It is one of the chapters most famous on American television. It happened in front of millions of viewers on the most watched program. The Doors were warned. When they will sing’Light my fire They couldn’t pronounce the word ‘higher’: was associated with consumption of drugs. They had to change it. The same thing had happened to them, a few months before, to the Rolling Stones. And to the Stones They had no choice but to ‘access’. But Jim Morrison was clear from the first moment: “We are not going to change a single word.” Their gesture of rebellion cost them never to return to the Ed Sullivan show. They didn’t care.
They were the years of puritanism and prudery. Of censorship. Morals had to be safeguarded. The Ed Sullivan Show, a cultural reference of the time, put all its effort into it. Already Elvis Presley suffered it in 1957when CBS censors demanded that They will only focus on you from the waist up. His famous pelvic movements incited sin. After trying unsuccessfully with Bob Dylan, in January 1967 The Rolling Stone agreed to change the lyrics from ‘Let’s spend the night together’ (let’s spend the night together) ‘Let’s spend some time together’ (Let’s spend some time together). Although the band objected, Ed gave them an ultimatum: “If you don’t change the lyrics, you’re leaving.” While he was singing it, Mick would sarcastically exaggerate the phrase or open his eyes wide.
The Rolling Stones LET’S SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER
A few months later, The Doors were faced with the same dilemma… but Morrison did not obey. The Californians’ debut LP, the self-titled ‘The Doors’, was doing very well thanks to ‘Light my fire’ which had reached No. 1 on Billboard on June 3, 1967, staying at the top for three weeks. To promote it, the group’s manager (Bill Siddons) had gotten a gig on the popular variety show. On the afternoon of September 17, 1967, The Doors were in New Yorkin CBS studio 50, rehearsing their performance that night.
The Doors, with Jim Morrison, perform on The Ed Sullivan Show / CBS Photo Archive
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Shortly after finishing rehearsals, Ed Sullivan came to their dressing room and said, “You have a great image, “but you should smile a little more”. And after Ed’s ‘visit’, a producer of the show arrived to tell them that they had to change a phrase from ‘Light my fire’. Specifically ‘Girl, we couldn’t get much higher’. The word ‘higher’, associated with illegal drug use, was inappropriate for a family show on national television. They had to change it to ‘we couldn’t get much better’. Although Jim Morrison was furious and was inflexible to change, The group relented and told the executives that they would do what they were told. Jim, however, said, ‘We are not going to change a single word’
That night, The Doors played two of their biggest hits. Ed’s introduction was short and simple: “Now… The Doors. Here they are with their new success ‘People are strange’”. Against a backdrop of a variety of doors, Jim Morrison, looking vacant, sang the single from the group’s second album, ‘Strange Days’published eight months after the first.
The Doors – People Are Strange “The Ed Sullivan Show” CBS Studios Live
Immediately after, the band gave way to No. 1, ‘Light my fire’. When it was time to sing’Girl, we couldn’t get much higher, Morrison, the uncompromising poet, interpreted as it had been written. The camera captured the guitarist Robby Krieger with a satisfied smile…But the producer or the CBS executives weren’t laughing.
The Doors – Light My Fire – Ed Sullivan Show 1967 (HD Remastered)
Sullivan applauded the performance, “It has been wonderful. Simply magnificent”, he said to the audience. But instead of shaking hands with the four members of the group, It directly led to a dog food ad.. Backstage the producer was furious. He told the band, ‘Mr. Sullivan wanted you for six more shows, but you will never work on the show again‘. Morrison calmly replied, ‘Hey man, but we just sang on the show.’
Contrary to that original narrative, the guitarist and main writer of ‘Light my fire’, Robby Krieger, He has told a different version. In her bookSet the night on fire’ ensures that The band thought Ed was joking. when he asked them to change the lyrics. ensures that there was no conspiracy. “Did they really want us to change the lyrics of a number one song in America?” We simply decided to do the song as it is and they would forget, what else could they do? After all,It was live television!. We never played the Ed Sullivan Show again. But we didn’t care”.
