Light My Fire is one of the most iconic songs by the legendary rock band The Doors. It was released in 1967 as the second single from their debut album, and it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song features a memorable organ intro, a catchy chorus, and a long guitar solo by Robby Krieger.

If you want to learn how to play Light My Fire on guitar, you will need to know some basic chords, a capo, and a good sense of rhythm. In this article, we will show you how to play the song in three different ways: the original version, the simplified version, and the acoustic version.

Chords

Light My Fire chords
The Doors ** 1967
 
[Intro]
 
G D   F Bb   Eb Ab   A   A
 
[Verse]
 
    Am *                    F#m *
You know that it would be untrue 
    Am                     F#m
You know that I would be a liar 
Am                 F#m
If I was to say to you 
Am                         F#m
Girl, we couldn't get much higher 
 
[Chorus]
 
G             A        D   Dsus4 D
Come on baby, light my fire 
G             A        D    B
Come on baby, light my fire 
G              D        E   E7
Try to set the night on fire 
 
[Verse]
 
    Am                  F#m
The time to hesitate is through 
   Am                    F#m
No time to wallow in the mire 
Am                  F#m
Try now we can only lose 
Am                            F#m
And our love become a funeral pyre 
 
[Chorus]
 
G             A        D    Dsus4 D
Come on baby, light my fire 
G             A        D      B
Come on baby, light my fire 
G              D        E   E7
Try to set the night on fire 
 
(break)
 
Am  Bm   Am  Bm   (jam 'til Cue)
 
G D   F Bb   Eb Ab   A   A
 
[Verse]
 
    Am                  F#m
The time to hesitate is through 
   Am                    F#m
No time to wallow in the mire 
Am                  F#m
Try now we can only lose 
Am                            F#m
And our love become a funeral pyre 
 
[Chorus]
 
G             A        D   Dsus4
Come on baby, light my fire 
G             A        D     B
Come on baby, light my fire 
G              D        E   E7
Try to set the night on fire 
 
[Verse]
 
    Am                      F#m
You know that it would be untrue 
    Am                     F#m
You know that I would be a liar 
Am                 F#m
If I was to say to you 
Am                         F#m
Girl, we couldn't get much higher 
 
[Chorus]
 
G             A        D   Dsus4 D
Come on baby, light my fire 
G             A        D
Come on baby, light my fire 
F              C        D
Try to set the night on fire 
F              C        D
Try to set the night on fire 
F              C        D
Try to set the night on fire 
F              C        D  D
Try to set the night on fi re 
 
G D   F Bb   Eb Ab   A   A
 
* It has been suggested that Am7 can / should be substitued for Am
  It has been suggested that F#m7 can / should be substitued for F#m
 
** Alternate:
 
Capo II
 
Am  = Gm
F#m = Em
G   = F
A   = G
D   = C
E   = D
E7  = D7
F   = Eb
C   = Bb
B   = A
Bb  = G#
Ab  = F#
 
Set8

The Original Version

The original version of Light My Fire is played in the key of G minor, with a capo on the first fret. The chords are Gm7, Em, F, G, C, D, A, Eb, and Bb. You can find the chord diagrams and the tablature for this version here.

The song has four main parts: the intro, the verse, the chorus, and the solo. The intro is played by the organ, but you can also play it on guitar using arpeggios. The verse and the chorus are played with a simple strumming pattern: down-down-up-up-down-up. The solo is played over the verse chords, and it consists of several phrases that use scales, bends, slides, and hammer-ons.

To play the solo, you will need to know some basic scales: the G minor pentatonic scale, the G blues scale, and the G harmonic minor scale. You can find the diagrams and the tablature for these scales . You will also need to practice your timing and your dynamics, as the solo varies in speed and intensity.

The Simplified Version

If you find the original version too difficult or too long, you can try playing a simplified version of Light My Fire. This version is played in the key of A minor, without a capo. The chords are Am7, F#m7, G, A, D, E, F, C, Eb, and Bb. You can find the chord diagrams and the tablature for this version.

The simplified version has the same structure as the original version, but it omits some chords and some parts of the solo. The intro is played with simple chords instead of arpeggios. The verse and the chorus are played with the same strumming pattern as before. The solo is shortened and simplified, using only the A minor pentatonic scale and some basic techniques.

The Acoustic Version

If you prefer playing acoustic guitar or singing along with the song, you can try playing an acoustic version of Light My Fire. This version is played in the key of G major, with a capo on the third fret. The chords are Gmaj7 (or G), Em7 (or Em), Cmaj7 (or C), Dsus4 (or D), Am7 (or Am), Bm7 (or Bm), E7 (or E), Fmaj7 (or F), Cm7 (or Cm), Ebmaj7 (or Eb), Bbmaj7 (or Bb). You can find the chord diagrams and the tablature for this version.

The acoustic version has a different feel than the original version. It is more mellow and smooth, with a jazzier sound. The intro is played with fingerstyle instead of strumming. The verse and the chorus are played with a swing rhythm: down-down-up-down-up-down-up. The solo is optional and can be improvised using the G major scale or any other scale that fits.

Conclusion

Light My Fire is a classic song that can be played in many different ways on guitar. Whether you choose to play it as it was recorded by The Doors or to adapt it to your own style and preference, you will have fun learning this song and improving your guitar skills.

We hope this article was helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or comments about Light My Fire or guitar playing in general, feel free to leave them below. Happy playing!