Classic Rock: The Doors Celebrate 60th Anniversary

2025 marks the 60th anniversary of The Doors, a milestone that has been celebrated with great fanfare. In a recent issue of Classic Rock magazine from the UK, the band is honored with a comprehensive, career-spanning article that explores their remarkable journey. Robby Krieger and John Densmore, the two surviving members of the band, reflect on their iconic past and offer new insights into the band’s history. Come explore the weird scenes inside the gold mine with The Doors.

One of the fascinating revelations comes from Robby Krieger, who recounts the creation of their legendary song Light My Fire. He shares that he wrote the song in the comfort of his parent’s home in Pacific Palisades while the band was recording their groundbreaking first album. Almost six decades later, the song’s significance took on an eerie and tragic resonance when the very house where it was composed was destroyed in the recent wildfires that swept through Los Angeles.

Since its release in 1967, Light My Fire has become one of the most iconic songs of the 1960s, topping charts and inspiring countless cover versions by other artists. Krieger revealed an interesting tidbit about the song’s enduring legacy: while songs like Roadhouse Blues and Riders on the Storm have been frequently covered, it’s another track from the band’s catalog—The Mosquito from their 1972 album Full Circle—that holds the distinction of being the second most covered song in the band’s entire repertoire.

The inspiration for The Mosquito came to Krieger during a vacation in Mexico, where he encountered three local musicians from the hills who performed mariachi-style music. Among the songs they sang was one about a mosquito, which sparked the idea for Krieger’s composition. The song went on to make an impact, reaching the Top 100 charts in both the US and the UK. Remarkably, The Mosquito would also be the last single from The Doors to chart.

This track was notably recorded by French singer Joe Dassin in a French-language version titled “Le Moustique,” with lyrics adapted by Pierre Delanoë. It was released on Dassin’s 1972 album Joe and became a single in 1973.

According to Krieger, the song has had a surprising connection with Spanish-speaking communities, with many Spanish bands covering it over the years. He explains that the song seems to hold a special place in the hearts of Spanish listeners, as they have adopted it and made it their own.

These stories, shared by Krieger and Densmore, offer a glimpse into the deep and lasting legacy of The Doors, a band whose music continues to influence generations even as they commemorate six decades since their formation.