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The Classic Rock Song That Was Deliberately Long To Give DJs A Break
Ever been on air for hours and need to go to the bathroom? How do you satisfy those hunger pangs, when you have to go on mic in two minutes?
This story is about a disc jockey in the U.S. who has the good luck to work on a classic rock station. He openly admits he sometimes puts on ridiculously long songs just so he can get a bite to eat. I think it's something many jocks have done, to be able to get a breather during a long shift.
His choice for best break-length tune? The Iron Butterfly classic "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," which runs an astounding 17 minutes in its full version. And believe it or not, the sound engineer who was present when it was recorded in 1968, says the group deliberately made it that length just so radio people could take some time off.
"They realized that these radio DJs were stuck at their chairs, sorting through stacks of vinyl and talking on the mic for hours on end. They were dying for a song long enough to give them a chance to step away to grab a coffee, or eat a snack, or chat up the office receptionist. So when ‘In-A-Gadda’ came out, it was an instant hit. We had fan mail from DJs all over the country coming in, thanking us for the song and saying that their prayers had been answered.”
Classic Rock DJ Hastily Throws on ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ Before Unwrapping Burrito
- mace
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Re: The Classic Rock Song That Was Deliberately Long To Give DJs A Break
The Iron Butterfly edit never made the CHUM Chart. Not even hitbound. I wonder if it charted at CKOC.
- paterson1
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Re: The Classic Rock Song That Was Deliberately Long To Give DJs A Break
AM Top 40 stations would have usually played the single version which was 2:52 and released on July 31 1968. The song was very popular in the US where it was 4X platinum having sold 4 million. Only reaching gold status in Canada and France and a silver record in the UK or 60,000 in sales. It sold 70,000 copies in Australia and 500,000 in Germany which was good enough for platinum status.
- g121
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Iron Butterfly's 'classic' "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"
.. excessive dribble; a classic rock song I truly despise .. but yes, to each their own ..
Raise me a "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" & I'll slam dunk you with a "Spirit in the Sky" : )) ..
Last edited by g121 (Yesterday 11:21 am)
- Fitz
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mace wrote:
The Iron Butterfly edit never made the CHUM Chart. Not even hitbound. I wonder if it charted at CKOC.
The song is hit bound on the chart below and probably did chart but unfortunately the next CKOC chart on the site is from Nov/68. I would think that CKFH played it as well. I have an air check from FH from 1971where they play a then current Iron Butterfly track.
CKOC CHART Aug/68
Edit: I saw People on the chart and assumed it was their hit cover of the Zombies I Love You but I just took a second look and it's a song called Apple Cider. Will have to check that out.
Last edited by Fitz (Yesterday 12:30 pm)
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