Goin' Back - Notorious Byrd Brothers
Goin' Back - Notorious Byrd Brothers
I have spent the morning listing to the Notorious Byrd Brothers and I had forgotten how great it was. I especially like Goin' Back and Natural Harmony. The genius of all the Byrds' work, especially Crosby's harmonies, certainly shine through.
Life, as with music, often requires one to let go of the melody and listen to the rhythm
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I rank Notorious right up there. I've been slogging through Rogan's beast of a book for the last week or two - so Byrd-song is constantly running through my head. I suppose I'll need to pick-up the re-mixed cd's (at least the first). I also just got the reunion cd from Holland and the 3 Byrds Live in London (along with Herb and Chris Bakersfield Bound).
Crosby could sing - too bad he was so hung on himself.
The Byrds were so spotty - you wonder what they could have done had the original line-up not self-destructed and maybe practiced some...
Crosby could sing - too bad he was so hung on himself.
The Byrds were so spotty - you wonder what they could have done had the original line-up not self-destructed and maybe practiced some...
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chucksimms
- Veteran RRF member
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That's probably my fave Byrds' LP too. My choices for best tracks are the three on side one: 'Draft Morning', 'Wasn't Born to Follow' and 'Get to You', but pretty much the whole LP is excellent (I could live without the last track- they should have put 'Ladyfriend' on instead!)
'66 365 O.S. FG, '66 335 FG, '68 375 O.S., '66 330/12 MG, '69 365 O.S. azureglo, 2007 4001C64
I like how all the songs on side 1 of Notorious Byrd Brothers are somewhat connected, like a concept album of sorts where the songs slide right into each other. At the beginning of "Get to You", you can hear a door slam.
I think Carole King's "Goin' Back" is a much better song than Crosby's lusty "Triad", a song about a three-way sexscapade, and I totally understand why McGuinn and Hillman didn't include it on the album. At least on the remastered CDs that came out in 1996 you can finally hear the original Byrds version of "Triad". The Jefferson Airplane recorded that song (with Crosby on guitar and Grace Slick singing), and it can be found on their 1968 album "Crown of Creation". Also, a version of "Triad" is on the Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young live album "Four-Way Street"... Haha! A song about a three-way on an album called "Four-Way"! Haha. Sorry, couldn't resist throwing that cheezy li'l joke in there (I laugh in solitude).
>> I could live without the last track
What'choo talkin' about, Willis?! I like that "Space Odyssey" song. The bass is "off", but the song is cool. It has that Celtic groove-like quality that would later show up in McGuinn songs like "Sweet Mary" and "Jolly Roger".
I wrote to Roger in 2001 about the "Space Odyssey" lyrics: "in Nineteen-Hundred Ninety-Six, we ventured to the moon". I told him that I thought it ironic that the lyrics mentioned the date 1996, and ironically, the moon landing took place in 1969. (A reversal of the numbers 96 and 69). That song was released in 1968, one year before the supposed moon landing in 1969. Well, I just wondered if he thought any bit of that odd, to hear about people travelling to the moon so soon, though predictions seemed to point to later on. He wrote back saying that the lyrics were basically used in context to the book "2001 Space Odyssey", which discusses a fictional moon landing in 1996. In 1969, McGuinn celebrated the moon landing on the final track of the album "Ballad of Easy Rider" with "Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins".
"Natural Harmony" is a trippy little number indeed! It might make you feel "high" just by listening to it.
"Draft Morning" is a great song, and it captures some peoples' sentiments in this day and age as well. I love this song. Guy Picciotto of the band Fugazi told me that he listens to this song almost every day (he plays Rickenbacker guitars as well). "Draft Morning" is great. Crosby was a part in that, as well as the jazzy "Tribal Gathering" and the cool "Dolphin's Smile".
