# Lee Dorman(Iron Butterfly) dead at 70. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810 "2012-12-22T04:28:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![damagedgoods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecd19e/32.png) [@damagedgoods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/damagedgoods)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810/21 "2012-12-23T10:35:09Z")
I was only 2-3 at the time,however I’d hardly call …“Da Vida” an “anthem” of it’s time.It was basiclly an nonsensical song. Vietnam, race riot’s, gay & woman’s movement’s.Come on, it was a one hit wonder-w/out any real meaning. It’s basiclly 'bout “gadda” gettin “ina” chick’s pant’s! How 'bout “Woodenships” “ohio” “The Time’s They Are 'A Changin” “Senator’s Son”. How 'bout Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant”? Come on dude! “Ina Gadda Da Vida” is hardly an "Anthem of the end of the “Summer of Love” Ohh yeah!That remind’s me. “Paint it Black, Gimme Shelter” “Free Bird” and Zep’s tune are almost an era later!:(😕 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810/22 "2012-12-23T10:45:06Z")
What the hell are you on about? The album sold more than 30 million copies and is among the top 40 selling albums of all time. Iron Butterfly also charted with two subsequent albums Metamorphosis and Ball also charted well. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810/23 "2012-12-23T14:12:42Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > 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. Definitely of interest to me too, as that was my first concert ever! December 1969, and they announced from the stage that they were recording it for a live album. Remember the opening act (before It’s a Beautiful Day came on), Too People? I’ve never been able to find any reference to them since, and I’ve always wondered who they were. Very sorry about Lee Dorman’s passing–with Erik Brann’s death a few years back, half of the classic Butterfly lineup is now gone. I’ve always thought Iron Butterfly was very underrated, unfairly dismissed as one-hit wonders thanks to that extended jam vehicle with the unfortunate title. “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” forever typed them as slack-jawed heavy metal neanderthals, when they were really a very spiffy psych outfit. Dorman in particular had some very active and tasty bass lines on the band’s more song-oriented material. Incidentally, _In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida_ wasn’t even their best album; _Ball_ was. After his stint in the music business, Lee Dorman worked as a bus driver for San Diego Transit. I think the driver with the big muttonchops on the the line I used to take to my job in El Cajon must have been him. R.I.P. Lee. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810/24 "2012-12-23T14:58:51Z")
First bass line I ever learned to play, I think. And the bass line I play to this day to see if I’m in tune. R.I.P. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810/25 "2012-12-23T19:43:16Z")
> [@damagedgoods](#): > > Butterfly.But come on guy’s and gal’s,wasn’t the title album’s musicianship a little basic? Yes, except for Dorman. I think he was playing below his capabilities with IB, as evidenced by his performances with Captain Beyond.\* > [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Definitely of interest to me too, as that was my first concert ever! December 1969, and they announced from the stage that they were recording it for a live album. Remember the opening act (before It’s a Beautiful Day came on), Too People? I’ve never been able to find any reference to them since, and I’ve always wondered who they were. Well, you just ruined my story. I was at the Sports Arena concert about a year earlier, and I don’t remember who else was on the bill but it definitely was not _It’s A Beautiful Day_. Until I read your post I had completely forgotten about the second Butterfly concert at the Arena, which I intentionally skipped for reasons I still can’t recall. By the way, remember how it was called the “Sports Aroma”? That place must have been decrepit before they’d finished building it. > [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > …with Erik Brann’s death a few years back… Almost ten years. Time flies. > [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Incidentally, _In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida_ wasn’t even their best album; _Ball_ was. Most of IB’s canon hasn’t aged well for me, but I still enjoy listening to three songs from IAGDV (including the title cut). My favorite, which hasn’t aged a bit, is in fact from _Ball_ — Belda Beast. - Arguably the worst ever pairing of fantastic band with idiotic name. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810/26 "2012-12-23T20:03:28Z")
It’s interesting to see that some folks remember Captain Beyond. I was going to mention that band in my first posting but I figured no one remembers Captain Beyond. (Guess I was wrong). ---
**Author:** ![irritant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@irritant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irritant)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810/27 "2012-12-24T02:13:21Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > It’s interesting to see that some folks remember Captain Beyond. > I was going to mention that band in my first posting but I figured no one remembers Captain Beyond. (Guess I was wrong). Captain Beyond was awesome. I mean, Iron Butterfly, everything on that album is sort of shambling, unfinished. But the first version of Captain Beyond, with Bobby Caldwell on drums, is simply one of the greatest hard rock bands ever. [Dancing Madly Backwards, parts 1, 2, and 3](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXz-UIaauqQ) [Raging River of Fear](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9eGc5Luk3c) The whole album is kickass. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810/28 "2012-12-24T03:05:09Z")
> [@irritant](#): > > … the first version of Captain Beyond, with Bobby Caldwell on drums, is simply one of the greatest hard rock bands ever…The whole album is kickass. Especially Caldwell. All three instrumentalists are stellar, but that drumming still makes my jaw drop. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lee-dorman-iron-butterfly-dead-at-70/644810.md?page=1)