In-A-Grigio-Da-Vida

The 'Swinging Sixties' might have brought to the world free love and hairy hippies, but it was also responsible for some ridiculously long songs like The Chamber Brothers' The Time Has Come Today and The Doors' hilariously named The End. Iron Butterly's seventeen minute black mass opus In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is a prime example of a song desperately needing an editor like a Christopher Nolan movie, as it's particularly ruined by a singer who fancies himself as some kind of demonic hippie and a tuneless improv session with an organ and a screeching guitar dominating much of the song. 

Much like the medium of film, for anything that's a hit, there's the Italian rip-off. Therefore, I'm thankful there's a version which addresses my issues with the original by ditching the creepy pub singing and impromptu tune testing and opting for a short and swift, funkier instrumental instead. Originally appearing in Massimo Dallamano's film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey, Peppino De Luca's (bootleg) soundalike of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is a much more tolerable version of the song. It doesn't require the aid of Francis Dolarhyde shooting cops in Manhunter (1986), Bart Simpson replacing the hymn sheet, or Nas to rap over it just to maintain my interest like the original.

Peppino De Luca (AKA Giuseppe De Luca) - Rito a Los Angeles (3° Version)

Dorian Grey OST, 1970

 

It's too bad this bootleg version ended up being used for a scene in the all-star ridden, heist comedy Ocean Twelve (2004) as it inevitably brought about a bunch of internet know-it-alls in the comments section claiming it was produced by David Holmes, Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band and of course Iron Butterfly.