The Byrds’ Columbia Recordings, 1965 – 1967
Usual Personnel:
Jim McGuinn (Lead, 12-string and 6-string gtr, vocals);
David Crosby (6-string gtr, occasional 12-string gtr, vocals); Gene Clark (vocals, tambourine);
Chris Hillman (bass, mandolin); and Michael Clarke (drums, percussion).
Mr. Tambourine Man
Columbia LP-CS-9172
Released June 21, 1965
Recorded at Columbia Studios, Hollywood
Producer: Terry Melcher
Engineer: Ray Gerhardt
Singles from LP sessions
Columbia 43271 (rel. April 12, 1965)
Mr. Tambourine Man / I Knew I’d Want You
Columbia 43332 (rel. June 14, 1965)
I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better/All I Really Want To Do
Sessions:
January 20, 1965
Jim McGuinn (12-string gtr), Jerry Cole (rhythm gtr); Larry Knectel (bs); Leon Russell (elec pno); Hal Blaine (drms).
72245 – Mr. Tambourine Man – single 43271, LP
72246 – I Knew I’d Want You – single 43271, LP
March 8, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
72425 – All I Really Want To Do LP
– Alternate take, single 43332
72426 – It’s No Use (version I) rejected
72427 – You And Me unreleased
72428 – You Won’t Have To Cry (version I) rejected
- She’s Got A Way unreleased
April 14, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
72493 – It’s No Use (version II) LP
72494 – Bells of Rhymney LP
72495 – I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better – single 43332, LP
72496 – Words And Pictures unreleased
72497 – You Won’t Have To Cry (version II) LP
72498 – Spanish Harlem Incident LP
72499 – I Love The Life I Live unreleased
72500 – We’ll Meet Again LP
April 22, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
72501 – Chimes Of Freedom LP
72402 – Don’t Doubt Yourself, Babe LP
72403 – Here Without You LP
Turn! Turn! Turn!
Columbia LP-CS-9254
Released December 6, 1965
Recorded at Columbia Studios, Hollywood
Producer: Terry Melcher
Engineer: Ray Gerhardt
Singles from LP sessions
Columbia 43424 (rel. October 1, 1965)
Turn! Turn! Turn! / She Don’t Care About Time
Columbia 43501 (rel. January 10, 1966)
It Won’t Be Wrong / Set You Free This Time
Sessions
June 28, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
72646 – The Flower Bomb Song unreleased
72647 – The Times They Are A-Changin’ (version II) rejected
72648 – She Don’t Care About Time (version I) rejected
72649 – It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (version I) rejected
August 23, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
72728 – The Times They Are A-Changin’ (version II) rejected
72729 – She Don’t Care About Time (version II) single 43242
72730 – The World Turns All Around Her (version II) LP
August, 1965
(Usual Personnel, produced by Jim Dickson and Byrds)
- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (version II) unreleased
Note: announced on radio as the new single release but withdrawn before issue, later version recorded in 1969.
September 1, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
72732 – The Times They Are A-Changin’ (version III) unfinished
(72734) – Turn! Turn! Turn! unfinished
September 10, 14 – 18, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
72732 – The World Turns All Around Her (version III) rejected
72734 – Turn! Turn! Turn! single 43424, LP
72736 – It Won’t Be Wrong, LP, single 43501
72737 – Satisfied Mind, unfinished
72738 – Set You Free This Time, LP, single 43501
72739 – I Don’t Ever Want To Spoil Your Party, unreleased
72740 – Stranger In A Strange Land, unreleased
October 1 and 4, 1965 (Unusual Personnel. Add banjo – 1 (McGuinn)
87510 – Wait And See LP
87511 – Oh! Susannah – 1 unfinished
October 10, 20 and 22, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
(87511) – Oh! Susannah LP
87518 – If You’re Gone LP
87519 – Lay Down Your Weary Tune LP
October 27, and 28, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
- Circle Of Minds unreleased
(72732) – The Times They Are A-Changin’ (version III) LP
(72737) – Satisfied Mind LP
November 1, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
87528 – He Was A Friend Of Mine LP
5D (Fifth Dimension)
Columbia LP-CS-9349
Released July 18, 1966
Recorded at Columbia Studios, Hollywood except as noted
Producer: Allen Stanton
Engineer: Ray Gerhardt
Singles from LP sessions
Columbia 43578 (rel. March 14, 1966)
Eight Miles High / Why (alternate take)
Columbia 43702 (rel. June 13, 1966)
5D (Fifth Dimension) / Captain Soul
Columbia 43766 (rel. September 6, 1966)
Mr. Spaceman / What’s Happening?!?!
