RAY MANZAREK'S SOLO IN THE DOORS' "LIGHT MY FIRE"

 

"Light My Fire" by The Doors is a unique case in the musical landscape of 1967.

This is not only due to the unmistakable beauty and undeniable originality of the song. The element that distinguishes this tune from other releases of the highest quality in that magical year for music are the two long solos that occupy its central part.

In the context of the ‘60s Rock, they are at the same time an artistic novelty, a musical innovation and the concrete manifestation of the potential of an awesome group.

The first instrument to embark on its articulate and solitary journey is the electric organ, played by Ray Manzarek. Let’s take a look at its general conception and its particularities.

The solo begins at minute 1.14 and lasts about two minutes (for 1967, not a small gamble in the Rock genre), ending at minute 3.08.

Overall, it is influenced by a vague, but nevertheless identifiable jazz inspiration, which is recognizable in the flowing and relaxed style adopted by the musician.

In spite of this influence, Manzarek's part remains firmly rooted in the Rock genre.

Ray Manzarek's passion for Jazz, especially the Hard Bop genre, is well known, and this tendency is particularly evident in The Doors' early period (let's not forget that “Light My Fire” was recorded in the late summer of 1966).

In the case we are analyzing, the exact Jazz reference seems to be Jazz Soul, an offshoot of Hard Bop that emerged in the early 1960s.

This genre of Jazz is characterized both by the greater linearity of the solos than in Hard Bop and by the regular rhythm, which is both relaxed and engaging. Notable exponents of Jazz Soul include Lou Donaldson and Bobby Timmons.

Starting from this premise, we can see how Manzarek uses the characteristics of Jazz Soul, in which the electric organ was often present, by introducing them into the Rock played by The Doors.

The result of this combination of Jazz Soul and Rock is a solo that has four main characteristics:

- The general fluidity of the sound.

- The continuous construction of short melodies that are easy on the ear and come one after the other, creating constant interest.

- The medium tempo that does not allow the listener to be distracted.

- A spacious and bright sound atmosphere that at the same time conveys a sense of smooth dynamism.

 

For this instrumental part of "Light My Fire" Manzarek used the high notes of the electric organ (the rightmost keys on the keyboard) and played with his right hand only. The left hand was actually engaged on the Fender Rhodes Piano Bass, a small keyboard that emulates the electric bass register.

In addition, he uses mainly single notes and only to a lesser extent chords.

Two more peculiar features of Manzarek's solo should be highlighted.

The first is the range of notes and chords that make up the instrumental path that the musician has created.

In fact, The Doors keyboardist uses the electric organ's characteristically elongated and pervasive sound to repeatedly prolong the notes produced, thus marking the distinctive atmosphere of the solo.

Longer notes, in this case, mean greater ease in following the solo as it unfolds.

The second peculiarity is the frequent repetition of the melodic figures that Manzarek conceived.

Again, the purpose of this device is to make the solo accessible to the listener by ensuring that the motifs encountered along the path traced by the electric organ can be assimilated precisely because of their repetition.

Such repetitions can be noticed, for example, from min. 1.27 to min. 1.34 or from min. 1.42 to min. 1.49.

In some cases, the short and charming themes developed with taste and imagination by the keyboardist are even repeated three times in a row: from min. 1.57 to min. 2.07; from min. 2.11 to min. 2.21; and from min. 2.26 to min. 2.36.

It is clear, then, that the intention was to prioritize the maintenance of accessible charm over the use of pure technique, without diminishing the involvement created by the solo.

In conclusion, we can say that this solo stands out in the rock organ repertoire in terms of quality and fully deserves to be considered the most beautiful and meaningful episode in Ray Manzarek's instrumental career.

P.S.: My book "The Doors Through Strange Days" is available on Amazon.com. The most comprehensive journey ever made through The Doors' second LP.

Here’s the link:

Amazon – “The Doors Through Strange Days”