The Byrds: song by song thread (1965-67) and beyond! *

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Hombre, Feb 1, 2019.

  1. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    Indeed, McGuinn’s current Twitter bio tends to reinforce how important that designation was/is to him.

    [​IMG]
     
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  2. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    McGuinn really did not become a prolific writer until his solo career. After Clark left, the slack was taken up by Crosby, Hillman, Parsons and Battin, and covers.

    And the only hits he ever had a writing credit on were 8 Miles High (basically for the guitar solo) and Rock & Roll Star (co-write with Hillman).

    Actually the Byrd who had a writing credit on the most hits is Hillman - on Rock & Roll Star, It Doesnt Matter and 8 Country top 40 hits with Desert Rose Band
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2019
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  3. Dylancat

    Dylancat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Pretty groovy song.
    Cool opening riff, and nice heavy bass guitar, smooth harmonies.
     
  4. Hombre

    Hombre Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I agree that the songwriting aspect was not a main contribution of McGuinn to the Byrds; and he usually co-wrote the songs where he's credited. But I wouldn't reduce the argument to the number of hit singles, since many of the best songs by the Byrds were not hits.

    I'd say that the most transcendent contribution of McGuinn as a songwriter in the Byrds was the song "Ballad Of Easy Rider", though it's said that Dylan (not credited) lended him a hand.
     
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  5. Dylancat

    Dylancat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Dylan came up with the opening verses,
    McGuinn did the rest.
    A very nice song.
     
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  6. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Thanks! I don't know if Gene technically knew what he was writing. If not, he simply wrote what he heard in his musical mind and it came out very different and as I said harmonically adventurous. A song that is coming up later really gets out there technically and is mind blowing in that regard.
     
  7. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    The Byrds or The Searchers? :D
    Maybe both.
     
  8. EdogawaRampo

    EdogawaRampo Senior Member

    :thumbsup:

    Always loved it myself, too.
     
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  9. this and the preflyte sessions are two my favorite releases, i would love a box set of everything that was recorded
     
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  10. MarcS

    MarcS Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Ironically, McGuinn and Clark's biggest hit was the Turtles cover of You Showed Me.
     
  11. Clarkophile

    Clarkophile Through the Morning, Through the Night

    Location:
    Oakville, ON
    Me too.
     
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  12. jwb1231970

    jwb1231970 Ordinary Guy

    Location:
    USA
    There are many more than the ones you listed
     
  13. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    Many more what?

    And in what time frame?
     
  14. vanhooserd

    vanhooserd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville,TN
    McGuinn's "5D (Fifth Dimension)" is literally transcendent, way beyond most 1966 pop music. On the same album "Mr. Spaceman" is also great in its own light-hearted space-age Buck Owens way.
     
  15. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    @Hombre
    We have not covered I Knew I 'd Want You yet have we? Some posts about it earlier.
    I don't want to miss that one. A Gene Clark masterpiece and one of his most unique songs.
     
  16. Hombre

    Hombre Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Yes! How could I forget those songs by McGuinn? I wouldn't say they are masterpieces, but they are little gems anyway.
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2019
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  17. Hombre

    Hombre Forum Resident Thread Starter

    No, we haven't yet. That song was the B-side of the "Mr. Tambourine Man" single, but it's the track #8 on the album. Great ballad indeed.
     
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  18. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    I don't know and I don't want to get ahead but Mr. Spaceman IMO was a very early example of country rock way before Gram entered the picture.
     
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  19. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    I will try to cool it on the technical side with that song. It is really out there regarding modality and chord changes. How Gene came up with that is beyond me.
     
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  20. Hombre

    Hombre Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Well, the guitar solo is quite countrish. But I think that "Time Between" and "The Girl With No Name", both written by Hillman, are more proper examples of proto-country rock.
     
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  21. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Good point. I really like what The Turtles did with the song.
     
  22. vanhooserd

    vanhooserd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville,TN
    Try singing "Mr. Spaceman" in your best Buck Owens voice. :)
     
  23. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    Bingo! The chords to the song are straight out of the Hank Williams songbook as well.
    Buck would have done a great version of the song. :D
    Yeah....The Byrds were not country until Gram entered. Not. He just gussied them up.
     
  24. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    Satisfied Mind as well, and Oh Susannah
     
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  25. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    There's no question that McGuinn and especially Crosby matured a great deal as songwriters on that album. Of course, with Clark gone, they had to! And also, Hillman stepped up big time.

    Of their previous efforts, I always thought "Wait and See" was about the weakest Byrds original of all. However, "Why?" was very good, and "I See You" was great, but you get the sense that both were primarily Crosby songs.

    Don't want to get ahead of things, as we'll cover these songs in due time.
     

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