Another one bites the dust.
So many memories of mis-spent youth.
Damn! That song is 44 years old? I must be getting old.
R.I.P. Lee.
It’s good to see Lee Dorman remembered on the SDMB.
Iron Butterfly were “heavy metal” long before that phrase entered the musical lexicon.
R.I.P. Lee
That’s a shame, always liked the songs on the other side of Vida as well… maybe finally get the Fillmore East cd now…
Featuring Charles Manson on the drums! I remember thinking that song was interminable, even back in '68, when it came out. One guy in the barracks played it over and over. The story goes that the original title was “In the Garden of Eden”, but the lead singer was drunk or high when he sang it, so the title was changed to his slurred version.
Interesting. Makes sense. Was sort of the Stairway or Free Bird of it’s time. An anthem. Remember it well. Sweet bird of youth.
Rest in peace, Mr. Dorman.
it was a multipurpose song; church hymn and rock and/or roll.
I hadn’t heard that before, and a quick search doesn’t bring up any connection other than that the Manson Family occupied a house that the group had moved out of some time previously…
I think Chefguy was making a joke. And as to that famous drum solo, if you listen carefully, it seems to be a series of variations of the old “shave and a haircut” riff.
I’ll consider myself whooshed, then…
Yeah, I just thought he looked a bit like him. I remember we all thought the drum solo was cool, but it’s really pretty boring stuff in comparison to what some can do. I always smile when I see old videos like that. They didn’t even bother to plug a cord into the guitars to give it some semblance of an actual performance. It was the same with groups on variety shows like Ed Sullivan. Evan at a young age, I knew it was being lip-synched.
I remember inna gada da vida playing on the radio when I was 7 or 8 years old and my dad explaining “In the 70’s, radio DJ’s loved these 10 minute drum solos and 20 minute songs because they could get them rolling and step out back to blaze a doobie.” “What’s blaze a doobie?” “I mean, have some lunch.” 
We used to refer to them as “taking a crap” songs.
If you google “Ron Bushy images” (he was the drummer) you’ll see a black & white photo where he does kind of look like Charles Manson. I think that was the photo from the back cover of Inna Gadda Da Vida.
Lee was the bassist for another great band, Captain Beyond.
No one read/heard that “In a Gadda Da Vida” was supposed to be Yiddish for “In The Garden Of Love”, or was that just PR to cover up the fact Dorman was drunk?
Q
As I remember it, the story has always been that Ingle (not Dorman) was slobbering drunk when he first presented it to the band. I wonder if being drunk made him sound even more like Boris Karloff?
Trivia of interest only to me: I saw them at the concert that became the “Live” album. (San Diego Sports Arena, '68 or '69). It was far out and groovy.
A couple of years later, I missed seeing Dorman with Captain Beyond, because I didn’t like the headline group (Deep Purple, IIRC). :smack: My friend was there and told me later, and often, that Dorman, Reinhardt and Caldwell were as good on stage as on record.
I remember my uncle was visiting when I was playing my record of In A Gadda Da Vida. When (at about the 11 minute mark) there was that rather scratchy guitar noise his comment was “that guy outside is wrecking his gearbox!”.
Actually,Neil Yong was quoted as saying something to the fact Manson was a talented lyricist and musician.Who know’s if Beach Boy’s manager didn’t fuck him(please,I’m not a Manson fan,but a total young freak)the 69 rampage might not have happened. (not an excuse just a btw)Young stopped hanging w/Manson 'cuz he was “getting a little farout”.(Neil Young-Journey through the past-by Nigel Wiliamson).Or we’re you fucking around?I never heard Manson played drum’s,just geetar and singing.(an entire LP was put out of his recording’s,supposedly o.k., however I only heard one tune.(liked it)anywho we’re talkin’n 'bout Iron Maid…errr. Butterfly.But come on guy’s and gal’s,wasn’t the title album’s musicianship alittle basic?One hit wonder?
If you google “bushy Ron images” I bet you’ll find something alittle different.