In 1991, UK goth rockers, The Cure appeared live on the Tonight With Jonathan Ross show, where they put their distinctively gloomy, New Wave spin on this live rendition of The Doors’ iconic track “Hello, I Love You” from their 1968 album, Waiting for the Sun. 

The Cure | “Hello, I Love You” [Live on Jonathon Ross]

"Hello, I Love You" originated from Doors’ frontman, Jim Morrison’s songbook and was one of the first to be demoed by an early incantation of the band back in 1965; but it would be another three years before they would get around to recording an official studio version of the track. 

After exhausting much of the material from Morrison's songbook on their first two albums, “Hello, I Love You” was one of the last from the collection to be recorded and was surely a surprise smash hit for the psychedelic blues-rockers. It quickly became the band’s most commercially successful release, climbing to number one in the US (their first single to do so) and charting highly the world over. "Hello, I Love You" also gave the Doors their first big hit in the UK, peaking at number fifteen on the chart – which is presumably when a young Robert Smith first heard it! 

The Doors | “Hello, I Love You” [Live At The Bowl '68]

A decade after paying homage to The Doors on their 1991 Tonight With Jonathan Ross TV appearance, Robert Smith and The Cure committed to the cover when they recorded an official studio version of “Hello, I Love You” for their 2004 box set, Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities alongside a collection of the band's lesser-known tracks.

Waiting For The Sun gave the Doors' their third platinum album in less than two years! Since its 1968 debut, the album has sold millions of copies around the globe on the strength of legendary classics like “The Unknown Soldier,” “Five To One” and, of course, “Hello, I Love You.” Listen to Waiting For The Sun on Spotify:

Listen to Waiting For The Sun on Apple Music: