The Steel Guitar Forum

Starting with "Sweetheart"...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlr7uk ... shortfilms
(Hope it can be viewed from the US and other countries)

way cool! i listened to the entire documentary today and its really good.

thanks Joachim

Nice find Joachim. That was cool hearing John York and G Parsons insights. Of course now I will have to get Easy Rider and Dr. out and give a listen to again. I got rid of Untiteld and Byrdmaniax years ago. You always dig up some good stuff Joachim.

You're welcome Chuck!
Will, I especially like The Ballad Of The Easy Rider
with John York.

i listened to the whole thing. i enjoy the byrds and all that, but found most of the commentary to be a bit much. you would think they were discussing some very very important serious music....

...love Sweetheart of the Rodeo, which commenced recording March 9th, 1968. "Kind Woman" by Buffalo Springfield was recorded 3 days earlier, March 6th,1968...

Bill, for us Byrd followers it is very important music!
And when Van Dyke Parks comments on them, it should be an additional proof, since he is, as far as I know, a schooled musician.
Johnny Rogan who comments also, wrote a few biographies, on the Byrds, Van Morrison and English singer Morrissey.

Agreed!

I've been away from the PC for awhile, and so when I got back just now the 1st page I usually go to is MUSIC, and right away without letting me down, BAM!
The Byrds!

That was a great find indeed, Joachim. Bravo!

I enjoy listening to others' takes on this surely enigmatic group. It was and still is, a long wonderful ride.

I knew you would be here sooner or later Chip.
Will

Will,

The flock of byrds is slowly coming back to roost.

Just watched most of the first part... A lot of good info on this, I just wish they'd delete those commercials every five minutes. It was nice seeing my old friend (the late Jerry Cole) doing some of the narrative. I'd known Jerry for many years and never knew he'd been on the original recording of Mr. Tamborine man as he'd never mentioned it and he did like to talk about himself!.........JH in Va.

Joachim Kettner wrote:Bill, for us Byrd followers it is very important music!
And when Van Dyke Parks comments on them, it should be an additional proof, since he is, as far as I know, a schooled musician.
Johnny Rogan who comments also, wrote a few biographies, on the Byrds, Van Morrison and English singer Morrissey.

i know parks. met him here in atlanta in conjuction with a friend of mine who plays piano for him, so i am very aware of him and what he does. he writes lyrics. lets others do the music.

i dont see him legitimizing all this any more than it is.

did you listen to the vaulted jam on 8 miles high? it is pretty lame...mcguinn sounds awful on it.
what i learned most from this is that early byrds have studio players on the recordings. no wonder.

byrds are cool and have a place in the r@r history. i just dont find them all that worthy after checking this out. i like the period of the jangly elec 12 and the colored hippie glasses.

the best sonic thing i liked about the byrds is the bass part on mr tambourine man. played with a pick. just comes roaring out of the speakers at you.

edit: just did a search on why the bass sounded so good..thats larry knechtel playing! only thing that could have made it better if it had been joe osborne. hal blaine on drums..

Bill, just what do you mean by "vaulted"?

It's a live rendition. Maybe Mcguinn and others weren't having such a hot night. I've been there and I'm sure you have.

But, as I read on, I was comforted to know that you did find some things redeemable in the Byrds's discography.

the drummer, parsons said the jam on 8 miles high was always a big part of the night....you know maybe i should cut them a little more slack on that jam clip...even he said it wasnt the best night. ok i will give them that...

I got a chuckle out of that. Parsons and York, all of a sudden realized they were being used [so be it] as buffers so Mcguinn and White could take , I guess, a super extended break >>>> "wadt ya pay for your wretches and fame; was it all a strange game; you're a little insane; Money that came and the public acclaim; don't forget what you are, you're a rockin' roll star".

Probably meant "vaunted".

"...your wretches and fame"?

Brint.........

you've always been fairly astute here on the PSG forum, but your last post left me wondering. HUH?

I'd like to know more of what you're saying.

Sorry if I was obtuse.

You asked what Bill meant by "vaunted".

And I'd be surprised if that line in R 'n' R Star isn't "riches and fame".

Bill Hatcher wrote:
i know parks. met him here in atlanta in conjuction with a friend of mine who plays piano for him, so i am very aware of him and what he does. he writes lyrics. lets others do the music.

I consciously avoided looking up Van Dyke Parks credits, but I guess there are lots. From my memory he did lots of arrangements for other artists, played piano for them and made about half a dozen records by himself, I know three of them on which he wrote most all of the songs, if not all. "Come to the sunshine" by Harper's Bizarre maybe a little well known. He played organ on "5th Dimension" by the Byrds to.

did you listen to the vaulted jam on 8 miles high? it is pretty lame...mcguinn sounds awful on it.
what i learned most from this is that early byrds have studio players on the recordings. no wonder.

Yes, I always liked the original better and I only played it a few times when "Untitled" was released , "Mr. Tambourine Man" was the only song from their first album, on which they had the help by session men, even the flipside "I knew I'd want You" had them playing their own instruments.

not to get off topic but Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson did an album together that I luv, Orange Crate Art.

Getting back to the Byrds, regardless of the who was in the group at any given time, imho, they created some great music.

Thanx fer puttin' that up Joachim
quite good
i even learned things
Van Dyke Parks is quite a character & probably the hippest one in there

Brint,

It could be - "riches". I've always had trouble in grabbing the EXACT lyrics of many songs; over the years.

...."What did he say? I still don't know what he's singing. Huh? Did he say that?"

Remember the big hub-bub over the so-called 'dirty' lyrics that were "hidden" in LOUIS-LOUIS.

Early-on, when there was only AM radio and scratchy records, understanding lyrics was a real big challenge.

...but, back to the Byrds....even if it actually is "riches", I kinda like the tone that "wretches" implies; here's your fame, but it's gonna cost ya.

Chip, it's Louie - Louie.. not Louis Louis, not too seem picky, but it the song is somewhat of a pop-cultural icon and probably best not confused with a French king.

Bill Hatcher, kind of curious what serious music could actually be, grindcore, death-metal, hard bop, hillbilly jazz?.. one man's grave mission and serious career is another's joke no doubt. Besides, I imagine it's kind of hard not to be serious when asked to place your music in a cultural and creative context, not that I'm going to have that problem personally.