The Byrds Play Dylan - Classic Folk Rock Album Covering Bob Dylan Songs | Perfect for Music Lovers & Vinyl Collectors

No other group in rock history could interpret the music of Bob Dylan like the Byrds and this collection is proof positive.As we all know, The Byrds first flew onto the scene with a version of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" containing the jangling sounds of Roger(nee' Jim) McGuinn's 12-string Rickenbacker and harmonies inspired by The Beatles which invented the term "folk-rock". For those insiders, McGuinn was the only Byrds member to play an actual instrument on that session while other instrumentation was provided by members of "The Wrecking Crew"-a group of various session players from Los Angeles who worked on Phil Spector's recordings, Beach Boys, and other noted recordings throughout the 60's and into the early 70's. However, the Byrds harmonies besides McGuinn, were Gene Clark and David Crosby. It was Crosby who supposedly got hold of an outtake of Dylan's "Tambourine" with Rambling Jack Elliot harmonizing in the chorus. Then the Byrds' debut single of that shot up to number one following up with the titled debut album which in addition contained 3 more Dylan songs-"Chimes Of Freedom"; "All I Really Want To Do" and "Spanish Harlem Incident". Why Dylan himself even guests w/The Byrds onstage at Ciro's. A shot of which appeared on the back cover of that debut album.From 1965 until they split in 1973, the Byrds would cover the odd Dylan song or few on almost every album they recorded. This collection takes just about all of Dylan's songs they've ever covered. Out of the 20 tracks featured here, four of them are duplicates. Therefore you get both studio + live versions of "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Chimes Of Freedom"; two studio takes of "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and two versions of "Lay Lady Lay", which is actually the same recording with one slight difference-The single version had gospel-style background provided by producer Bob Johnston without the group's consent and the alternate version stripped of the background singers featured on the 1990 Byrds Box Set[Just like Phil Spector did with the Beatles' LET IT BE album].The two other covers featured in live form only are "Positively 4th Street" and "It's All Right, Ma(I'm Only Bleeding)". The former originally appeared on UNTITLED and the latter appears on that album's expanded edition."It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"*, the early take of "The Times"* and "Just Like A Woman" appear on expanded editions of TURN! TURN! TURN!* and Byrdmaniax, respectively. "Lay Down Your Weary Tune' originally appeared on TURN!, which Dylan never released himself until the 1985 BIOGRAPH set and "Paths Of Victory", another Dylan rarity, is the newest recording to be featured here and one of four newly recorded Byrds tracks for the 1990 boxed set featuring 3 original Byrds-McGuinn, Crosby and Chris Hillman.Three songs of Dylan's Basement Tapes were respectively covered in their new found country-rock phase. The first two are from 1968's SWEETHEART OF THE RODEO-"You Ain't Going Nowhere" and "Nothing Was Delivered"[The only Byrds album to feature Gram Parsons, whom with Chris Hillman formed the Flying Burrito Brothers Band shortly after the album's release]. Third of all, was the bob Dylan collaboration with Rick Danko[Bassist of The Band], "This Wheel's On Fire" which was the lead-off track of 1969's DR. BYRDS AND MR. HYDE. This version could easily menace the Band's version[I like both versions] with the dentist-drill distorted guitar leads of Clarence White while McGuinn's 12-string is souped up with tremolo not to mention the sonic-boom climax. Can't help but like the bass playing of John York on here besides[He's no Rick Danko otherwise].But let's not forget "My Back Pages" from YOUNGER THAN YESTERDAY. This is one of my favorite interpretations of this Dylan tune. Not even the Hollies could come close to this one as they did on their all-Dylan covers album a year later causing member Graham Nash to exit just as David Crosby himself left the Byrds before linked up with Steve Stills of the Buffalo Springfield then making rock history which they every now and then with or without Neil Young. Different story, folks.Anyway, if you want to hear the Byrds doing Dylan at their best-It's all right here!