The Byrds
The Byrds are mostly remembered for being the definitive folk rock band of the folk rock craze of 1965-66, and that's pretty much true. But they less remembered for being one of the pioneering psychedelic and jazz rock bands. Though they spent not even two years making psychedelic music, their contributions were essential to the development of psychedelia in particular and art rock in general, even those contributions are basically forgotten by everyone except Byrds fans.
Contents
The Byrds
- Lead Vocals:
- Gene Clark (1964-66, 1967, 1972-73),
- David Crosby (1964-67, 1972-73),
- Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman (1965-68, 1972-73),
- Gram Parsons (1968),
- Clarence White (1968-73, rarely),
- Gene Parsons (1968-72),
- John York (1968-69, rarely),
- Skip Battin (1969-73, rarely)
- Guitars:
- Gene Clark (1964, 1967),
- David Crosby (1964-67, 1972-73),
- Roger McGuinn,
- Chris Hillman (1966-68, studio only),
- Gram Parsons (1968),
- Clarence White (1968-73, and earlier as a session musician),
- Gene Parsons (1968-72, studio only)
- Keyboards:
- Gram Parsons (1968),
- Skip Battin (1969-73, studio only)
- Bass Guitar:
- Chris Hillman (1965-68, 1972-73),
- John York (1968-69),
- Skip Battin (1969-73)
- Drums:
- Michael Clarke (1964-67, 1972-73),
- Kevin Kelley (1968),
- Gene Parsons (1968-72)
- Percussion: Gene Clark (1964-66, 1972-73)
- Mandolin/Banjo:
- Chris Hillman (1965-68, 1972-73, studio only),
- Clarence White (1968-73),
- Gene Parsons (1968-72, studio only)
- Synthesizer: Roger McGuinn (1966-73, studio only)
Folk Rock Origins
The Byrds began as a folk trio called The Jet Set, made up of Gene Clark, David Crosby and Roger McGuinn. According the Crosby, the seminal moment in their evolution from a folk group to a rock band came when the group saw ''A Hart Day's Night'', which showed that a rock band could play folk music. The band soon expanded to a five piece and adopted the Beatles' instruments from the film, guitar, 12-string guitar, bass and drums. (Crosby infamously appropriated Clark's guitar after a time.) Released on April 12, 1965, the Byrds' cover of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" effectively launched the folk rock craze. Though most of the Byrds didn't actually perform on this record - the Wrecking Crew played all instruments aside from McGuinn's guitar part - the song became the sound of folk rock; jangly guitars and folk harmonies. This sound became the dominant sound in the rock world for the next 2-3 years, even finding its way into pop arrangements.
Psychedelic/Jazz Rock Innovators
However, The Byrds were not just enamoured with Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger. They had begun listening to John Coltrane and other American jazz musicians, who were experimenting with Indian music and other music which departed from traditional, Western ideas of tonality.
Psychedelic/Jazz Rock Recordings
March 14, 1966: "Eight Miles High" backed with "Why"
The music of "Eight Miles High" was originally written as a folk song with an Indian influence in the vocals, but McGuinn suggested it be re-arranged to incorporate the John Coltrane music they were listening to on their tour. The lyrics of "Eight Miles High" concern a plane ride, though there's been lots of insinuation over the years, some of it confirmed, that it was really about drug use. Clark wrote the lyrics with a line or two from Crosby. McGuinn has claimed he had the initial idea and wrote some of the lyrics but it is believed he has made this up. Like "Eight Miles High," "Why" is notably influenced by Indian music. Unlike "Eight Miles High" there is no influence of Coltrane.
June 13, 1966: "5D (Fifth Dimension)" backed with "Captain Soul"
"5D"
Music and Lyrics by Roger McGuinn
- Gene Clark: Vocal
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Guitar, Vocal
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar, Vocal?
- Roger McGuinn: Eletric 12-String Guitar, Vocal
With
- Van Dyke Parks: Organ, Electric Piano
The Byrds' second psychedelic single is significantly less path-breaking than their first, but is still radical compared to the vast majority of pop rock being released in June of 1966.
Though there's a drone on "5D" it's more the lyrics, which contain references to the Theory of Relativity, that are so "psychedelic."
"Captain Soul"
Music attributed to Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke, David Crosby
- Gene Clark: Harmonica
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Guitar
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar
- Roger McGuinn: Eletric 12-String Guitar
"Captain Soul" is bluesy instrumental featuring atonal lead guitar from McGuinn, but which is otherwise pretty conventional for the era.
July 18, 1966: Fifth Dimension
Like so many early psychedelic albums, the Byrds' third record has a foot in the future and a foot in the past.
September 6, 1966: "Mr. Spaceman" backed with "What's Happening?!?!"
A-side Music and lyrics by Roger McGuinn; B-Side Music and lyrics by David Crosby.
An early country rock song about aliens, "Mr. Spaceman is not exactly the most psychedelic sounding track. Crosby's B-side is considerably more typical of the era though it introduces what has been called Crosby's "disagreeable hippie paranoia."
January 9, 1967 "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" backed with "Everybody's Been Burned"
Music and Lyrics by Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Guitar
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar, Vocal
- Roger McGuinn: Electric 12-string Guitar, Vocal
Perhaps my favourite Byrds song ever, "Rock 'n' Roll Star" is a song that blends folk with only a bit of the art influences that were transforming folk rock into psychedelia. McGuinn's lead guitar sounds vaguely Indian and, in the solo, sounds influenced by jazz. The most distinct thing, of course, is the trumpet part.
