In-a-gadda-da-vida

Is this the one of the most era defining songs ever written, if you could pick a song that defined the 60's era or atleast the late 60s? This is a song warriors and peacenics knew and adored the same. Do you know someone over the age of 20 that doesn't know the song? Does it not speak love and hate and war and love?

On a side note, don't you wish for the days when musicians knew because of length it wouldn't receive air play and still forged ahead?

Right on about musicians recording long songs! I guess it went with the times, counterculture. Ahhh, what memories. Anyway, noticed nowadays song is played on a commercial for retirement investments. Had to someday. Move over Glenn Miller, as the music played in nursing homes.
Oh, tried to find lyrics but couldn't. Remember a few words but can hum all 17 mins. Or just did I never know the lyrics but belted out melody? Hey, and I remember the thrill of finding out the radio station was playing the long version--same with House of the Rising Sun.

I love that song! I'm 43 lol

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I remember reading somewhere that the original name of the song was "In a garden of eden".

Love those old tunes.....

It is hard to think of Iron Butterfly as a "one hit wonder" band. After all, Ina-Godda-Da-Vida was THE song every progressive, album rock FM station played in the late 60's. I could never figure out how Iron Butterfly could write and perform such a great song and, simply, burn out. Well, burn out isn't exactly what happened. It's just that they could never manage to put together another "masterpiece" like Inna-Godda-Da-Vida.

Anyway, I loved this song, especially the drum solo. I can recall, though I'd rather forget, going into elaborate "air-drum" sessions that simply had to annoy my parents -- especially when I had the old Pioneer receiver cranked to "10"

Imagine the Music Video!
ok, then
imagine trying to MAKE the music video..

I could never figure out how Iron Butterfly could write and perform such a great song and, simply, burn out. Well, burn out isn't exactly what happened. It's just that they could never manage to put together another "masterpiece" like Inna-Godda-Da-Vida.

I figure maybe it's just that, they made their masterpeice "too early". Nothing else they did could compare.

Great Tune..

From the Official Iron Butterfly Website :

In July of 1968, Iron Butterfly released the monumental LP, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, featuring the 17:05 minute side-long track that shook the entire music industry with its phenomenal reception. 'Vida outsold every record in the history of recorded music within the first year of its release (over eight million copies sold) and therefore outgrew and outsold the standard of the music industry's "Gold Album" award. For this achievment, Iron Butterfly was subsequently awarded: The Industry's Very First "Platinum Album"! This historic award was created and presented by then-president of ATCO Records Ahmet Ertegun, who went on to become the current CEO of the WEA Group. Most recently, "Vida" received the Multi-Platinum award.

www.ironbutterfly.com...

Rhino Home Video in January 1996, released the first, and only video of the group perfoming: Butterfly Bleu, Easy Rider, and In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

read more about the song here:
en.wikipedia.org...



[edit on 19-4-2006 by elevatedone]

Originally posted by spacedoubt
imagine trying to MAKE the music video..

Wouldn't be nearly as complicated as filimg the Making Of the Video, or the real world vs. road rules vs iron butterfly reunion episode.

Needless to say, the "Flavour of Inagadadavida" spin-off would be hawt. Rl hawt.

Slayer even covered this song.

Originally posted by desert.
Oh, tried to find lyrics but couldn't..

Not much to it:

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, honey
don't you know that I love you
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, baby
don't you know that I'll always be true

Oh, won't you come with me
and take my hand

Oh, won't you come with me
and walk this land

Please take my hand


repeat, solo, repeat

humble pie - "walk on gilded splinters" on the fillmore album (24 minutes).

jethro tull - "thick as a brick" (both sides of the record on the TAAB album).

allman bros. - "mountain jam" (both sides of one of the two records in the double 'eat a peach' album).

kraftwerk - "autobahn" (approx. 20 minutes?).

pink floyd - "echoes" (approx. 20 minutes?).

yes - "close to the edge" (approx. 20 min?).

Originally posted by hackster

yes - "close to the edge" (approx. 20 min?).

... down by the river ...

While I do agree that "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" Is/was an insurmountable classic [nowadays, a one hit wonder] :shk:

hackster ... you have touched on something [Yes] that I have Always held very near and dear to my heart. Hands down! one of the most accomplished BANDS of all time.

[queues Siberian Khatru]

[EDIT: to add]

Originally posted by notbuynit
On a side note, don't you wish for the days when musicians knew because of length it wouldn't receive air play and still forged ahead?

^^^ case in point.

[edit on 5/24/2006 by 12m8keall2c]

yes...

took progressive rock to a whole new level...

IMHO, a "supergroup", with all members being so accomplished on their instruments.

"close to the edge" is still one of my favorite albums to this day.

didn't care much for the trevor rabin years, but in the last several years that steve howe has got back with them... once again, excellent.

i have several live shows from the last 5 or 6 years, and they are sounding as good as ever.

all good people indeed.

( is this in the wiki entry? )

Don't forget when it used in that Simpson's episode when the lyrics were altered slightly to something very like if not the same as 'In the Garden of Eden, baby'.

Also plays over the ending of the first Red Dragon movie.

Interesting that Arizona Wilder in her 'mother goddess' interview mentions a blonde-haired previous singer in Iron Butterfly who was seen taking part in those flesh-eating, blood-drinking satanic rituals. Sounds a bit like apocryphal to me, but who knows, it could be all part of the rock-n-roll lifestyle of the time!

I like Slayer's version of this song, it really does kick butt. I like the original too, a real nugget of rock history.

Originally posted by tomcat ha
Slayer even covered this song.

aye, that's how i learned to play it, lol...

In-a-gadda-da-vida is definitely a classic...

You guys do know WHY, don't you?

For the incomparable heights as well as the cryptic title?

Those guys were whacked out of their gourds!

At least the lead singer was - not being able to properly pronounce 'In a Garden of Eden' just ONE TIME?



They truly excelled in their era in more ways than one!!!