Very Best of the Byrds [2006]

by The Byrds

Overview

Although they are every bit as influential as fellow 1960s innovators the Beatles and the Beach Boys, compilations of classic material by the Byrds have been less frequent. When they have popped up, these albums have tended to focus on specific periods and rarely attempted a definitive retrospective. However, this welcome compilation from the British arm of Columbia Records remedies those problems by collecting a top-shelf array of material from the group's Columbia recordings on a single, comprehensive disc. From early folk-rock hits like "Mr. Tambourine Man" to the Indian-flavored psychedelia of "Eight Miles High" to the mellow country stylings of "Ballad of Easy Rider," all of the group's trendsetting hits are covered. These obvious choices are counterbalanced with the kind of album track favorites that the group's fans adored: notable picks include "Hickory Wind," a wistful slice of country-pop from the pen of Gram Parsons, and "Wasn't Born to Follow," the psychedelic country-rock classic that is best known for its appearance on the soundtrack of Easy Rider. The compilers of The Very Best of the Byrds also added a nice touch by including the original liner notes from the 1967 The Byrds Greatest Hits album. These notes lend an interesting perspective on how seriously the tastemakers of the day took the group, and also include some interesting biographical material about the group's days as Los Angeles club band. A few notable rarities are missing (it would have been nice to include the group's original version of "You Showed Me," which was successfully covered by the Turtles) but this is a minor quibble when the consistently stellar array of material on display is considered. All in all, The Very Best of the Byrds is a great starting place for novice listeners and a solid, convenient disc of high points for the group's fans. ~ Donald A. Guarisco

Product Details

Release Date:	06/23/1997
Label:	Columbia / Sony Music Distribution
UPC:	5099748799524
Rank:	80192

Tracks

1. Mr. Tambourine Man
2. All I Really Want to Do
3. Chimes of Freedom
4. I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better
5. Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)
6. The Times They Are A-Changin'
7. The World Turns All Around Her
8. It Won't Be Wrong
9. He Was a Friend of Mine
10. Eight Miles High
11. 5D (Fifth Dimension)
12. Mr. Spaceman
13. So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star
14. My Back Pages
15. Renaissance Fair
16. Goin' Back
17. Wasn't Born to Follow
18. Dolphin's Smile
19. You Ain't Going Nowhere
20. One Hundred Years from Now
21. You're Still on My Mind
22. Hickory Wind
23. Ballad of Easy Rider
24. Jesus Is Just Alright
25. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
26. Lay Lady Lay
27. Chestnut Mare

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Byrds   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Johnny Rogan   Liner Notes
Gene Clark   Composer
Jacques Levy   Composer
Bob Dylan   Composer
Idris Davies   Composer
Book of Ecclesiastes   Composer
Harvey Gerst   Composer
Pete Seeger   Composer
Roger McGuinn   Composer
Chris Hillman   Composer