"Everybody's Been Burned"
Music and Lyrics by David Crosby
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Guitar, Vocal
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar
- Roger McGuinn: Electric 12-string Guitar
Another of Crosby's hippie paranoia songs, but with a more upbeat message. Crosby and McGuinn's guitar playing and the (apparent) changing metre are heavily influenced by jazz, making this one of the earliest true jazz rock songs.
February 6, 1967: Younger Than Yesterday
March 13, 1967: "My Back Pages" backed with "Renaissance Fair"
Music and Lyrics by Bob Dylan
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Guitar, Vocal
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar, Vocal
- Roger McGuinn: Electric 12-String Guitar, Vocal
- Organ player unknown
This single is a perfect example of the push-pull within the Byrds between the past and the present. A Dylan cover performed mostly as if it was 1965, it's only McGuinn's solo that gives the faintest hint if things have changed.
"Renaissance Fair"
Music and Lyrics by David Crosby and Roger McGuinn
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Guitar, Vocal
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar, Vocal
- Roger McGuinn: Electric 12-String Guitar, Vocal
Though the subject of "Renaissance Fair" might make it seem as though the song is looking back to the past, the b-side is, as Bruce Eder has called it, "a perfect synthesis of the group's original electric-folk sound evolved into a new, more contemporary form of music and songwriting, almost hippie-folk music."
May 22, 1967: "Have You Seen Her Face" backed with "Don't Make Waves"
Music and Lyrics by Chris Hillman
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Guitar, Vocal
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar, Vocal
- Roger McGuinn: Electric Guitar, Vocal
- Hotep Idris Galeta: Piano
Another song which bridges the past and the future, the song is mostly a fairly traditional folk rock song, but McGuin's solo announces that it isn't 1965 any more.
"Don't Make Waves"
Music and Lyrics by Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Guitar, Vocal
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar, Vocal
- Roger McGuinn: Electric 12-String Guitar, Vocal
Musically the b-side is another fairly traditional folk rock song. It's the lyrics, which explicitly reference what was happening in youth culture at the time, which add a contemporary note. But, once again, this is illustrative of the Byrds' lack of total commitment to musical innovation.
July 13, 1967: "Lady Friend" backed with "Old John Robertson"
Music and Lyrics by David Crosby
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Guitar, Vocal
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar, Vocal
- Roger McGuinn: Electric 12-String Guitar, Vocal
- Horns unknown
The chiming but droning guitars of this single are pretty typical of the Byrds. I don't know whether the guitars are tuned differently. It's yet another folk rock song featuring guitar playing which does not sound like it comes from the folk rock tradition.
"Old John Robertson" Music and Lyrics by Chris Hillman
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- David Crosby: Electric Bass Guitar
- Chris Hillman: Electric Guitar, Vocal
- Roger McGuinn: Electric 12-String Guitar, Vocal
- William Armstrong, Victor Sazer, Carl West: Violins
- Paul Bergstrom, Lester Harris, Raymond Kelley, Jacqueline Lustgarten: Cellos
- Alfred McKibbon: double bass
Leaning more towards country rock, this brief track seems to presage where the Byrds were going, except for the lead guitar, which one again, sounds vaguely Indian.
October 20, 1967: "Goin' Back" backed with "Change Is Now"
Music by Carole King, Lyrics by Gerry Goffin
- Gene Clark: Vocal?
- Michael Clarke: Drums
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar, Vocal
- Roger McGuinn: Electric 12-String Guitar, Vocal
- Paul Beaver: Piano
- James Burton: Electric Guitar
- Dennis McCarthy: Celeste
- Clarence White: pedal steel guitar
- Paul Bergstrom, Lester Harris, Raymond Kelley, Jacqueline Lustgarten: cellos
One of the densest arrangements in the Byrds' history backs this vaguely country-ish cover of a Dusty Springfield song. Very much more "baroque pop" than psychedelic rock.
"Change is Now"
Music and Lyrics by Chris Hillman and Roger McGuinn
- Chris Hillman: Electric Bass Guitar, Vocal
- Roger McGuinn: Electric 12-String Guitar, Electric Guitar? Vocal
- Hal Blaine: Drums
- James Burton: Electric Guitar?
- Clarence White – pedal steel guitar, Electric Guitar?
A coutry-ish folk rock song which sounds like it presages the Byrds' next album until the Cream-esque psychedelic guitar solos.
January 15, 1968: ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers
Popularization of Country Rock
Legend has it that ' next project was going to be a double-album history of popular music. If it had ever been completed, maybe it would have competed with The White Album as the most ambitious album of its era. However, the band hired a permanent keyboardist, Gram Parsons, to help them complete the project. Parsons was the primary songwriter for the International Submarine Band, the first country rock band. He soon hijacked the Byrds' project and the world got Sweetheart of the Radio. So the story goes.
For the rest of their career, prior to their 1973 reunion, the Byrds' were led by McGuinn alone and they pursued some variation of folk rock and country rock, completely abandoning their psychedelic sound.
Reunion
I have yet to listen to their reunion record to know whether or not it contains any psychedelic music.
Influenced by
Folk Rock Influences
Pete Seeger
Psychedelic Influences
Folk rock influences plus
John Coltrane
Country Rock Influences
The Louvin Brothers
Influenced within Art Rock
Though the Byrds were arguably the world's first psychedelic rock band, psychedelic rock moved on to new sounds fairly quickly, as the diverse scenes in UK and the US produced all sorts of more daring and more iconic psychedelic rock music.
Where the Byrds' real influence lies is in jazz rock, as the Byrds established how to incorporate jazz into radio-friendly pop songs before anyone else.
