The Doors: Light My Fire Meaning

Song Released: 1967

Light My Fire Lyrics

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

Time to hesitate is...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jan 16th 2011 !⃝

   This song is about mainly love but at the time Jim, Rob, and Ray spent a lot of time smoking weed, and believe it or not the girl we couldnt get much higher is a drug reference.. if people werent so closed minded and looked at the doors close up they would realize that. Jim morrison actually lit up a doob frequently when he played this song so.. ill just let you guys put 2 and 2 together, but the part about love is correct but why do people try to fall short of a minor lyric...and plus why do you think Jim wouldnt change his lyric when playing on national television. they thought it obscene to say, "higher," on network television... apposed to changing his meaning in this song Jim basically blurted it out casually like it was no big deal because the contraversy over marijuana and its effects were all in everyones imagination thats basically what Jims perspective was in his actions otherwise he wouldve changed girl we couldnt get much higher to girl we couldnt get much better, if it wouldnt have changed the meaning Jim wouldve changed it but the meaning of girl we couldnt get much higher is obviouslly and blatantly a marijuana reference anyone who says otherwise needs to read up on there doors history.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   rockfacts

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   Feb 1st 2008 !⃝

   It's about pushing your supposed soul mate to the edge physically, sexually, and emotionally to experience life. Drugs and sex push one to the edge at times and that's were he felt most comfortable.

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Sep 1st 2006 !⃝

   Actually the song, as a whole, was written by everyone. The first verse and chorus were written by robby. The second verse was written by jim. The song is about trying your best in life and love, leaving behind inhibitions and knowing the worst that can happen in death, the inevitable. Ray came up with the beginning and John came up with the beat. It was put together at the beginning of their career. Jim had asked everyone to go home and try their hand at writing a new song and robby came in the next day with this one, (ray manzarek, "light my fire").
4. anonymous

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   Dec 4th 2020 !⃝

   Lol. “light my fire” is a colloquial term meaning to ask for another hit of heroin. Mary Jane? That’s cute.
5. anonymous

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   May 20th 2020 !⃝

   I think it's about two young people lusting and experimenting with love and drugs or alcohol.
   
   Really though I don't care what it's about! Jim Morrison was HOT HOT HOT and so passionate!
6. TomRP

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   Feb 2nd 2020 !⃝

   To begin with, a previous poster misinterpreted some lyrics and Confused the word"mire" as in the phrase "no time to wallow in the mire" which would directly translate into rolling around in mud or manure or some other form of Filth filthy waste product but over time original definitions change and can have several connotations. In this case, Jim Morrison who wrote the second verse which is
   
   " 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"
   
   Interpretation
   
   Let me preface this by saying the song was probably never written with some sort of personal love story where the couple was struggling through a difficult time come where the risk of splitting up seemed very possible. Yet, as the songs narrator( presumably, a male who is thinking that each of them could work harder and save the relationship, but they have to act immediately if the relationship could be saved.
   
   Guitarist Robbie Krieger, composed the skeletal framework of the song. He wrote the music to both the general verse and chorus. He wrote the first verse ending in the word higher, and he wrote the chorus lyrics and general concept of the song which is come on baby Light My Fire.
   
   All keyboard parts including the introduction were composed buy keyboardist Ray Manzarek and the Latin percussion style that gives the song that mellow, loose, ambient, dark and mysterious vibe. Morrison wrote the second chorus ending in the word pyre, he also added try to set the Night On Fire to the chorus. So basically the song is a man speaking to his girlfriend who is likely inexperienced sexually and probably Young. He was letting do girl know matter of factly, that if they were to take the relationship to the next level she would have to be willing to experiment with some new things sexually that is. The phrase no time to wallow in the mire means we cannot simply continue the relationship without romantic love and remain in this unspeakably boring uneventful depressing quasi friendship. Adding a romantic elements to the relationship is what needs to be done immediately and they have nothing to lose by trying something new. For if they do not, their relationship will die. The metaphor he uses, is
   
   Try now we can only lose and our love become a funeral pyre.
   
