August 1968: The Doors Hit #1 with "Hello, I Love You"

(L-R) Ray Manzarek (organ), Jim Morrison (singer), John Densmore (drums) and Robby Krieger (guitar) during a concert in front of the famous Frankfurt Roemer (historic city hall) on 13.09.1968. | usage worldwide (Photo by Manfred Rehm/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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(Manfred Rehm/picture alliance via Getty Images)

By 1968, Jim Morrison and the Doors were soaring higher and higher. The band's third studio album, Waiting for the Sun, was released on July 3, 1968. It went on to top the charts in September of that same year.

RELATED: How The Doors Greatest Hits Made Them Hot Again in 1980

Kicking off the summer, the Doors released "Hello, I Love You" as a single from the album. The song's pounding beat, catchy melody and quick runtime (the track clocks in at an economical 2:13) made it an instant hit with radio listeners. "Hello, I Love You," began a swift chart ascension, peaking at #1 for the week of August 3, 1980. It held the top spot for two weeks before being dethroned by The Rascals' "People Got to Be Free."

The song has an interesting connection with the Kinks, in that it's believed by some that "Hello, I Love You" is a direct rip of "All Day and All of the Night." Count Jim Morrison among the "some."

"The funniest thing was when my publisher came to me on tour and said The Doors had used the riff for 'All Day And All Of The Night' for 'Hello, I Love You': Ray Davies told Mojo in 2013. "I said rather than sue them, can't we just get them to own up? My publisher said, 'They have, that's why we should sue them!' (laughs) Jim Morrison admitted it, which to me was the most important thing. The most important thing, actually, is to take (the idea) somewhere else."

"Hello, I Love You" was the Doors' second and last #1 on the Hot 100, following "Light My Fire."

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