Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Okay, thanks to Amazon's "Used and New" department, I scored both of these albums for less than $5! They were shipped to me a week ago, and arrived today. I enjoyed them both, and like Francesco Fai said, they are the Rubber Soul and Revolver of The Byrds.

The interesting thing is the three versions of "Why" on both albums. There is the single version that was the B-side of "Eight Miles High" which was a remake of the RCA version, both of which are included on Fifth Dimension. The third remake is on Younger Than Yesterday, and it's key is changed a whole step, and has a more acid-y feel. I actually think the YTY is better.

In short, I now own all the G. Clark/Crosby-era Byrds albums, and they rock. Which one should I go for next? Sweetheart of the Rodeo?

What a proud collection, I think

JakeK wrote:What a proud collection, I think

Adding "Notorious Byrd Brothers" will give you the (IMO) best 5 Byrds albums. After that, the band became (take your pick) "Byrds II" or "R. McGuinn & sidemen", giving up nearly every attribute that had originally made them famous. YMMV. Tom

beatbyrd wrote: Adding "Notorious Byrd Brothers" will give you the (IMO) best 5 Byrds albums

I agree. Notorious Byrd Brothers although not containing particular "top-10 hits" like the previous ones, was a good attempt to mix psichedelia with their beat-rock-folk style.

beatbyrd wrote: After that, the band became (take your pick) "Byrds II" or "R. McGuinn & sidemen", giving up nearly every attribute that had originally made them famous. YMMV. Tom

yes, exactly, totally different and in the 70s already

Sweetheart of the Rodeo is by far my favorite Byrds album, but really, it's barely a Byrds album at all.

Sweetheart is the logical next choice to follow the Byrds exolution in the order in which it happened.

A rather drastic change of direction.From rock to country with some old standards in it.

My favourites on it are 100 Years (Parsons)and Nothing Was Delivered (Dylan).

Just thought I'd chime in with my thoughts... While Notorious Byrd Brothers got the accolades and rave reviews, I think it's actually aged the most of all the first six Byrds albums. The other albums sound more "timeless" if that makes any sense to anyone other than me. Sweetheart of the Rodeo could have been released yesterday, it still sounds so current. They're all great albums. You should get them all.

Jake,

You should absolutely own a copy of "Never Before." It's a veritable treasure trove of rare material from the early Byrds catalog:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... re&x=0&y=0

Although some of the previously unreleased songs have since appeared as bonus tracks on the CD's you mentioned, I don't think you'll be disappointed. If you locate a copy, please let us know what you think.

Robert

beatbyrd wrote:

JakeK wrote:What a proud collection, I think

Adding "Notorious Byrd Brothers" will give you the (IMO) best 5 Byrds albums. After that, the band became (take your pick) "Byrds II" or "R. McGuinn & sidemen", giving up nearly every attribute that had originally made them famous. YMMV. Tom

Hi Tom---Gee from Studio Z here.....I could not agree more----"Notorious" is exceptionally good in my view...it is their "Sgt Pepper"....After that album, the only one I played with regularity was "Easy Rider"----loved "Gunga Din" and "Chestnut Mare"......

Jake,

I knew "Never Before" was out of print, but I didn't know it was so expensive on Amazon (something like $50 for the CD! ). There has to be some way to get your hands on a copy without paying through the nose. I'll be on the lookout.

Robert

I usually tried and look for used copies that are at least "Like New", if the "Used and New" section has unreasonably priced unopened ones. That's how I scored Turn! Turn! Turn! and George Harrison's Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989. Both Fifth Dimension and Younger Than Yesterday were both new and sealed, but I got them in the "Used and New" section both for under $5

Folkie wrote:Jake,

You should absolutely own a copy of "Never Before." It's a veritable treasure trove of rare material from the early Byrds catalog:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... re&x=0&y=0

Although some of the previously unreleased songs have since appeared as bonus tracks on the CD's you mentioned, I don't think you'll be disappointed. If you locate a copy, please let us know what you think.

Robert

The mono version of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" on the "Never Before" release is so much punchier than the stereo version that would later be released. Also of interest is the Crosby altered "Lady Friend". I must admit to kind of liking the modern drum sound especially off the top. Ya, I know, it's revisionist history but .....

geez, I still have my original Byrds vinyl albums, didn't know they are worth so little!

you are missing the "Reunion" album. "Sweetheart of The Rodeo" is NOT The Byrds, I don't know what that album is. Never cared for it, lacks "identity".

the LAST album by The Byrds IMHO, was "Notorious" without David Crosby who was supposedly "fired". After that, no more Byrds until they reunited. "Reunion" has a few decent songs but IMHO it's the "Let It Be" album of The Byrds. Totally sucks big time, they sound "out of gasoline".

I do like "Notorious Byrd Bros.", songs like "Going Back" and "Change is now", are just plain beautiful.

Zurdo wrote:I do like "Notorious Byrd Bros.", songs like "Going Back" and "Change is now", are just plain beautiful.

NBB and 5D are the best Byrds......just my opinion .......nobody but us RRF cover song guys can even play that kind of music anymore......nobody writes that well anymore.....

COMING SOON TO A POST NEAR YOU!!!!! NEW!!! FROM STUDIO Z!!!!

covers of "Tribal Gathering" and "I See You".....

I had forgotten that 5D had 2 renditions of 'Why' and that the third was on Younger Than Yesterday. I kept thinking I had heard 3 different covers of this song. It would indeed be very interesting to know why the Byrds did 3 different versions (no pun intended). An amazing song but not really talked about at all.