Perhaps the other guys shouldn't have put that picture of a big horse in the place of Crosby on the album cover, but it is kinda funny in a small way. At least someone other than Crosby himself got to make a "horses ***" out of him for a change. I mean, he had the connections all along, he was never destined to be poor no matter what he did in life... even crack-cocaine in the 1980s! Some of it isn't totally his fault, but a good sum of it is! Besides, the Byrds initial firing of David Crosby is what lead David to Florida, and helped him discover the very talented Joni Mitchell. So, it still turned out all right for the world. Crosby put out a great solo album in 1971. CSN&Y had good stuff in the early to mid 1970s. Steven Stills put out the Manassas stuff (which featured Chris Hillman too). Steven Stills even put out two good solo albums (though some of the ones later on weren't very good at all). Oh well... Anyway, we were talking about the Notorious Byrd Brothers, a truly brilliant album.
"Change is Now" is a beautiful anthem that should be sung by all the peace loving people of the earth. One of my personal favourite Byrd songs.
Notorious Byrd Brothers is a space-age masterpiece that combines elements of the old world with a passion for the new one. The sound quality on the remastered CD version is exceptionally brilliant! I think this disc should be in everyone's collection.
I think Carole King's "Goin' Back" is a much better song than Crosby's lusty "Triad", a song about a three-way sexscapade, and I totally understand why McGuinn and Hillman didn't include it on the album. At least on the remastered CDs that came out in 1996 you can finally hear the original Byrds version of "Triad". The Jefferson Airplane recorded that song (with Crosby on guitar and Grace Slick singing), and it can be found on their 1968 album "Crown of Creation". Also, a version of "Triad" is on the Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young live album "Four-Way Street"... Haha! A song about a three-way on an album called "Four-Way"! Haha. Sorry, couldn't resist throwing that cheezy li'l joke in there (I laugh in solitude).
>> I could live without the last track
What'choo talkin' about, Willis?! I like that "Space Odyssey" song. The bass is "off", but the song is cool. It has that Celtic groove-like quality that would later show up in McGuinn songs like "Sweet Mary" and "Jolly Roger".
I wrote to Roger in 2001 about the "Space Odyssey" lyrics: "in Nineteen-Hundred Ninety-Six, we ventured to the moon". I told him that I thought it ironic that the lyrics mentioned the date 1996, and ironically, the moon landing took place in 1969. (A reversal of the numbers 96 and 69). That song was released in 1968, one year before the supposed moon landing in 1969. Well, I just wondered if he thought any bit of that odd, to hear about people travelling to the moon so soon, though predictions seemed to point to later on. He wrote back saying that the lyrics were basically used in context to the book "2001 Space Odyssey", which discusses a fictional moon landing in 1996. In 1969, McGuinn celebrated the moon landing on the final track of the album "Ballad of Easy Rider" with "Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins".
"Natural Harmony" is a trippy little number indeed! It might make you feel "high" just by listening to it.
"Draft Morning" is a great song, and it captures some peoples' sentiments in this day and age as well. I love this song. Guy Picciotto of the band Fugazi told me that he listens to this song almost every day (he plays Rickenbacker guitars as well). "Draft Morning" is great. Crosby was a part in that, as well as the jazzy "Tribal Gathering" and the cool "Dolphin's Smile".
Perhaps the other guys shouldn't have put that picture of a big horse in the place of Crosby on the album cover, but it is kinda funny in a small way. At least someone other than Crosby himself got to make a "horses ***" out of him for a change. I mean, he had the connections all along, he was never destined to be poor no matter what he did in life... even crack-cocaine in the 1980s! Some of it isn't totally his fault, but a good sum of it is! Besides, the Byrds initial firing of David Crosby is what lead David to Florida, and helped him discover the very talented Joni Mitchell. So, it still turned out all right for the world. Crosby put out a great solo album in 1971. CSN&Y had good stuff in the early to mid 1970s. Steven Stills put out the Manassas stuff (which featured Chris Hillman too). Steven Stills even put out two good solo albums (though some of the ones later on weren't very good at all). Oh well... Anyway, we were talking about the Notorious Byrd Brothers, a truly brilliant album.
