The band evolved out of "Chad Allan and the Expressions" (often shortened to The Expressions), which was a pop rock group with a British Invasion feel fronted by Chad Allan and featuring guitarist Randy Bachman. Both of them had great potential as singer-songwriters. After their cover of "Shakin' All Over" sold well as a single, their record label released the band's album with "Guess Who?" written on the cover, hoping to mislead unsuspecting buyers into thinking it was a British group. The name stuck, however, and from then on they were 'The Guess Who'. The Who musician Pete Townshend later jokingly said that he allowed the Canadian group to take both their style and name, calling himself a fan.
Singer and keyboardist Burton Cummings joined upon Allan's departure in 1966, and the band's classic line-up was born. The guys mixed some jazz-inspired sounds such as flute and electric piano playing into their sound, and they scored hits in Canada with tracks such as "These Eyes", "Undun", and "Laughing". Yet it was when they turned to psychedelic-influenced rock and rock with 'American Woman' (the third album with the Bachman/Cummings line-up) that they broke through in the U.S. The anti-war title cut (a song ironically embraced by some Americans as a patriotic anthem despite the cynical lyrics, though the band didn't complain as the record royalties came in) has received airplay on classic rock radio for years and years now. The Guess Who's success after that album came out proved to be hit and miss, however, and they would have members go in and out.
After the release of 'Share the Land', their second album of 1970, Bachman left to form Bachman-Turner Overdrive, leaving Cummings as the band's leader and main songwriter. Though Bachman and his band-mates had achieved huge commercial success, the singer-songwriter felt like he wanted to go off into a whole other muscial direction. Afterwards, the Guess Who experimented in various styles through the 70s, including blues, down-home bluegrass, jazz fusion, and Cummings's trademark piano-based rock ballads. The novelty pop single "Clap for the Wolfman", a 1974 track made for the popular DJ Wolfman Jack that the band members were fans of, ended up being the Guess Who's last chart appearance.
Various combinations of former members of the band have reunited at various times since their breakup in 1975. The Guess Who's classic songs remain radio staples, even into the new millennium. Various greatest hits and multi-artist collections featuring their music have also been released.
See Guess Who for the Romanian rapper Laurentiu Mocanu.
Light My Fire
The Guess Who Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know that I would be a liar
If I was to say to you
Ayy, 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
Mmm, the time for hesitation's through
There's no time to wallow in the mire
Darling ,we could only lose
And our love become a funeral pyre
Come on, baby, light my fire
Come on, baby, light my fire
Try to set the night on fire
Well, you know that it would be untrue
And you know that I would be a liar
If I was to go and tell you
Mama, we couldn't get much higher
Yeah, come on, baby, light my fire
Come on, baby, light my fire
Yeah, try to set the night on fire
Ayy, hey, hey, come on, baby, light, light my fire
Yeah, come on, babe, light my fire
Don't you know it's alright?
Light my fire, light my fire, light my fire
Oh, light my fire, light my fire, light my fire
Yeah girl, girl, you better light my fire
Yeah, you better light, you better light
You better light my fire
And we are going to get much higher
Oh, oh, come on, girl, you know I love you, girl
You know I need you, babe, come on
Light, light, light, light my fire, light my fire
Light my fire, light my fire, light my fire
Light my fire, light, light, light, light
Light my, my, my, my fire, light, light, light, light
Light my fire, girl, you better light my fire
The Guess Who's song "Light My Fire" is a plea for passion and excitement from a lover. The songwriter acknowledges that if they were to express their true desires, it would be seen as dishonest because of how extreme they are. The lyrics say, "You know that it would be untrue, You know that I would be a liar if I was to say to you, Ayy, girl, we couldn't get much higher". The songwriter is asking their lover to take a chance on them and fuel their passion, "Come on, baby, light my fire, Try to set the night on fire, Mmm, the time for hesitation's through, There's no time to wallow in the mire". The lyrics express a sense of urgency and desperate longing to be with their lover without reservation, "Darling, we could only lose, And our love become a funeral pyre".
The song's message is a classic plea for love and passion through its use of poetic and suggestive language. It's a call to action for a lover who is shy or hesitant in pursuit of true love. Lyrically, the song is effective in conveying deep longing and passion through the words alone, but the music itself is equally important in communicating the depth of emotion. The arrangement of the song, particularly the instrumentals, is a major part of what makes it so effective.
Line by Line Meaning
You know that it would be untrue
You are aware that what I am about to say is not true.
You know that I would be a liar
You know that I am not telling the truth.
If I was to say to you
If I were to tell you.
Ayy, girl, we couldn't get much higher
Hey girl, we could not get any more elevated (both physically and emotionally).
Come on, baby, light my fire
Please, come and excite me.
Try to set the night on fire
Let's make tonight special.
Mmm, the time for hesitation's through
The moment for doubt and indecision is over.
There's no time to wallow in the mire
We cannot spend time dwelling on our troubles.
Darling, we could only lose
My love, we can only suffer negative consequences.
And our love become a funeral pyre
Our relationship may turn into a tragic end.
Well, you know that it would be untrue
You are aware that what I am about to say is not true.
And you know that I would be a liar
You know that I am not telling the truth.
If I was to go and tell you
If I were to tell you.
Mama, we couldn't get much higher
Mother, we could not get any more elevated (both physically and emotionally).
Yeah, come on, baby, light my fire
Yes, please come and excite me.
Yeah, try to set the night on fire
Let's make tonight special.
Ayy, hey, hey, come on, baby, light, light my fire
Hey, please come and excite me.
Don't you know it's alright?
Haven't you realized everything's fine?
Light my fire, light my fire, light my fire
Please excite me, please excite me, please excite me.
Yeah girl, girl, you better light my fire
Yes girl, you better excite me.
And we are going to get much higher
And we are going to get even more elevated (both physically and emotionally).
Oh, oh, come on, girl, you know I love you, girl
Oh, oh, please come and excite me, you know I love you, girl.
You know I need you, babe, come on
You know I require your presence, please come.
Light, light, light, light my fire, light my fire
Excite me, excite me, excite me, please excite me.
Light my fire, light my fire, light my fire
Please excite me, please excite me, please excite me.
Light my fire, girl, you better light my fire
Please excite me, girl, you better excite me.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: John Densmore, Jim Morrison, Robby Krieger, Ray Manzarek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark F. Farrell
Burton sure does a great cover of Jim Morrison here!
avidrocker
So many Friends of Mine agree!!
writepilot777
Thanks so much! Burton Cummings is amazing. Great keyboards and vocals, both.
Israel Mejia R
Que bbuena versión de esa hermosa canción :)
Dave Downs
I always thought when Jim Morrison passed that Burton Cummings should of became the lead singer of the Doors.
Pati Brewer
Excellent. Burton sounds just like Jimbo and plays that keyboard like nobody’s business
Edward Anthony
Burton did Stand Tall with his version!
Tamitraveler
Thanks for sharing!
17865329
Like going to church for Burton, covering his idol.
Scott Anderson
They cleverly removed all the soul and sex appeal