More In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida Needed

I drive long distances armed with satellite radio and leashes to dozens of classic rock stations. Dude, where is “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”? For the untrained this is a 1968, 17-minute “song” by Iron Butterfly, one of the great group names of all time. They gave their last live performance in May 2012—the bassist Lee Dorman died in December of that year at age 70. Anyway, I rarely hear it played. Maybe it’s too long. How about more In-A-Gadda- Da-Vida and less Aerosmith and Led Zepplin?

I drove across the country in 1971 listening to this song through two giant speakers in the back of 1963 VW. I edited the piece so there was 30 minutes of instrumental, no singing. Really, driving through the heartland on the interstate required a heavy beat. Today, there’s a station, Chill, that plays music with a sometimes hypnotic beat, but mostly it’s EDM where I can’t distinguish the group’s name from the title of the song.

I bought the Iron Butterfly CD: In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is one entire side. But I’ve misplaced it again—probably under the driver’s seat.

Rant over.