Journey To The Center Of The Mind

by

The Amboy Dukes

Album: Journey To The Center Of The Mind      Released: 1968

US Chart: 16     

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This is about hallucinogenic drugs, which were big at the time. It described the feeling of an acid trip.

Ted Nugent was the group's guitarist. Nugent takes pride that he never did drugs, and claims he had no idea this was a drug song. He thought it was about looking inside yourself. It was written by the group's other guitarist, Steve Farmer.

This was the only hit for The Amboy Dukes. in 1970, Nugent brought in new members and changed the name to Ted Nugent And The Amboy Dukes. The group broke up and Nugent went solo in 1975.

The Ramones recorded this on their album Acid Eaters. The song is given one of two titles, depending on whether it's on the original release, or a compilation (such as Weird Tales). Depending on the album, the song is either called "Journey To The Center Of The Mind (Amboy Dukes)," or simply, "Journey To The Center Of The Mind." (thanks, Chesid - Fremont, CA)

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Comments:

What a great tune!------"take a ride to the land inside and you'll see"
- Daevid, Glendale, CA

Well, oldpink, at the age I was when I heard this song I could have (and did) written half a dozen acid-soaked lyrics without ever having touched the stuff, simply from having read and heard so many descriptions of drug experiences. So, I could believe Nugent saying he hadn't had any drugs at that time. Just because the content of the song was obvious doesn't mean he inhaled. That's like saying "Down by the River" means Neil Young killed somebody. I may even still have those lyrics around somewhere. Chris Akanora, the Sixth-Grade Acid Head. Keeper of the sacred tablets. Here, have a tablet.
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

Great song, done with Ted's trademark quavering style. btw...for all of you apparently obsessed druggies just SURE Ted was intimately familiar with the subject matter of this song, consider that he was only sixteen at the time he did this, and Ted's dad was an extremely strict former Marine who would not tolerate such misadventures. Give it a rest, don't you think he could have been young enough that the rest of the band (Ted himself said he changed things because too many of the Dukes turned into unmotivated stoners) would have felt uncomfortable about giving controlled substances to someone "not of age yet?" The rest of the band, including the SONGWRITER were notorious druggies, so there is the answer. Sheesh! Now, go sync up your copy of "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wizard of Oz."
- oldpink, New Castle, IN

The Amboy Dukes should not be called 1 hit wonders, I mean come on ever hear Mississippi Murderer, Down on Philips Escalator, Night Time, Psalms of Aftermath, Colors, their covers of I Feel Free, and Baby Please Dont Go, etc. NUGE IS GOD!
- Jeremy, London, ON

I remeber this song, I believe it was around August of 1968. It seems that 9 out of 10 songs in those days revolved around acid use. It still remains a classic Amboy Dukes song and I play it on different occaisions in our band. May the music of those days shine on because that was the true era of rock inspite of the content of songs.
- DENNIS, RICHMOND, VA

I adore this song. I loved it when it was first released. It has been my favorite song ever since. We were all aware of the drug connotations but I felt it was about running to a better world. Thank you so much for making the film of the Amboy Dukes performing this song available to us 40 years later.
- Ja, Allentown, PA

Have you guys seen HBO's "Six Feet Under"? It's a terrific show. When one of the sons traces his dead fathers footsteps he finds out his otherwise straightlaced and square dad had some secrets, including a small crash pad he had kept pre-paid rent-wise. A flashback scene shows the dad going there, lighting up a joint and rocking out hippie style to "Journey of the Center of the Mind".
- Rich, El Segundo, CA

one of those guitar solos that isn't really amazing talent wise, but is just a perfect fit for the song and sounds awesome
- Clint, Mount Vernon, MO

Speaking of absurd, let's all imagine Ethel Merman belting out a broadway-esque rendition of this song... I can see old Ted onstage along side her. How happy life could be!
- Phred, Burlington, VT

Nugent does a cover of this on his latest album, Love Grenade.
- Christopher, Coweta, OK

I like this song. Although I'm not much of a Ted Nugent fan.
- Farrah, Elon, NC

My band always used this song for our opener in the late 60's. It definately caught the attention of the crowd and it was a very popular tune. We would follow it up with Satisfaction as our second song and the rest is history.
- Don, Vermontville, MI

I first heard this song in the middle of the desert august 1969...the day before we 1st landed on the moon. It was on acid in spite of the heat...I was with an east coast band on the way to L.A. to make it in the industry...You are right...I always believed Ted knew exactly what it (the song) was about and altough it was one interpretation it was a good one. I still crank it up (I just Did) and it is like a magic caroet ride into another place and time.
- Don K. Miles, Colonial Heights, VA

The lyrics alone could possibly describe looking inside yourself or meditation, but in the 1960s psychedelics and hallucinogens were used as aids to this process. Anyway, the instrumentation is a dead giveaway that this is not about meditation alone. Many LSD users report internal visuals at this kind of roller-coaster, breakneck pace, such that they wish it would slow down a bit so they can get a better look. "My LSD Trip" by Bob Gannon (Popular Science December 1968) describes this in great detail.
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

drugs or not it rocks
- dale, rumford, ME

The drug being about psychedelic drugs instead of hallucinogenic drugs would sound better. There is more to the psychedelic experience then "visuals."
- Arm, Somewher, United States

Err, the song I mean.
- Arm, Somewher, United States

I think it's absurd that anyone would make or acknowledge an issue regarding such thing to the extent that they would make a denial. Like Bill Clinton didn't inhale. What a candy ass! The President of the U.S. isn't wise enough to explain that there is no real issue regarding whether someone inhaled a naturally occurring substance or not? Such things make no difference to the world the same as whether he or anyone believes in G_d.
- Blazintommyd, Johnson City, NY

Nugent's comments about not knowing this was a drug song are perhaps some of the least believable denials in the history of drug songs. Is there a single human being on the planet - including and especially people who have never ever tried a drug, for whom the content of the song is not obvious? I think they were trying to have a hit in the late 1960s, knew this would be one based at least partially on the druggy overtones, and recorded it quite conscious of what they were doing. It's okay Ted, you can admit it. We won't take your guns.
- Chris, Marana, AZ

Ted Nugent was *not* the lead singer of this song. It was sung by John Drake, the original vocalist of the Amboy Dukes. Nugent was the lead guitarist of the band, not the singer; the guitar solo is unmistakeably done in Nugent's trademark style.
- Gregory, Chicago, IL

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