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 1968. It is most known for the title track which occupies the whole of Side B. The album is also available in a deluxe edition CD.
The In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida LP peaked at number 4 on the Billboard albums chart. It sold more than eight million copies within its first year of release, outselling every record in the history of recorded music to that time, and achieved worldwide sales of over 30 million copies. It was the biggest selling album for the year 1969 in the US, although Billboard does not give any exact sales figures. For a number of years it was the biggest selling item in Atlantic Records' catalogue. It was first officially certified a Platinum and 4× Multi-Platinum album in the United States on January 26, 1993.

Legacy

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". It was voted number 783 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.

Track listing

Original LP

1995 deluxe edition bonus tracks

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, 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
All arrangements by Iron Butterfly
Technical
YearSingleChartPosition
1968"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"US Billboard Hot 10030

Certifications

Singles

US singles
Overseas singles