"Change is Now" is a beautiful anthem that should be sung by all the peace loving people of the earth. One of my personal favourite Byrd songs.
Notorious Byrd Brothers is a space-age masterpiece that combines elements of the old world with a passion for the new one. The sound quality on the remastered CD version is exceptionally brilliant! I think this disc should be in everyone's collection.
Speaking of "collections" - I added four of the remastered, 20 song Byrd cd's to my collection last night. I never really completely replaced all the vinyl that I got rid of back during the divorce when I made the vinyl to cd transition. So, as I added cd's I tended to look for cd's which included something more than the original 28 minute LP's worth. I ended up getting the 4 disk box set as it seemed to collect quite a lot of the "important" stuff together along with suff I'd never heard (like the GP vocals for Sweetheart).
The collection seemed to tie me over - that is until this latest fascination. So, as I lay there at night reading Rogan's book - each mention of a particular tune or alternate of a tune is sparking the old brain and I find myself going: hmmm, I don't think I've heard that in? let's see: thirty-five years... or: gee, I don't own (and never have owned) that one...
Due largely to Crosby, the Byrds loom large in my musical background. There was a period following Woodstock - before Deja Vu where I figured I'd delve deeper into where CSN came from and THAT sent me down the Springfield/Byrd path (sorry - never did the Hollies). Then I ended up following THAT thread forward through Poco and the Burritos. All of which meant that I turned towards that flavor (rather than following Zeppelin after their 2nd release into heavy metal mania).
The collection seemed to tie me over - that is until this latest fascination. So, as I lay there at night reading Rogan's book - each mention of a particular tune or alternate of a tune is sparking the old brain and I find myself going: hmmm, I don't think I've heard that in? let's see: thirty-five years... or: gee, I don't own (and never have owned) that one...
Due largely to Crosby, the Byrds loom large in my musical background. There was a period following Woodstock - before Deja Vu where I figured I'd delve deeper into where CSN came from and THAT sent me down the Springfield/Byrd path (sorry - never did the Hollies). Then I ended up following THAT thread forward through Poco and the Burritos. All of which meant that I turned towards that flavor (rather than following Zeppelin after their 2nd release into heavy metal mania).
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chucksimms
- Veteran RRF member
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- Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2001 1:16 pm
Not that I dislike 'Space Odyssey', but I've heard better renditions (it's an old folk song- sorry, title escapes me right now). And when I compare that track to 'Ladyfriend', well it's an easy choice. 'Draft Morning' is also way cool; one of my all time favorites for Hillman's bass playing. The re-masters are great, although I'm still looking for a 'Notorious' and 'Sweetheart'. BTW, does anybody else's Byrds collection (greatest hits/compilations aside) end at 'Sweetheart'? After that point I never enjoyed an entire LP.
'66 365 O.S. FG, '66 335 FG, '68 375 O.S., '66 330/12 MG, '69 365 O.S. azureglo, 2007 4001C64
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mark_telfer
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- Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2001 3:48 am
On the original Notorious Byrd Brothers LP there wasn't a single love song, which helped the whole thing flow better. Am I making sense ? Although the lyrics were stimulating, there was nothing provocative about them. Although I would be the first person to argue that Lady Friend and Triad are historically-essential Byrds tracks, do they upset the message (or non-message) of NBB in its original form ?
"But the man has a 47-string guitar." (Grace Slick on Paul Kantner's attempt to tune his 366/12 during a Winterland show of October 31 1969).
Chuck - you didn't like (Untitled) ?
The other night when I picked up four of the remastered cd's, I skipped getting Sweetheart -even at $7 but I'll probably go grab it this weekend - they probably didn't press as many of that one (are cd's "pressed"?)
