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Rating: For my first review, I wanted to choose a great album that has often been defined as a milestone in Rock and Metal. I was indeed very surprised that no one had reviewed it yet...
Let's get to the point. We are in 1968, in the middle of the psychedelic rock era, one year before what would become THE CONCERT by definition, Woodstock. It is in this context that for years Iron Butterfly, a Californian quartet, have been making a name for themselves in venues, with their heavy sound that combines classic acid-rock with the power of garage-rock of the "worst kind".
Their first album, "Heavy" (1968), was definitely innovative, but nothing exceptional. The big success came with "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", also released in '68. The album opens with "Most Anything You Want"; the song, like many by our band, begins with a good electric guitar riff followed by a pleasant organ theme played by Doug Ingle. It's Ingle himself who sings this and all the songs, with his particular style, much changed from the previous "Heavy". Right after the three minutes of this song, we move on to "Flowers And Beads"; the lyrics are once again about love, but this time the rhythm is softer and well accompanied by Ingle's voice. "My Mirage" has a much darker and mystical atmosphere, mainly thanks to the excellent organ melody.
New guitarist Erik Brann stands out positively for his technical skills and sudden yet delicate style changes. The fourth track is the only one not written by Ingle, in fact "Termination" is the work of bassist Lee Dorman and guitarist Erik Brann. The introduction features a great raucous guitar riff accompanied by Ron Bushy's constantly moving cymbals. The song continues with a serene atmosphere characterized by some nice guitar-organ-bass chases. At this point comes "Are You Happy", a pleasant pop track that will thrill the audience at Iron Butterfly's live shows (just listen to the screams in "Live" from '70...); pounding drums and distorted guitar dominate in this song that starts with "Are you happy?" almost shouted by Ingle. The guitar solo followed by the small organ-only breaks is beautiful.
Well, a good album so far, but it's precisely the last track that will make Iron Butterfly famous, selling them millions of copies of the said work and placing them in the rock pantheon for life. The title track "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is the true masterpiece. A 17-minute song that will contain one of the most well-known motifs and one of the first drum solos of that length ever performed. It all starts with Ingle's organ immediately intoning the main theme. We then hear the drums come in, followed by guitar and bass. And here's the voice that will sing the entire song's lyrics in a fantastic style; Ingle almost seems drunk while singing (The title "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" itself is said to be a distortion, made by him while under the influence, of "In A Garden Of Eden") and he demonstrates it with his voice's continuous ups and downs. The effect is divine.
The lyrics are otherwise very simple:
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?
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (17:03)
In a gadda da vida, baby
(In the Garden of Eden)
In a gadda da vida, honey
Don't you know that I'm lovin' you
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
In a gadda da vida, honey
Don't you know that I'm lovin' 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
In a gadda da vida, honey
Don't you know that I'm lovin' 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
In a gadda da vida, baby
(In the Garden of Eden)
In a gadda da vida, honey
Don't you know that I'm lovin' you
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
04 So-Lo (04:03)
So-Lo
(Doug Engle / Darryl DeLoach)
From The Album "Heavy)
Have you heard about the word that's goin' round
(goin' round, goin' round)
Have you heard about the girl who put me down
(put me down, put me down)
Well, she became aware the fact that I was runnin' round
(runnin' round, runnin' round)
And consequently my behavior put me down
(put me down, put me down)
(Instrumental interlude)
Have you heard about the word that's goin' round
(goin' round, goin' round)
Have you heard about the girl who put me down
(put me down, put me down)
Well, she became aware the fact that I was running round
(runnin' round, runnin' round)
And consequently my behavior put me down
(put me down, put me down)
(instrumental outplay to end of song)
05 Flowers and Beads (03:07)
Girl I just know I love ya now...
Flowers and beads are one thing,
But having a girl is something.
That's if you got a girl who loves you,
and thinks the whole wide world of you.
Flowers and beads are one thing,
But having you girl that's something.
That's 'cause I know you love me only,
and that you'll never leave my hear lonely.
