The First Psychedelic Rock Song
Contents
The song that started it all – “The First Psychedelic Rock Song” by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.
The song “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly
The song “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly was released in 1968 and is often cited as being the first psychedelic rock song. The 17-minute long track features a number of elements that would come to define the genre, including extended jams, distorted guitars, and acid-trip inspired lyrics. While the song was not an immediate hit, it slowly gained popularity and has since become a classic of the genre.
The history of the band and the song
The first psychedelic rock song is said to be “Purple Haze” by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The song was released in 1967 on the album Are You Experienced. “Purple Haze” was written by Hendrix and recorded in London. The song features distorted, feedback-laden guitar work and heavy use of blues scale guitar licks. Hendrix’s use of feedback and distortion created a new sound that would be integral to the development of psychedelic rock.
The meaning of the song
In the song, Jagger is singing about a man’s descent into madness, brought on by drug use. The first verse details the man’s initial foray into drug use, and how he “saw stars” and “heard colors.” In the second verse, the man’s addiction has progressed, and he is now seeing things that aren’t there, like “a purple sky” and “a green sun.” In the chorus, Jagger sings about how the drug has taken over the man’s life, and how it has turned him into a “slave.”
The final verse of the song finds the man at his lowest point, as he has now lost touch with reality completely. He is hearing voices and seeing things that no one else can see. At this point, the only thing that matters to him is getting his next fix.
The song ends with Jagger repeating the chorus, as the man’s life spirals further and further out of control.
The influence of the song
Psychedelic rock is a music genre that became popular in the 1960s. It is marked by a use of electronic instruments and psychedelic sound effects, often intended to replicate the experience of mind-altering drugs. The first psychedelic rock song is generally considered to be “Purple Haze” by Jimi Hendrix, which was released in 1967. The song’s popularity and Hendrix’s virtuosity as a guitarist helped to popularize the genre and make it one of the defining sounds of the 1960s.