Sessions:
December 22, 1965 (Usual Personnel)
Recorded at RCA Studios, Hollywood
Producer: Jim Dickson
Engineer: Dave Hassinger
Final Mix: January 4, 1966
- Eight Miles High (version I) unreleased
- Why (version I) unreleased
- The Times They Are A-Changin’ (version IV) unfinished
January 24 and 25, 1966 (Usual Personnel)
87687 – Why (version II) single 43578
87690 – Eight Miles High (version II) single 43578, LP
- Never Before unreleased
Gene Clark Leaves The Group At This Point
February 21, 1966 (Usual Personnel) Add banjo – 1.
(87687) – Why (version III) LP 9442
87722 – John Riley (version I) -1 rejected
(87796) – I Know You, Rider (version I) unfinished
April 28 and 29, May 3 – 6, 1966 (Usual Personnel) Add strings -1, clavia – 2, harmonica – 3, sound effects – 4, cowbell – 5
87800 – I Know You, Rider (version I) unfinished
87801 – Mr. Spaceman LP, single 43766
87802 – 2-4-2 Foxtrot (Lear Jet Song) - 4, LP
87803 – John Riley (version II) -1 unfinished
87804 – Wild Mountain Thyme -1 unfinished
87805 – Hey! Joe -5 unfinished
87806 – I Stand At Every Door unfinished
(87876) – I See You -2 unfinished
(87877) – Captain Soul -3 unfinished
May 12, 16 – 19, 1966 (Usual Personnel)
(87796) – I Know You, Rider (version II) unreleased
(87804) – Wild Mountain Thyme unfinished
(87806) – I Stand At Every Door LP
87876 – I See You LP
87877 – Captain Soul single 43702, LP
May 24, and 25, 1966 (Usual Personnel) plus Van Dyke Parks (organ, elec. pno) – 1.
(87804) – Wild Mountain Thyme LP
(87803) – John Riley (version II) LP
87883 – 5D (Fifth Dimension) – 1 Single 43702, LP
Younger Than Yesterday
Columbia LP-CS-9442
Released February 20, 1967
Recorded at Columbia Studios, Hollywood.
Producer: Gary Usher
Engineer: Tom May
Singles from LP Sessions
Columbia 43987 (rel. January 9, 1967)
So You Want To Be A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star /
Everybody’s Been Burned
Columbia 44054 (rel. March 13, 1967)
My Back Pages / Renaissance Fair
Sessions:
July 28, 1966 (Usual Personnel).
Producer: Allen Stanton
Engineer: Ray Gerhardt
87993 – I Know You, Rider (version II) unreleased
87994 – Psychodrama City unreleased
November 28 – 30, December 1, 1966 (Usual Personnel) plus Clarence White (pull-string guitar) – 1, Vern Gosdin (guitar) – 1, Hugh Masakela (trumpet) – 2 add oscillator – 3.
