Pierre’s Vinyl Cut: The Doors “Light My Fire”
A great call about today’s Vinyl Cut, February 23rd, from Dave Hannah from Gloucester City, New Jersey who has been listening to us since the earliest incarnation of the station, the Marconi experiment. He would listen at his church summer camps… they had to hide MMR on the transistor radio in their tents because it wasn’t allowed.
His story of hearing “Light My Fire” reminds me of growing up as a kid in California. I think it was the first hit from The Doors and it was huge, but they cut it down to three minutes for Top 40 and AM radio. What was missed is the incredible jam that takes place about 60% through the song and it just is magnificent. On AM radio you didn’t hear any of the jam which takes you on the journey, check out the call.
DAVE: And here’s the crazy thing. We were on a youth from our church. We were on a youth retreat. And I was 12 or 13. And some of the older kids, 14 or 15, had a transistor radio. And they said, You got to hear this, But we had to hide it in our tent.
PIERRE: You had to hide the radio in your tent?
DAVE: Yeah…Not not that I went to a strict church or anything, but they just didn’t understand actually what it was.
PIERRE: What it is is that rock and roll is the devil’s music. I’m just kidding.
DAVE:I know. But you know what? AM radio played “Light My Fire” And when I heard the real version.
PIERRE: Because light my fire on AM was cut down to three minutes as opposed to the seven minute song that it really is.
DAVE: Yes, indeed. Oh, sir, that and one other memory. I met you at the Bottom Line in New York City, at The Hooters. And you were in a cast.
PIERRE: Oh, I remember that. Yes.
DAVE: But guess what Pierre, it didn’t stop you from dancing. You were on the dance floor with your cast.
PIERRE: I love that band.
DAVE: Yeah, I know. Well, I guess that’s a tribute to them as well, because you could be in a cast, you could have no leg, and you’re going to get up dancing because it’s The Hooters.
PIERRE: So I’m wondering if we should play The Hooters or if we should play. The Doors “Light My Fire,” the full version of it, since that’s one of the first songs you heard on MMR.
DAVE: It’s a beautiful day out and I’m down by Gloucester Pier looking at the ships coming in and whatnot, and if I was on the road, I would be cranking it with the windows open.
PIERRE: Well, you don’t have to be on the road for a great song like “Light My Fire.” In fact, we could do it even on vinyl.
DAVE: Nice.
PIERRE: Like it was in the day. It’d be a perfect vinyl cut for a beautiful day like this today.
DAVE: Appreciate it, sir.