Last night I heard some stuff on the remastered TTT that I thought was better than the original releases. There was a version of THE WORLD TURNS ALL AROUND HER where McGuinn's opening is IN TUNE instead of ever so slightly dissonant. Hearing this other version was GREAT!! I also think the alternate "The Times They Are A-Changin" is better (but maybe only because it was new to me).
The other night when I picked up four of the remastered cd's, I skipped getting Sweetheart -even at $7 but I'll probably go grab it this weekend - they probably didn't press as many of that one (are cd's "pressed"?)
Last night I heard some stuff on the remastered TTT that I thought was better than the original releases. There was a version of THE WORLD TURNS ALL AROUND HER where McGuinn's opening is IN TUNE instead of ever so slightly dissonant. Hearing this other version was GREAT!! I also think the alternate "The Times They Are A-Changin" is better (but maybe only because it was new to me).
>> Not that I dislike 'Space Odyssey', but I've
>> heard better renditions.. And when I compare
>> that track to 'Ladyfriend', well it's an easy
>> choice.
Comparing Space Odyssey with Lady Friend? Why? Lady Friend was the one released as a "45" single. Sometimes the Byrds didn't always include some of their great songs on their albums if they were released as singles. Same thing happened with Gene Clark's song "She Don't Care About Time", which shines with full glory on the remastered "Turn! Turn! Turn!" album. Anyway, both songs are on the remastered CDs (I think "Lady Friend" was recorded closer to the time of "Younger Than Yesterday", and appears as a bonus track on the remastered CD version of that album). So, you see, people have corrected a good deal of these things with the remastered versions.
>> On the original Notorious Byrd Brothers LP
>> there wasn't a single love song, which helped
>> the whole thing flow better. Am I making
>> sense ?
"Get To You" may or may not be considered a love song, but I see what you're gettin' at.
I think "Space Odyssey" is fine where it is, and I think "Lady Friend" is fine where it is on the remastered "Younger Than Yesterday".
>> heard better renditions.. And when I compare
>> that track to 'Ladyfriend', well it's an easy
>> choice.
Comparing Space Odyssey with Lady Friend? Why? Lady Friend was the one released as a "45" single. Sometimes the Byrds didn't always include some of their great songs on their albums if they were released as singles. Same thing happened with Gene Clark's song "She Don't Care About Time", which shines with full glory on the remastered "Turn! Turn! Turn!" album. Anyway, both songs are on the remastered CDs (I think "Lady Friend" was recorded closer to the time of "Younger Than Yesterday", and appears as a bonus track on the remastered CD version of that album). So, you see, people have corrected a good deal of these things with the remastered versions.
>> On the original Notorious Byrd Brothers LP
>> there wasn't a single love song, which helped
>> the whole thing flow better. Am I making
>> sense ?
"Get To You" may or may not be considered a love song, but I see what you're gettin' at.
I think "Space Odyssey" is fine where it is, and I think "Lady Friend" is fine where it is on the remastered "Younger Than Yesterday".
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anonymous
Yeah, some people feel that way about "Mind Gardens". I think it's an all right song, I guess. Listen to it and imagine Eddie Vedder singing it in the 1990s... Haha! Try it! It actually sounds sorta like Vedder's "grunge" ramblings from that era.
I like Crosby's song "What's Happening?!?!" from the Fifth Dimension album. "I See You" is cool too. I can almost see Michael Stipe singing along with the McGuinn's "5D". The remastered Fifth Dimension is a darn fine album. The bonus tracks really make it even better too. The hidden "Interview" track at the end of that cd is cool.
I like Crosby's song "What's Happening?!?!" from the Fifth Dimension album. "I See You" is cool too. I can almost see Michael Stipe singing along with the McGuinn's "5D". The remastered Fifth Dimension is a darn fine album. The bonus tracks really make it even better too. The hidden "Interview" track at the end of that cd is cool.
