On This Day, July 29th

1. 1967: “Light My Fire” hits #1 on Billboard Top 100

Photo: billboard

Photo: billboard

Photo: billboard

Photo: billboard

It was on this date in 1967 the hit song “Light My Fire” by The Doors hit #1 on the Billboard top 100. The song was recorded in 1966 and then released on the self-titled album in early 1967. It really started to pick up steam as far as popularity goes when it was released in single form a few months later. Jim Morrison was the front and and lead singer of the band that took the late ’60s by storm. This would be the start of what would be a very short, but brilliant career. When the song hit the top spot the group was out touring on the east coast as an opener for bands like Simon and Garfunkel and sometimes the headliner in some cases. They had released the single “Break On Through” prior but it didn’t received nearly the response of Light my Fire. It of course would become one of their more popular songs as time went on. Morrison lived a very wild lifestyle and with erratic behavior that would end with I’m taking his life July of 1971.