Track Listing

1. Most Anything You Want
2. My Mirage
3. Termination
4. Are You Happy
5. In A Gadda Da Vida
6. Flowers And Beads

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40893 in Music
• Released on: 1999-12-23
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Iron Butterfly's 1968 album veritably defined the burgeoning genre of hard-rock, primarily by way of its utterly over-the-top title cut. Reportedly composed by keyboardist/lead singer Doug Ingle in such a stoned-out, numb-tongued condition that he couldn't properly pronounce its intended title--"In the Garden of Eden"--the track seemed almost a parody of every excessive inclination of psychedelia. Melodramatic vocals, repetitive riffing, aimless solos--you name it, this 17-minute behemoth had it. Aided by radio DJs who loved to programme it in its entirety so they could take "legitimate" breaks, it became an unavoidable hit--and an anthem of its era. --Billy Altman

CD Description
Iron Butterfly was the American answer to the heavy riff-rock of British groups like Cream and Led Zeppelin, with a touch of Vanilla Fudge's organ-led theatricality and the Doors'mysterioso image. They will forevermore be known for the 17-minute title track of this, their second album.
"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (a poke at singer/organist Doug Ingle's gruff, John Kay-like delivery of "In the Garden of Eden") is built around one of the most memorable riffs of the '60s. It's filled out by long solos from all concerned, especially from drummer Ron Bushy, whose lengthy extemporising provided the template for Big Rock Drum Solos for decades to come. The restof the tunes reveal that Iron Butterfly did indeed possess some pop sensibility to leaven the heaviness; "Flowers and Beads" in particular is simultaneously a romantic '60s pop-rock ballad and a subtle but surprising swipe at flower power culture.

Customer Reviews

Absolutely the LONGEST one hit wonder of all time
When my father was stationed in Japan at the end of the Sixties we only had Armed Forces Radio to listen to and one weekend they did the top 100 songs of all time ("Satisfaction" was picked #1). But for many of us the big treat came early in the countdown when they played the legendary "long" version of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida." The funny thing about owning this CD is that I have heard the first couple of seconds of the five songs before the title track for the first time since I bought the record and listened to the first side exactly ONE TIME (and I know I am not alone in that). There are certainly hard rock classics with compelling guitar riffs and driving drum beats that you have to own and "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is on the short list, along with "Sunshine of Your Love" and "Whole Lotta Love," and the bottom line is that the only way of having this song is to have this CD. It does not matter than you cannot name any other song on the album let alone the names of any of the members of the band (I do seem to remember several were self-described "nomads"). You are never going to find this song on a hit collection. In fact, I do not think I have ever seen one with the "short" version of this song. But at least once a year you have to take this one out and listen to the whole 17 minutes and five seconds because you have to know your rock and roll roots.

The most effective drum solo of all time?
If you're here and you know the album then you'll know why, despite the bombastic singing, the trite lyrics and derivative instrumental work-outs, you love it... the unbelievably effective 17 minutes of its title cut that, at the time and over 30 years later, somehow just "works", brilliantly. If you're here and you don't, buy it for this track alone and revel in some of the best and most evocative music from the late 60's "West Coast" scene.

And, in amongst it all, check out the drum solo. "De rigour" for its time but clever because it's not at all "flashy" and, in fact, not particularly good technically, but because it sits there as an essential element in building the "atmosphere" on which the success of the track relies. Not your usual "give the guy his three minute spot to show what he can do" but rather, by design or chance, an extremely rare example of how to make a drum solo an integral & welcome part of a piece of quite stunning rock music.

Great memories lost definition in CD transfer.
You know why I bought this album. Some how I missed this title "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" until the end of 1968. I guess I was a late bloomer. However this has always stuck in my mind. Eventually I replaced all my vinyl with CD's and when I came to this one somehow the depth of the music did not transfer well. However this CD is still worth the price. As far ads the other tracks "Are you Happy" is marginal and the others are forgetful.