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anonymous
Some good points- I realize 'Ladyfriend' seems a little incongruous, but I also think if it was there on the original release that it would be viewed as a highlight of the LP. To my ears, it sounds like it could fit nicely on the LP. I intensely disliked the remix it suffered on one of the compilations ('Never Before'?) with the overdubbed drums. Yikes! I agree with 'Mind Gardens' being a terrible 'song'.
5D is probably my second favourite LP. Regarding your query Gary,'Untitled' had some great stuff, and to be honest I haven't listened to it for a while. I might like it better now. 'Sweetheart' is funny; I love the McGuinn stuff more than Gram's on that LP (especially the Dylan covers), although I think Gram's stuff with FBB and solo is MUCH better than the Byrd stuff post 'Notorious'.
5D is probably my second favourite LP. Regarding your query Gary,'Untitled' had some great stuff, and to be honest I haven't listened to it for a while. I might like it better now. 'Sweetheart' is funny; I love the McGuinn stuff more than Gram's on that LP (especially the Dylan covers), although I think Gram's stuff with FBB and solo is MUCH better than the Byrd stuff post 'Notorious'.
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anonymous
I like Crosby's song "It Happens Each Day". That song appears as a bonus track on the remastered "Younger Than Yesterday". It's a cool groove, man.
I think the Byrds have some cool stuff post Sweetheart, I just think people aren't as open-minded towards that stuff. Like I've said before, the only Byrds album that I think is sub-par is Byrdmaniax. Check it out,
"Untitled" kicks ***! The remastered untitled is a two-disc groove with lots of extra tracks and info about "Gene Tryp", McGuinn's attempt to write a musical (the song about trying to catch the horse, "Chestnut Mare", is from that story). The live stuff is cool.
Also, "Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde" is an underrated classic album in my opinion too. "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man" is Hilarious, and documents the fact that even though the Byrds could sound like authentic country music, they still weren't accepted as "country musicians" by some of the arsehole radio disc jockeys at that time.
The "Ballad of Easy Rider" is a pretty darn good album too. Anyone who doesn't like the Byrds song "Oil In My Lamp" is perhaps smoking CRACK! That song whips arse! And "Jesus is Just Alright", baby! "Jack Tarr The Sailor" is a Celtic Sea Shanty indeed. The Guthrie song "Deportee" is on this album too.
And, I really like the album "Father Along". The Byrds moving version of the song "Farther Along" makes the Burrito Bros version sound uninspired. "Tiffany Queen" is rockin' punk rock before punk rock was out. "Get Down Your Line" kicks *** too. "Bugler" shines on like a beacon in the night. "Antique Sandy" is classic, and "Precious Kate" is a Masterpiece in my opinion. Battin's song "Lazy Waters" is great too. Battin is from Gallopolis Ohio, along the Ohio River, and I'm from Marietta Ohio, so I know just what he's talking about in that very cool song.
I think the Byrds have some cool stuff post Sweetheart, I just think people aren't as open-minded towards that stuff. Like I've said before, the only Byrds album that I think is sub-par is Byrdmaniax. Check it out,
"Untitled" kicks ***! The remastered untitled is a two-disc groove with lots of extra tracks and info about "Gene Tryp", McGuinn's attempt to write a musical (the song about trying to catch the horse, "Chestnut Mare", is from that story). The live stuff is cool.
Also, "Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde" is an underrated classic album in my opinion too. "Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man" is Hilarious, and documents the fact that even though the Byrds could sound like authentic country music, they still weren't accepted as "country musicians" by some of the arsehole radio disc jockeys at that time.
The "Ballad of Easy Rider" is a pretty darn good album too. Anyone who doesn't like the Byrds song "Oil In My Lamp" is perhaps smoking CRACK! That song whips arse! And "Jesus is Just Alright", baby! "Jack Tarr The Sailor" is a Celtic Sea Shanty indeed. The Guthrie song "Deportee" is on this album too.
