March 22, 2015

101 Reel-to-Reel Tapes 103: Iron Butterfly ~ Metamorphosis

















  
Iron Butterfly ~ Metamorphosis 
reel-to-reel tape box cover detail 
cover photo by Roger Webster
detail photo by Styrous®


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In addition to my 20,000 Vinyl LP collection I'm selling, I have reel-to-reel, pre-recorded tapes for sale. If interested, contact me by email please, not by a comment. 

I have the Iron Butterfly ~ Metamorphosis, reel-to-reel tape, for sale on eBay. I have others for sale on eBay now (see links below).    
 
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Metamorphosis is the fourth studio album by Iron Butterfly, released on August 13, 1970. Iron Butterfly's album, Metamorphosis, was the new line up with Mike Pinera on Guitar and Vocals and Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt on Guitar. Ron Busy on drums, Lee Dorman on Bass, Doug Ingle on vocals and Keyboards. Though it was not as successful as its predecessor Ball (1969), it reached number 16 on the US charts. Erik Brann, who left because of band disputes, was replaced by four session guitarists. Two of them, Mike Pinera and Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt (called El Rhino on the sleeve), would become members of Iron Butterfly shortly after the album's release. Officially, the album is credited not to Iron Butterfly, but to "Iron Butterfly With Pinera & Rhino", in reference to the two aforementioned guitarists. The album is noted for having one of the earliest uses of the Talk box on a rock album. 



reel-to-reel tape box front cover
cover photo by Roger Webster
detail photo by Styrous®


As with all my other albums, there are favorites of mine on this one also. This time, they all happen to be on the second side.

reel-to-reel tape box back cover 
cover photo by Roger Webster
detail photo by Styrous®


Soldier in Our Town starts out with with a slow drum & hi-hat beat and goes into a torpid rock ballad love sung by Doug Ingle that is stunning.

Easy Rider (Let The Wind Pay The Way) starts moderately fast but quiet before breaking out into an aggressive syncopated sort of tom-tom beat hard rock tune that totally rocks out. Easy Rider reached number 66 on the Billboard chart, making it the band's biggest hit aside from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.


reel-to-reel tape box back cover detail
cover photo by Roger Webster
detail photo by Styrous®


Of the three songs on this album I mentioned that I like, my very favorite is, Butterfly Bleu, what an amazing song it is.

Butterfly Bleu is another epically long song by Iron Butterfly (the other one being, of course, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida). It is slow, with a great bass guitar and drum beat intro. The vocal by Mike Pinera is superb. At a little over four minutes it goes into a fantastic instrumental break that ruptures into a faster beat at four & a half minutes. Then alternates with some great drum work by Ron Bushy.  At seven & a half minutes it speeds up even faster with a great guitar instrumental with trippy vocal effects. At ten minutes there is a great 'scat' duet with voice and guitar. There are very quiet parts that gives one time to catch ones breath. At almost eleven minutes it goes back to the original beat with the vocal. What an amazing exercise in music pyrotechnics! 


Lyrics to the songs and links to the songs on YouTune below. 



reel-to-reel tape box back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®



Soldier In Our Town Lyrics

track #7 on the album Metamorphosis

There's a soldier here today
But she don't bear steel in anyway
She's like a bow
Seeking a wooden arrow
Pointing the way to love

We all know how we can hate
Just as strong as we could ever love
We can love, we can love
God bless you, God
For Sending me a woman
Pointing the way to love

We gotta love a woman

There's a statue in the square
But the things they hadn't
It ain't fair, it ain't fair, Lord
The things they hadn't
Cause beneath the stone
The greatest Man is all alone

Without a woman to love
Without a woman to shove
Without a woman to point the way to love

We gotta love a woman

Songwriters: Robert Edmondson / Douglas Ingle
© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.



reel-to-reel tape box back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®


reel-to-reel tape box back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®



Easy Rider (Let The Wind Pay The Way) Lyrics

track #8 on the album Metamorphosis 

Pegs of people line the street
A ball and chain around their feet
Waitin' for a weekend treat
But Easy Rider's got 'em all beat 'cause

(chorus)
Easy rider, he's a glider
(Easy) Freedom, every day
(Rider) Easy rider, easy glider
Lettin' the wind pay the way
(that's all he ever does)

Freedom!
Freedom!

Puts a rocket in his pocket
At the dawn of day
Needs a goodbye kiss in the mornin', mist
You know the man can't stay.

(chorus)

solo

(who'm I talkin' 'bout)
Easy, easy, easy rider
Easy, easy, easy rider

Goin' easy, where you goin'
Gettin tired of being all alone
Oh, the roads are calling you
Back to where you belong
Oh, ride on!

Talkin' bout Easy........

Songwriters
Robert Edmondson / Ron Bushy / Lee Dorman / Douglas Ingle
© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group



reel-to-reel tape box spine
photo by Styrous®


Butterfly Bleu Lyrics

track #9 on the album Metamorphosis

I found me a little butterfly
As blue as the sky
With just a touch of gold
I knew I had to hold
My butterfly fly away with me

Every time I reached for her
She managed to slip away
Takin' my breath away from me
How can I make her stay?
My butterfly, fly away with me, yeah

My heart was beatin' faster
She started to come near
Spread her wings around me
And cast out all my fears
My butterfly, fly away with me, yeah

Now the bright light of her eyes show
She never was leavin' me
Got in me by my efforts to reach her
Leadin' me to be free
My butterfly, fly away with me
(Yeah, yeah, oow)

Butterfly, fly away

Songwriters
Douglas Ingle / Lee Dorman / Ron Bushy
© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.


photo by Styrous®


Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine rated Metamorphosis three out of five stars. He explained that "the group continued its musical explorations, adding a layered production to its sound." He also stated that "[the] ambition [...] makes for an interesting listen.  



reel-to-reel tape label detail
detail photo by Styrous®


Track listing:

All songs written and composed by Doug Ingle, Ron Bushy, and Lee Dorman, except where noted.

Side one:    

1. - “Free Flight" - 0:40
2. - "New Day" - 3:08
3. - "Shady Lady" (lyrics - Robert Woods Edmonson) - 3:50
4. - "Best Years of Our Life" - 3:55
5. - "Slower Than Guns" (lyrics - Robert Woods Edmonson) - 3:37
6. - "Stone Believer" - 5:20

Side two:

1. - "Soldier in Our Town" (lyrics - Robert Woods Edmonson) - 3:10
2. - "Easy Rider (Let the Wind Pay the Way)" (lyrics - Robert Woods Edmonson) - 3:06
3. - "Butterfly Bleu" - 14:03

Personnel:

Iron Butterfly:

Additional musicians:


Label: ATCO Records ‎– M 339
Format: reel-to-reel tape
Country: US
Released: 1970
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock



Links to Iron Butterfly ~ Metamorphosis songs on YouTube:  






The Iron Butterfly ~ Metamorphosis, reel-to-reel tape, is for sale on eBay   
  
Other reel-to-reel tapes now for sale on eBay  



These guys had a great time making this album!



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