "Light My Fire".

In this case, the length of the song (more than seven minutes) was considered too long for radio airplay, so it was suggested that the middle section of the song be cut.

It consisted of two long solos played by the electric organ and the electric guitar respectively and was considered by The Doors to be an essential part of the tune.

The group's initial skepticism about this solution was overcome when they heard the cut version for the first time in the recording studio.

The band members were convinced by the immediacy of the song and the limited alternatives available to reach a wider audience than the one they already had in their home geographic area.

The single was released in late April 1967 and immediately caught the attention of many listeners, even outside California.

On June 3^rd, it entered the charts while at the top spot we found Aretha Franklin with her perfect and historic cover of "Respect" (a great and extremely engaging soul tune composed by the great Otis Redding).

From that moment on, "Light My Fire" began an upward trajectory that would end about three months later, on July 29, with the number one position on the charts.

The Doors' song left behind itself the interesting soul of 17-year-old Stevie Wonder ("I Was Made To Love Her") in the 2^nd spot, and the disappointing pop-rock of The Association ("Windy") in the 3^rd one.

In mid-August '67, after three weeks in a row at the top of the singles charts, "Light My Fire" was knocked off by the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love”.

This pop-rock song perfectly embodied the spirit and cultural climate of that psychedelic summer, although its musical quality, aside from its excellent verse and original lyrics, was not outstanding.

"Light My Fire" would remain The Doors' best-known song, slowly slipping out of the Top 10 after 16 weeks in early October '67.

The single would also stay on the charts for nearly 6 months overall, from June 1967 to the end of the year.

So, Rothchild's decision regarding "Light My Fire" was crucial in launching The Doors into stardom and allowing them to achieve the fame that would forever change their fate and that of rock music.

The effect of this turning point was also immediately felt in the band's concert schedule. Prior to the summer of '67, The Doors had only played live in California (with three exceptions consisting of trips to New York and the surrounding area to play in small venues).

During the summer of that year, the wave of the success brought by "Light My Fire" took them outside their home state to play in Canada (3 nights) and 11 other U.S. states between the East Coast, Midwest and South.

The jump in sales produced by the release of "Light My Fire" in its shortened version represented a watershed moment in The Doors' career.

Cutting out its middle section certainly diminished the overall quality of the song, but this compromise later allowed the full version to become even more popular than the abbreviated single itself.

What’s more, doing so the group escaped the obscurity that sadly characterized the destiny of so many outstanding bands of that musical period. Great musicians that produced amazing music in the second half of the '60s but remain almost unknown to this day. Of this, we shall be grateful.