123. Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (June 1968)

1. Most Anything You Want*

2. Flowers and Beads

3. My Mirage*

4. Termination

5. Are You Happy

6. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida*

B-

I think the only real experience I'd had with Iron Butterfly before listening to this album yesterday was the episode of The Simpsons where Bart sells his soul. And really, having heard this album, I don't think I've been missing much. It's all perfectly fine late-60s rock and pop, but there's not much remarkable about it. Even the Book states that the only real reason to listen to this album is the title track, and in this age of iTunes, Spotify and YouTube, that really means there's no reason at all. Still, this is an OK album. I guess maybe if I was really high? I don't know.

What really surprised me, given the status of  "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" as perhaps the first heavy metal track (whatever the hell that means - what is it with people trying to find "firsts" all the time?) is how pretty this album is. The first two songs seem to owe as much to Neil Diamond and the Beatles as they do to Cream or Blue Cheer or the Doors. There's lots of delicate vocal harmonies, pretty melodies and gentle instrumental flourishes (including a lot of keyboard or organ, which is why I mentioned the Doors). Things don't really get heavy until "Are You Happy". 

But really, the title track is the reason people care about this album, and it's pretty good really. The main riff (dun-dun-DUNNA-DUN-DUN da-da-da) is both heavy and catchy, and you're probably humming it now. The lyrics are pretty stupid, but they add to the cool mystery of things. The song probably didn't need to be fifteen minutes long and include a lengthy drum solo, though. Then again, the track doesn't really get good until after said solo, when the drums gradually morph into a gentle, insistent groove overlaid with gentle organ playing, which in turn slams back into the main riff. I mean, I sat there and listened to the whole thing, and while I doubt I'd do so again any time soon, I didn't hate it. 

In the end, this is another one of those albums more important than good. It sold a bajillion copies and you can see the influence of the title track everywhere (even if the idea of a lengthy jam bookended by a killer riff was stolen from Pink Floyd, who in turn stole it from jazz). There were times when it reminded me of Can, whose debut Monster Movie was pretty strongly routed in contemporary psych, and whose epic "Yoo Doo Right" seems to owe a debt to this sort of thing. In the end, it's a fun listen, but I really think its time has passed.