Chorus: Girl, he just knows he loves you now.
You're all I talk about and ev'rything I say and,
Girl, I just know I love you now.
Girl, I love ya, I love you and need you in my lifetime.
Girl, I just know I love you,
Don't you think my love is true?
Girl, I just know I want you,
Don't you think my love is true?
Flowers and beads are one thing,
But having a girl is something.
That's if you got a girl who loves you,
and thinks the whole wide world of you.
Flowers and beads are one thing,
But having you girl that's something.
That's 'cause I know you love me only,
and that you'll never leave my hear lonely.
Chorus: Girl, he just knows he loves you now.
You're all I talk about and ev'rything I say and,
Girl, I just know I love you now.
Girl, I love ya, I love you and need you in my lifetime.
Girl, I just know I love you,
Don't you think my love is true?
Girl, I just know I want you,
Don't you think my love is true?
Girl I just know I want you
Don't you think that my love is true?
06 My Mirage (04:51)
In my mind I see a mirage on the wall,
But unfortunately it's not there at all.
So I guess I'll draw my mirage on the wall,
Then it can be here to see and enjoyed by all.
My mirage, I'll be drawing you soon.
Then all of the beautiful people that come to our home,
They'll be seeing you too.
My mirage,
I'll be drawing you soon,
My mirage, I'll be seeing you soon.
In my mind I see a mirage on the wall,
But unfortunately it's not there at all.
So I guess I'll draw my mirage on the wall,
Then it can be here to see and enjoyed by all.
My mirage, I'll be drawing you soon.
Then all of the beautiful people that come to our home,
They'll be seeing you too.
My mirage,
I'll be drawing you soon,
My mirage, They'll be seeing you soon.
07 Termination (02:48)
Fly blue sky, voices keep calling,
bidding me welcome. Why maiden land,
luring me closer, forbiden land.
And as I'm Standing closer,
those natives step beyond.
Release the mortal patterns,
my mind I post beyond.
Spinning in circles,
Miracles happen,
As lower life life shows me in to my doom,
spirit will striken,
the end will come soon.
This is termination,
the outcome of your life.
08 Are You Happy (04:29)
Are you happy?
I met a pretty girl on a date last night,
And let me tell you now, she was groovy.
And I kissed the pretty girl, and I held her tight,
Let me tell you now, she was groovy.
And now, no matter what I try to do
My mind's drifting back to you.
Are you happy?
And now, no matter what I try to do
My mind's drifting back to you.
Are you happy?
To you.
Are you happy?
Oh, I love you...
Please, tell me now that you're happy,
Please, tell me now that you're mine.
Please, tell me now that you're happy,
Please, tell me now that you're mine.
I wanna tell you I love you...
Are you happy?
09 Soul Experience (02:51)
Be yourself and live a little,
Don't bother painting your face;
Tomorrow it may rain and colors run,
Better it quench the flowers thirst.
Don't be afraid to live a little,
Don't be afraid of the people that belittle our love,
Oh our love.
Open up your thoughts and listen to others,
Your fellow man may surprise you;
He offers a unique item,
Soul experience, help yourselves to each other.
Don't be afraid to live a little,
Don't be afraid of the people that belittle our love,
Oh our love.
Just be yourself.
Just be yourself.
Oh our love, oh our love.
10 Unconscious Power (02:31)
We all want to climb the hill
The unbelievable is going to happen
It will linger in your mind forever
Let this carry you wherever - wherever.
Triggering The Unconcious power.
Removing all your inhibitions
Releasing complete freedom of thought
Sensations of ev'ry sense will prepare
With this you will see ev'ry thing.
Triggering The Unconscious power.
Triggering The Unconscious power.
I say to you
nothin' for now.
Oh, now
we know all,
we know all,
we know all,
we know all!
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By paolofreddie
In a Gadda Da Vida is not an album of psychedelic rock, In a Gadda Da Vida is psychedelic rock.
The suite In a Gadda Da Vida opens with a very catchy psychedelic guitar riff, followed by the singer’s voice singing the title phrase.