88324 – So You Want To Be A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star – 2. Single 43987, LP
88329 – Have You Seen Her Face LP, Single 44157
88331 – Milestones unreleased
88388 – Time Between -1 LP
88389 – Mind Gardens LP
88390 – C.T.A. - 102 – 3 LP
December 5 – 8, 1966 (Usual Personnel) plus “J” (Sax) – 1, Clarence White (pull-string guitar) – 2
88395 – My Back Pages LP, Single 44054
88396 – Thoughts And Words LP
88397 – Renaissance Fair – 1 LP, Single 44054
88398 – Everybody’s Been Burned Single 43987, LP
88399 – It Happens Each Day unreleased
88400 – The Girl With No Name – 2 LP
February 3, 1967 (Usual Personnel) add overdubbed organ.
(88395) – My Back Pages rejected
Notorious Byrd Brothers
Columbia LP-CS-9575
Recorded at Columbia Records, Hollywood
Producer: Gary Usher
Engineers: Tom May and Don Thompson except where noted
Singles from LP sessions
Columbia 44157 (rel. May 22, 1967)
Don’t Make Waves / Have You Seen Her Face
Columbia 44230 (rel. July 13, 1967)
Lady Friend / Old John Robertson (alt. mix)
Columbia 44362 (rel. October 20, 1967)
Goin’ Back (version I) / Change Is Now
Sessions:
April 26, 1967 (Usual Personnel)
94793 – Don’t Make Waves single 44157 alternate take MGM LP-4483 (rel. Sept. 1967)
94794 – Lady Friend unfinished
Note: various over-dubs were attempted on “Lady Friend” on May 4, 10 and 23 and June 5, all incomplete.
June 14 and 21, 1967 (Usual Personnel) except Crosby plays bass and Hillman 6-string guitar (-1). Add string quartet, Byron Berline (?), fiddle (-1), add trumpets (-2).
(94794) – Lady Friend -2, single 44230
94897 – Old John Robertson -1, single 44230 alternate mix with phasing added. LP
July 31 – August 3, 1967 (Usual Personnel) plus Clarence White (pull-string guitar -1), add mandolin, brass (-2), gunshots (-2) Courtesy of Firesign Theater.
94922 – Change Is Now -1 unfinished
94923 – Draft Morning -2 LP
Note: further recording of “Change Is Now” was done in August 14th
August 14 – 18, 1967 (Usual Personnel) except Jim Gordon replaces Michael Clarke (dms). Add piano (-1).
94926 – Dolphin’s Smile LP
94927 – Tribal Gathering -1 unfinished
94928 – Triad unreleased
Note: further over-dubs of “Tribal Gathering” were attempted on August 29 – 30 and November 29 – 30, 1967, all unfinished.
August 29 – 30, 1967 (Usual Personnel)
(94922) – Change Is Now single 44362, LP
September 5 – 6, 1967 (Usual Personnel) except Jim Gordon replaces Michael Clarke (dms), and David Crosby, although present, did not participate. Add Red Rhodes (pedal steel gtr.), Paul Beaver (Moog synthesizer), unknown celeste, harp and cello.
95118 – Goin’ Back (version II) single 44362
October 9, 11 and 16, 1967 (Personnel As Above)
95175 – Goin’ Back (version II) LP
David Crosby Leaves The Group At This Point, And Gene Clark Returns
95261 – Space Odyssey LP
95287 – Moog Raga -1 unreleased
Gene Clark Leaves The Group Again At This Point
November 13, 1967 (Usual Personnel) except Jim Gordon replaces Michael Clarke (drms), add Clarence White (pull-string gtr) -1, add Moog synthesizer, strings (-2), Vocal processing “through Lesly Speakers”
95296 – Get To You LP
95297 – Flight 713 (Song No. 2) unreleased
November 29 and 30, 1967 (Usual Personnel) except Jim Gordon replaces Michael Clarke (dms). Add Clarence White (pull-string gtr) -1, add Moog Synthesizer, strings (-2).
95304 – Natural Harmony -2 LP
95388 – Wasn’t Born To Follow -1 LP
December 5 and 6, 1967 (Usual Personnel) add piano, brass (-1), Roy Halee, engineer.
(94927) – Tribal Gathering LP
95308 – Artificial Energy -1 LP, single 44499
Michael Clarke leaves the group at this point.