   In certain cultures rather than bury the Dead, they would set them on fire at the actual funeral service. An old form of cremation and despite de the religious beliefs surrounding this practice, it was probably a lot smarter then fussing with a decomposing corpse. Not that that last part has anything to do with the song period
   
   There are obvious drug references, such as girl we couldn't get much higher, which were obviously intentionally in the song given the time. And counterculture sexual Revolution. Knowing about Jim Morrison, and his lyrics contributed the song, and assuming the shy Robbie Krieger probably found it difficult to talk to women. Therefore, the obvious interpretation song is a guy sweet talkin a girl he is bored with because all he ever really wanted to do was get laid. It was probably late one night, the couple that shared some libations, and the guy figured it was the perfect time to break the shy nervous female out of her shell. Therefore he asks her for sex implying that if they both let go how many missions and try to set the Night On Fire , this partnership could really be something great.
   
   Were these guys consciously and rationally thinking this through, or were they stringing together cliches that rhymed while trying to sound like cool Ladies men who took part in the long party that was the late 60s. As result of beatnik culture of the 50s and 60s, dangerous poetry that would freak out the good puritanical facade of America as portrayed on a relatively new form of media known as television, was commonplace. Jim Morrison was heavily influenced by
7. anonymous

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   Feb 23rd 2016 !⃝

   It's about love and life and death. About pushing all the boundaries between a man and his woman. He's asking her to give him all she's got. To take him to the limit and beyond until their love dies a natural death and both subside and go their separate ways.
   
   It's also a metaphor for sparking up a joint.
   
   The best part of the song does not appear on the single because it's the guitar solo which you can never quite tell when it comes in like the drum entry on Stairway To Heaven. It's a beautiful song with haunting melodies and words. It's a love song. One of the best ever written.
8. anonymous

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   Nov 29th 2014 !⃝

   A love gone bad where neither make the first move to reconcile ( the time to hesitate is through). Their love will soon die if neither tries (no time to wallow in the more). They have nothing to lose by giving it one more try. Give it your best shot because their situation is in a very bad spot (try to set the night on fire). It is a passionate love song but I think there is a double meaning to it as well.
9. anonymous

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   Nov 7th 2013 !⃝

   Sex drugs and rock'n roll.
10. anonymous

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    Oct 16th 2011 !⃝

    Why is the verse
    'It was the greatest night of my life.
    Although I still had not found a wife...........................
    Cemetary, cool and quiet
    Hate to leave your sacred lay
    Dread the milky coming of the day'. not in the song.
11. anonymous

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    May 9th 2011 !⃝

    I think the song is about him telling the girl that their love won't last. If they date now, it will only end up in flames. But he still wants her to light his fire. Like, be there to hold his pieces together or something like that.
12. anonymous

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    Jun 23rd 2009 !⃝

    When he sings Girl, we couldnt get much higher. hes pretty much saying girl we couldnt get much hornier. thats what higher meant in those days. think about it, why do you think sullivan didnt want him to say it on live t.v. it was inappropriate back then
13. anonymous

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    Apr 15th 2009 !⃝

    it could also be about heroine. as in light the fire under the spoon. when they say, it would be untrue, i would be a liar if i said to you we couldnt get much higher, he could be talking about shooting up again.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
14. anonymous

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    Mar 2nd 2009 !⃝

    Excuse me all those in denial. you are clearly on drugs if you do not know that this song was written at the peak of the drug/love period in the 1960s. So yes, this is about drugs...and sex... and fun. The end.
15. anonymous

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    Aug 30th 2008 !⃝

    I believe that the part Robby wrote...was about life an living through everything...an after awhile it becomes a "funeral pyre"....meaning death...life's over...and that's where Jim comes in...since he was about suicidal and death and spiritual beings...but this is just my opinion.
    
    Regardless, Jim Morrison was not a song writer he was a poet an a fuckin genius...soo lets BREAK ON THROUGH...an enjoy the music....peace love an acid
16. anonymous

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    Jun 2nd 2008 !⃝

    He wanted the Commies to nuke America.
17. anonymous

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    Jun 1st 2008 !⃝

    Isn't this song bluntly about getting horny and fucking?
    I don't know. Because "light my fire"... turn me on.
    
    But it would also make sense if it was about drug use.
    
    All these songs just seem to have their own meanings to different people. I doubt there is only one meaning to this considering people have different point of views...
18. oldsoul

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    Jul 24th 2007 !⃝

    It's about a dwindling/Relationship "try now we can only lose and out love become a funeral pire." Basically he's say (Robby wrote most of it) It's the last chance to light or rekindle the fire in their relationship. And the "higher" is not a drug reference get over it.

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