In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (album)

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Studio album by
Iron Butterfly
ReleasedJune 14, 1968
RecordedFirst half of 1968 (side two was recorded on May 27, 1968)
Studio
Genre
Length36:15
LabelAtco/Atlantic Records
ProducerJim Hilton
Iron Butterfly chronology
Heavy
(1968) 		In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
(1968) 		Ball
(1969)
Singles from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
  1. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (edited)"
    Released: July 31, 1968

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the second studio album by the American rock band Iron Butterfly, released in June 1968. It is most known for its title track, a 17-minute composition that occupies the entirety of Side B.

A massive commercial success, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida peaked at number 4 on the Billboard albums chart. It was officially certified a Gold album in 1968 in the United States, and on January 26, 1993, it was certified 4× Platinum. In Canada, it was on the charts for 91 weeks between October 14, 1968, and July 18, 1970.

Composition and music

The tracks on the album's front side are psychedelic in style, while the album's back side is entirely composed of its closer, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" a 17-minute track that has been described as an "unprecedented epic."[1] The tracks "My Mirage" and "Flowers And Beads" have been characterized as representing "the dark side of hippy ideology."[2]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Rolling StoneNegative[4]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[5]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine calls the title track "the epitome of heavy psychedelic excess," and feels that the rest of the songs "qualify as good artifacts."[3] It was voted number 783 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.[6]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Doug Ingle, except "Termination", by Erik Brann and Lee Dorman.

Side one

  1. "Most Anything You Want" – 3:44
  2. "Flowers and Beads" – 3:09
  3. "My Mirage" – 4:55
  4. "Termination" – 2:53
  5. "Are You Happy" – 4:31

Side two

  1. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" – 17:05

1995 deluxe edition bonus tracks

  1. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (live) – 18:51
  2. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (single version) – 2:53

Deluxe edition

A "deluxe edition" of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was released in 1995. It included material from newly discovered first-generation master tapes, bonus recordings, and a 36-page booklet with photos. This re-release includes three versions of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida": the 17:05 studio version; the live version from Iron Butterfly's Live (which includes a short organ intro); and the single edit. The deluxe edition also includes a new cover, similar to the original, but with a moving butterfly flapping its wings and the band members jamming to the song.

Personnel

Iron Butterfly

All arrangements by Iron Butterfly

Technical

  • Jim Hilton – producer, engineer
  • Bill Cooper – mixing engineer
  • Don Casale – engineer
  • Loring Eutemey – artwork
  • Stephen Paley – photography

Charts

Chart performance for In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Chart (1968–1970) Position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[8] 14
Canada (RPM)[9][10][11][12] 8
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[13] 5
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[14] 11
US Billboard 200[15] 4
1969 year-end chart performances for In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Chart (1969) Position
US Billboard 200[16] 1
Chart performance for singles from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Year Single Chart Position
1968 "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" US Billboard Hot 100[17] 30

Certifications

Certifications for In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[18] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[19] Gold 50,000^
France (SNEP)[20] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[21] Platinum 500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[22]
2001 release 		Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[23] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Singles

US singles

  • "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" b/w "Iron Butterfly Theme" (both are edited versions) – Atco 6606
  • "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" b/w "Soul Experience" – Atlantic Oldies Series 13076

Overseas singles

  • "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", "Flowers and Beads" b/w "My Mirage" (EP release)
  • "Termination" b/w "Most Anything You Want"

Notes

References

  1. ^ Agarwal, Manish (2005). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Universe Publishing. p. 145.
  2. ^ Dome, Malcolm; Ling, Dave; Ewing, Jerry; updated, Geoff Bartonlast (March 30, 2020). "The 30 albums that built heavy metal". Louder. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly". Allmusic. Retrieved August 24, 2005.
  4. ^ Pomeroy, Jim (November 23, 1968). "Records". Rolling Stone. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  5. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  6. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). All Time Top 1000 Albums (3rd ed.). Virgin Books. p. 246. ISBN 0-7535-0493-6.
  7. ^ "Combo Organ Discography".
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 149. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "RPM Top 50 Albums - March 24, 1969" (PDF).
  10. ^ "RPM Top 50 Albums - June 2, 1969" (PDF).
  11. ^ "RPM Top 50 Albums - June 9, 1969" (PDF).
  12. ^ "RPM Top 50 Albums - November 1, 1969" (PDF).
  13. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  14. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  15. ^ "Iron Butterfly Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  16. ^ "Billboard.com - Year End Charts - Year-end Albums - The Billboard 200". Billboard. January 16, 2008. Archived from the original on January 16, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  17. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 - Iron Butterfly". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  18. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  19. ^ "Canadian Gold For WB, Atl. LP's" (PDF).
  20. ^ "French album certifications – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved March 7, 2020. Select IRON BUTTERFLY and click OK. 
  21. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Iron Butterfly; 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
  22. ^ "British album certifications – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  23. ^ "American album certifications – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
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