And, I really like the album "Father Along". The Byrds moving version of the song "Farther Along" makes the Burrito Bros version sound uninspired. "Tiffany Queen" is rockin' punk rock before punk rock was out. "Get Down Your Line" kicks *** too. "Bugler" shines on like a beacon in the night. "Antique Sandy" is classic, and "Precious Kate" is a Masterpiece in my opinion. Battin's song "Lazy Waters" is great too. Battin is from Gallopolis Ohio, along the Ohio River, and I'm from Marietta Ohio, so I know just what he's talking about in that very cool song.
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anonymous
I just picked up the remastered (Untitled) and it is a two disc release: one disc is the entire, original two LP release and the second disc is all unreleased stuff. I haven't gotten to it yet. I liked it at the time and that incarnation of Byrds is the only incarnation I ever saw - so the live stuff is pretty much the live show I saw. I have seen RM and DC solo.
I think Sweetheart "started" the whole country-rock popularity. Gram was a piece of work but I like the Sweetheart out-takes with his vocals in the box set. I liked Poco and the Burrito's because they sort of took it other places and of course, the Byrds never really went there. I don't think I ever really liked/listened to a whole Byrd release after (Untitled) - well, OK the reunion/Asylum was after that but, it was a whole "different" thing afterall (wasn't it). It also suffered from the same ego clash that the early Byrd stuff did.
I think Sweetheart "started" the whole country-rock popularity. Gram was a piece of work but I like the Sweetheart out-takes with his vocals in the box set. I liked Poco and the Burrito's because they sort of took it other places and of course, the Byrds never really went there. I don't think I ever really liked/listened to a whole Byrd release after (Untitled) - well, OK the reunion/Asylum was after that but, it was a whole "different" thing afterall (wasn't it). It also suffered from the same ego clash that the early Byrd stuff did.
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anonymous
>> Gram was a piece of work but I like the
>> Sweetheart out-takes with his vocals in the
>> box set.
The remastered "Sweetheart" also contains different alternate Gram lead vocal versions than the box does. The remastered disc contains rehearsal versions with Gram singing lead on "The Christian Life" and "One Hundred Years From Now" ( And I think these versions are NOT the same ones that are on the box). I think the only thing the box has Gram singing lead on that the remastered disc doesn't is "You Don't Miss Your Water". I forget what the secret track is at the end of the remastered Sweetheart (I think it's a Byrds advert)... Anyway, the remastered disc also contains "You Got a Reputation" and "Lazy Days" (both of these are on the box too). Also, McGuinn singing "Pretty Polly" is on the remastered Sweetheart as well as the box. The remastered disc contains rehearsal versions of "Life in Prison" and "You're Still On My Mind", as well as an instrumental song "All I Have is Memories", and these are NOT on the box.
I really like Gram's vocals on "I Am A Pilgrim".
I also really like McGuinn's vocals and banjo on the Woody Guthrie song "Pretty Boy Floyd".
>> Sweetheart out-takes with his vocals in the
>> box set.
The remastered "Sweetheart" also contains different alternate Gram lead vocal versions than the box does. The remastered disc contains rehearsal versions with Gram singing lead on "The Christian Life" and "One Hundred Years From Now" ( And I think these versions are NOT the same ones that are on the box). I think the only thing the box has Gram singing lead on that the remastered disc doesn't is "You Don't Miss Your Water". I forget what the secret track is at the end of the remastered Sweetheart (I think it's a Byrds advert)... Anyway, the remastered disc also contains "You Got a Reputation" and "Lazy Days" (both of these are on the box too). Also, McGuinn singing "Pretty Polly" is on the remastered Sweetheart as well as the box. The remastered disc contains rehearsal versions of "Life in Prison" and "You're Still On My Mind", as well as an instrumental song "All I Have is Memories", and these are NOT on the box.
I really like Gram's vocals on "I Am A Pilgrim".
I also really like McGuinn's vocals and banjo on the Woody Guthrie song "Pretty Boy Floyd".