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

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 which occupies the whole of Side B.

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Studio album by Iron Butterfly
Released	June 14, 1968
Recorded	First half of 1968 (side two was recorded on May 27, 1968)
Studio	Gold Star, Hollywood Ultra-Sonic, Hempstead
Genre	Acid rock psychedelic rock hard rock proto-metal
Length	36:15
Label	Atco
Producer	Jim Hilton
Iron Butterfly chronology
Heavy (1968) In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968) Ball (1969)
Singles from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (edited)" Released: July 31, 1968

The In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida album peaked at number 4 on the Billboard albums chart.^[1][2] It sold more than eight million copies within its first year of release,^[3] outselling every record in the history of recorded music to that time,^[4] and achieved worldwide sales of over 30 million copies.^[a] It was the biggest selling album for the year 1969 in the US.^[12] For a number of years it was the biggest selling item in Atlantic Records' catalogue.^[13] It was officially certified a Gold album in 1968 in the United States, then on January 26, 1993, it was certified 4× Platinum.^[14]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[15]
Rolling Stone	Negative^[16]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[17]

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."^[15] It was voted number 783 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.^[18]

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

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 19-minute live version from Iron Butterfly's Live (which includes a short organ intro), and the 2:52 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

• Erik Brann – guitar, backing vocals; lead vocals (track 4)
• Ron Bushy – drums, percussion
• Lee Dorman – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Doug Ingle – Vox Continental organ, vocals^[19]

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)^[20]	14
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[21]	5
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[22]	11
US Billboard 200^[1]	4

1969 year-end chart performances for In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Chart (1969)	Position
US Billboard 200^[12]	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^[23]	30

Certifications

‹See Tfd›‹See Tfd›

Certifications for In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[24]	Platinum	70,000^^
Canada (Music Canada)^[25]	Gold	50,000^^
France (SNEP)^[26]	Gold	100,000^*
Germany (BVMI)^[27]	Platinum	500,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)^[28] 2001 release	Silver	60,000^^
United States (RIAA)^[29]	4× Platinum	4,000,000^^
Summaries
Worldwide	—	30,000,000^[a]
^* 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

1. Attributed to multiple references:^{[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]}

References

1. "Iron Butterfly Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
2. Joynson, Vernon (1995). Fuzz, Acid, & Flowers August 25, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. London: Borderline Books
3. March, Jeff (1999). Echoes of the Sixties. Billboard Books. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-8230-83169.
4. . March 21, 2019. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
5. Harford, Jeff (October 6, 2012). "Gloriously indulgent orgy from Iron Butterfly". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
6. "Iron Butterfly's Lee Dorman dies in Laguna Niguel". Orange County Register. December 22, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
7. Coleman, Miriam (December 22, 2012). "Iron Butterfly Bassist Lee Dorman Dead at 70". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
8. "Lee Dorman, Iron Butterfly bassist, dies at 70". Associated Press. March 26, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
9. "Iron Butterfly bassist dies at 70". TODAY.com. December 22, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
10. "Saturday Evening Post -Iron Butterfly brings Metal to the Charts". www.saturdayeveningpost.com. July 20, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
11. "London Free Press- Iron Butterfly Bassist Lee Dorman Dead At 70". lfpress.com. December 22, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
12. . Billboard. January 16, 2008. Archived from the original on January 16, 2008. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
13. Larkin, Colin (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music. Virgin Books. p. 247. ISBN 9780753501498.
14. "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
15. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly". Allmusic. Retrieved August 24, 2005.
16. Pomeroy, Jim (November 23, 1968). "Records". Rolling Stone. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
17. Larkin, Colin (2007). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
18. Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). All Time Top 1000 Albums (3rd ed.). Virgin Books. p. 246. ISBN 0-7535-0493-6.
19. "Combo Organ Discography".
20. 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.
21. "Dutchcharts.nl – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
22. "Offiziellecharts.de – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
23. "Billboard Hot 100 - Iron Butterfly". Billboard. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
24. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
25. "Canadian Gold For WB, Atl. LP's" (PDF).
26. "French album certifications – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved March 7, 2020. Select IRON BUTTERFLY and click OK. 
27. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Iron Butterfly; 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
28. "British album certifications – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
29. "American album certifications – Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 20, 2016.