Essential Byrds [Limited Edition, Original recording remastered]

The Byrds | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 22, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00008WT57
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,651 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese Blu-Spec CD pressing of this classic album. The Blue Spec format takes Blu-ray disc technology to create CD's which are compatible with normal CD players but provides ultra high quality sound. Sony. 2009. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Check out the Amazon.co.uk version! 44 tracks v.s. 35!!, June 3, 2006

By 

Thomas E. Harper (NW Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essential Byrds (Audio CD)

I'm not sure if I recevied a different version of The Essential Byrds than others that have previously reviewed this CD, but I don't think so. There is only one version listed on Amazon, one issue listed on AllMusic.com (5122492000 - same as mine), and a google search turned up nothing as far as an issue of this CD with the tracks listed on Amazon. (35 only). I ordered a copy from one of the Amazon sellers, and the CD I received had 44 tracks! I noticed 2 reviews before mine that reflected the accuracy of the 35 track listing and clips that Amazon provides, so it's a mystery and someone may correct me but if, like I was, you are in the market for a Byrds compilation and trying to decide which of the many are the best way to go it might be helpful information. The tracks are:

Disc 1
1. Mr. Tambourine Man
2. I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better
3. All I Really Want To Do
4. The Bells Of Rhymney
5. Chimes Of Freedom
6. Turn! Turn! Turn! (mono)
7. She Don't Care About Time (single version)(mono)
8. It Won't Be Wrong
9. Lay Down Your Weary Time
10. Set You Free This Time
11. He Was A Friend Of Mine (mono)
12. The Times They Are A-Changin'
13. Eight Miles High
14. 5D (fifth dimension)
15. Wild Mountain Thyme
16. Mr. Spaceman
17. So You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star?
18. Have You Seen Her Face
19. Time Between
20. Renaissance Fair
21. My Back Pages
22. Dolphin's Smile

Disc 2

1. Artificial Energy
2. Old John Robertson (single version)
3. Goin' Back
4. Natural Harmony
5. Wasn't Born To Follow
6. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
7. Hickory Wind
8. Nothing Was Delivered
9. This Wheel's On Fire
10. Drug Store Truck Drivin' Man
11. Your Gentle Way Of Loving Me
12. Ballad Of Easy Rider
13. Jesus Is Just Alright
14. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (alt. mix)
15. Lover Of The Bayou (live)
16. Chestnut Mare
17. Glory, Glory
18. Jamaica Say You Will
19. I Wanna Grow Up To Be A Politician
20. Tiffany Queen
21. Antique Sandy
22. Farther Along

Hopefully this helps if you're in the market. Ironically, I chose the Essential Byrds, despite my preference for a 20+ track single disc, over The Very Best Of The Byrds (UK) and Full Flyte because every compilation seems to not include one of my favorites, and Essential had them all, including Lady Friend... only to find out when it arrived that, despite being extremely pleased to get the bonus tracks, that Lady Friend was the only song listed among the 35 on Amazon that wasn't among the 44 tracks!! With all the extra songs though, it's not missed (much) but it's the ONLY reason I can't give The Essential Byrds 5 stars... just personal preference. Enjoy!

**************

(06/06/06) After posting my review, I found out the difference. I have the UK version. Check amazon.co.uk and you'll find the 44 track version there. I noticed, after receving an unhelpful vote, that another person on this site read my review and doubted the existence of a 44 track version. Of course, I posted this review to help people who haven't made a purchase, not to start a problem with Byrds devotees. I did refer to 2 different people referencing the 35 (or 33) track set so I just didn't have the answer at the time is all. I posted the back cover on Amazon's shared customer images. Also, 44 tracks are referred to by a reviewer on rateyourmusic.com so I don't have a bootleg, just the UK version and Amazon for some reason doesn't differentiate between the two. Mystery solved...

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great collection of hits and also rans, April 23, 2005

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Essential Byrds (Audio CD)

The first five Byrds albums plus "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" are essential listening. If you don't want to pick those up, this exceptional two disc collection gathers up the band's most important hits as well as some essential album tracks and single B-Sides. MIA are two essential tracks from the 1972 reunion (although "The Byrds" has finally been issued on CD by Wounded Bird Records and is available here at amazon.com).

The best disc is the first with its focus on the band's early years. Gene Clark's songs immediately took center stage as he was the most talented of the four songwriters in the original quintet. Crosby, Hillman and McGuinn eventually came along as songwriters developing the most when Clark split the band during the recording of the band's third album. "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better", "She Doesn't Care About Time" and "Eight Miles High"(primarily written by Clark)are among the highlights here. Also McGuinn's skills as an arranger are at the forefront on "Turn, Turn, Turn" and "Mr. Tambourine Man".

The second disc focuses much more on the years after the departure of Crosby, Clark and Hillman with just McGuinn as the only original member. We get a sampling of Gram Parsons' tenure with the group (from "Sweetheart of the Rodeo")and McGuinn's single masterpiece as the only original member ("Untitled"). Some of these tracks are truly stunning featuring the incredible Clarence White on guitar. His guitar work on the later Byrds albums is truly stunning.

The sound quality is exceptionally good and the liner notes interesting. The Byrds imploded fairly rapidly; Gene Clark offically left after the second album (although material he wrote or co-wrote appeared on the band's third and fifth albums respectively). Crosby departed after the band's fifth album "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" and Hillman after "Sweetheart of the Rodeo". McGuinn would produce one final worthwhile album under the band's name "Untitled".

29 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the best Byrds collection, but still not bad..., April 30, 2003

By 

William M. Feagin "music dealer/geek" (Upstate New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essential Byrds (Audio CD)

Granted, this doesn't include "America's Great National Pastime," one of the best all-time novelty songs and one of the best from the final Byrds lineup (McGuinn, Clarence White, Skip Battin and Gene Parsons), and I would certainly accept that as a substitute for "Glory, Glory," which never did all that much for me, but it's not a bad collection. Certainly it's a decent primer for those not familiar with the band beyond "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn! Turn! Turn!" and that seems to be the raison d'etre for Sony's Essential series. I've owned nearly all of the studio albums at one time or another, and I'm of the opinion that the expanded remasters are the best way to go, but not everyone can afford 12 separate CDs. Lastly, in fairness, few best-of compilations ever really do justice to a band's career, but apart from the box set (released in 1990--it didn't include "America's Great National Pastime" either; that can only be found on Farther Along, the band's final album [not counting the out-of-print '73 reunion effort by the original lineup, and most Byrds fans don't count it], and Best of the Byrds: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2), there hasn't really been a career-spanning best-of anthology for this band. The Essential Byrds really is pretty much the only game in town where that's concerned.