The band was formed in 1966 in San Diego, and they released their aforementioned debut album, 'Heavy', in 1968, after signing a deal with an Atlantic Records subsidiary called ATCO. The original members were Doug Ingle (vocals, keyboards), Jack Pinney (drums), Greg Willis (bass), and Danny Weis (guitar). They were soon joined by singer-songwriter frontman Darryl DeLoach.
Jerry "The Bear" Penrod and Bruce Morris replaced Willis and Pinney after the band relocated to Los Angeles, California in 1966, and Ron Bushy then came aboard when Morris' tenure proved to be a short one. All but Ingle and Bushy left the band after recording the first album in late 1967; the remaining musicians, faced with the possibility of the record not being released, quickly found replacements in bassist Lee Dorman and guitarist Erik Brann (aka Erik Braunn) and resumed touring.
Weis and Penrod almost immediately went on to form the group Rhinoceros. Iron Butterfly focused on putting their energies into their second album. The 17-minute "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", the title track of their second album, became a Top Thirty hit in the U.S. and also gained serious airplay internationally. Doug Ingle is reported to have said the title was an alcohol-slurred version of "In the Garden of Eden", although this is possibly apocryphal. The members when In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida was recorded were Doug Ingle (keyboards and vocals), Lee Dorman (bass guitar), Ron Bushy (drums) and 17-year-old Erik Brann, also Braunn (guitar). The song has been a radio staple for decades and also has prominently featured in several films.
The band had been booked to play at Woodstock, but got stuck at an airport. When their manager called the promoters of the concert, they explained the incredible situation they had been dealt and asked for patience. However, the manager demanded that the Butterfly be flown in by helicopter whereupon they would "immediately" take the stage. After their set they would be paid and flown back to the airport. The manager was told that this would be taken into consideration and he would be called back. In truth, his outrageous demands were never given a second thought. Dorman later expressed regret at this turn of events feeling the band's career may have gone further had they played the festival.
The next album, Ball, topped the charts but more lineup changes followed. In 1970 with Erik Braunn gone, Iron Butterfly released their fourth album, Metamorphosis with two new members, guitarist / vocalist / songwriter Mike Pinera (whose Blues Image had opened for the Butterfly's Vida tour and who later led Ramatam and played with Alice Cooper) and guitarist Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt. The album only managed to get into the top twenty. The band broke up after playing a final show on May 23, 1971. Dorman and Reinhardt later became members of the supergroup Captain Beyond.
The band re-formed in 1974 with Ron Bushy and Eric Braunn joined by bassist Philip Taylor Kramer and keyboardist Howard Reitzes. (Kramer later made news with his 1995 disappearance and the discovery of his bones and minivan at the bottom of Decker Canyon in 1999). The albums released during this lineup: Scorching Beauty in January 1975 with Reitzes and Sun and Steel in October 1975 with Bill DeMartines replacing Reitzes.
From 1977 on Dorman took over the IB moniker and has led several lineups since then(see below for a chronology of IB's lineups) with former members(including Bushy, Ingle, Braunn, etc., coming and going). Other than another brief break between late 1985 and early 1987, the group has continued to this day with Dorman & Bushy currently leading the charge.
The famous line-up of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida got together for the Atlantic Recording Corporation's 40th anniversary concert and celebration, appearing on stage along with the surviving members of Led Zeppelin, and with Aretha Franklin among many other acts of the company's roster on May 14th, 1988. The reunited foursome also played a 30 city tour that same year.
On October 3, 2002, original guitarist/vocalist Darryl DeLoach died of liver cancer at the age of 56.
On July 25, 2003 Erik Brann died of cardiac failure at the age of 52. He was working on a new solo album at the time of his death. The album to date remains unreleased, although friends and family of Brann are working on seeing its release.
Iron Butterfly is now working on a new album.
Soul Experience
Iron Butterfly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't bother painting your face;
Tomorrow it may rain and colors run,
Better it quench the flowers thirst.
Don't be afraid to live a little,
Don't be afraid of the people that belittle our love,
Oh our love.
Open up your thoughts and listen to others,
Your fellow man may surprise you;
He offers a unique item,
Soul experience, help yourselves to each other.
Don't be afraid to live a little,
Don't be afraid of the people that belittle our love,
Oh our love.
Just be yourself.
Just be yourself.
Oh our love, oh our love.
The song Soul Experience by Iron Butterfly delivers a message of self-discovery, self-expression, and authenticity. The opening lines emphasize the importance of being true to oneself and living life to the fullest. The next line, "don't bother painting your face," could be interpreted both literally and figuratively. Either way, it emphasizes the importance of being honest to oneself instead of putting up a facade just to please others. The following line, "tomorrow it may rain and colors run," seems to suggest that life can be unpredictable, and it's better to embrace the changes instead of fighting them. This could be symbolized by the colors running as a metaphor for impermanence in life. Ultimately, it's better to let go and enjoy life as it comes, even if it's for a brief moment.
The following two lines, "don't be afraid to live a little, don't be afraid of the people that belittle our love," emphasize the importance of embracing one's true feelings and emotions, even if it goes against societal norms. The thought of not conforming to society's standards can be daunting, but it's crucial to maintain one's individualism and express genuine emotions. The next stanza revolves around the importance of listening to others and their unique perspectives, as they can enhance one's own understanding of the world. The singer urges listeners to connect with each other and shares their soul experiences, as they may prove to be extremely valuable.
Overall, the song Soul Experience emphasises the importance of embracing oneself, being authentic and expressive, and understanding the unique perspectives of others to enhance one's personal growth experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Be yourself and live a little,
Don't pretend to be someone you aren't and enjoy life to the fullest.
Don't bother painting your face;
Don't waste time pretending to be someone else.
Tomorrow it may rain and colors run,
The future is unknown and unpredictable.
Better it quench the flowers thirst.
It's better to let the rain come and nourish the flowers than to try and control everything.
Don't be afraid of the people that belittle our love,
Don't let the opinions of others discourage you from expressing your love for one another.
Open up your thoughts and listen to others,
Be receptive to other people's ideas and perspectives and you may learn something new.
Your fellow man may surprise you;
People can surprise you in positive ways.
He offers a unique item,
Other people can offer unique and valuable experiences to your life.
Soul experience, help yourselves to each other.
Connect with others on a deeper level and share meaningful experiences with each other.
Just be yourself.
Embrace who you are and don't try to be someone else.
Oh our love, oh our love.
Our love is important and should be celebrated.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DOUGLAS INGLE, ERIK BRAUNN, LEE DORMAN, RON BUSHY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind