Fifth Dimension [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

The Byrds | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 30, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002ACQ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,822 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. 5D (Fifth Dimension)

2. Wild Mountain Thyme

3. Mr. Spaceman

4. I See You

5. What's Happening?!?!

6. I Come and Stand at Every Door

7. Eight Miles High

8. Hey Joe

9. Captain Soul

10. John Riley

11. 2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)

12. Why? [Single Version][*]

13. I Know My Rider (I Know You Rider) [*]

14. Psychodrama City [alternate mix][*]

15. Eight Miles High [Alternate RCA Studios Version][Alternate Take][*]

16. Why [Alternate RCA Studios Version][Alternate Take][*]

17. John Riley [Version 1][*][Instrumental]

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Having already pioneered folk-rock via their electrified versions of Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger songs such as "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Turn Turn Turn," the Byrds helped midwife yet another new musical form in 1966 on this, their third album. Influenced by Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar and jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, Jim McGuinn's atonal 12-string guitar on the suitably titled "Eight Miles High" was a psychedelic omen of things to come. Pointing in other new directions, too, are the prescient country-rock tune, "Mr. Spaceman," string-aided updates of folk evergreens "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "John Riley," and David Crosby's fusion-y "I See You" and "What's Happening?!?!" On this album, plenty. --Billy Altman

Product Description

The 1966 classic plus the RCA studio version of Eight Miles High; I Know My Rider; Psychodrama City ; alternate and single versions of Why , and an instrumental take of John Riley .

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars buy it, or be forever square, December 23, 2005

By 

Don Schmittdiel "running_man" (Clinton Twp., MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fifth Dimension (Audio CD)

I would have rated the Byrds original 'Fifth Dimension' disc as a four star effort, but the six bonus tracks offered on this remastered package easily promote the collection to five star status. In fact, the bonus tracks, which essentially form a third album side to the original vinyl release, are collectively superior to either of the two album sides put together by the band in 1966.

This album, along with 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' established The Byrds as the true 'American Beatles', a title usually reserved for the Beach Boys. The Byrds, however, were a much more dynamic force than the Beach Boys in the 1960's. With this album, the band broke the ice of the Psychedelic Era, and with 'Notorious...' helped usher in the Country-Rock genre, with a nod to Buffalo Springfield. It's quite remarkable to realize that the RCA version of 'Eight Miles High' was recorded at the end of 1965, signifying the bands stature as the founders of psychedelic rock. It wasn't a fluke as other psychedelic contributions from the disc attest, including 'I See You', 'What's Happening', and 'The Lear Jet Song'. Even though the lyrics to most of the songs were not truly acid-based or even acid-laced, they were acid-friendly, and Roger (still at the time aka "Jim") McGuinn's adaptation of his jangling guitar to mimic John Coltrane's jazz saxophone and as a sitar is a stroke of psychedelic genius. Had the band been bold enough to release a full-fledged psychedelic montage by replacing the rather placid folk tracks ('Wild Mountain Thyme', 'I Come and Stand at Every Door', and 'John Riley') with the likes of 'Why', 'I Know My Rider', and 'Psychodrama City', this album would be the only competition 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band' would have to being the greatest album ever. Each of these songs possess great hooks, harmonies, and lyrics. In fact, listen to 'Psychodrama City' and see if you can't perceive the makings of Steely Dan's 'Show Biz Kids'. When you add to these bonus tracks the likes of the title track, with it's thoroughly spaced-out lyrics set to a melody that's like a cool summer breeze in your brain, the delightful aural message-in-a-bottle to extraterrestrials everywhere that is 'Mr. Spaceman', the dramatic emergence of David Crosby as a songwriter on 'I See You' (with a little help from McGuinn), and 'What's Happening?!?!, which relies more on exclamation points than question marks, and the funky instrumental 'Captain Soul', and you have a record beyond one, two, three or four dimensions. It truly begins to possess the essence of the Psychedelic Era... a mind altering experience.

Of course I have hardly even mentioned the shining gem of the album, Roger McGuinn's 'Mona Lisa' (with credits to David Crosby and even the departed Gene Clark, who ironically left the band rather than travel on jumbo jets... no lie), 'Eight Miles High'. There is no lead vocal on the track as the lyrics are delivered entirely in harmonies, which serves to contrast McGuinn's mind-blowing, still today avante-gard guitar work. For years it was rumored that the first recorded version of the song, done for RCA in 1965, was superior to the officially released version. The inclusion of that recording here proves that isn't the case, but the track is not to be overlooked. Whereas the version we are familiar with seems to be soaring at least Six Miles High (as the song was originally titled as that is the altitude jumbo jets normally cruise at), the RCA version is so heavy it sounds like it might never get off the runway. The flight, as it turns out, is less intricate, but more turbulent. It has its own appeal, and its existance demands that every serious fan of psychedelic rock possess a copy. Fortunately there is much, much more to be enjoyed here. While the lyrics would be nice to have, they aren't included, but the liner notes, photographs, and track information is extensive. And be sure when you listen to the disc that you don't turn it off too soon. Included after the final bonus track is an radio interview with Jim McGuinn and David Crosby, sans the interviewer, whatever local DJ wanted to offer his audience a "live" interview with the pair, hawking this new release in 1966. This is just a marvelous artifact for any fan of 1960's rock music to own. Buy it, or be forever square.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scientific, dilerium madness!!!!!!!!!!, August 6, 2003

By 

Wileytown "wileytown" (Morristown, TN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fifth Dimension (Audio CD)

Reading the other reviews, you get a concensus that Younger Than Yesterday and Notorious Byrd Brothers are finer Byrd albums, but 5th Dimension is the band's most seminal. That pretty much sums it up.

The Beatles may well be the greatest group of all time, but for a few months...... in early '66......the Byrds were ahead of even the Fab Four. This album demonstrated so many possibilities for rock music that it should be considered the first truly "experimental" rock record. Not only did it open many doors, it encouraged doors to be opened......any doors. So, while their next two records can be considered better "Byrd" albums, 5th Dimension is the Byrds greatest contribution to music in general terms. It changed the landscape of what rock music could be.

I was glad to see 5th Dimension finally remastered. The original stereo version of the album was poorly mastered and in bad need of an overhaul. Although the remastering is not perfect, it is definately an improvement over what had been previously available for the last 30 years, both on LP and CD. The mono version is far superior, so I hope some day a remastered mono mix will be available on CD. If you love this album and still have a turntable, I recommend seeking the mono version on the LP.

And the songs? Well, there's not much else to add that hasn't already been said. There are a couple of observations I'd like to share:

I will put in my vote for What's Happening being a fine song. McGuinn's guitar sounds more like Irish bagpipes than a sitar.

Crosby guitar work on the Columbia version of Eight Miles High is brilliant. If you listen to any latter-day versions performed by McGuinn without Crosby, you'll find it lacking that punch during the solo. It just doesn't hit the bell without that chunky, yet well conceived rhythum. Ironically, I wonder why Crosby prefers the RCA version, where his presence is much more sedate and less a factor.

The Columbia single of Why is not only the best of the available three versions, it also presents the most awesome tone I ever heard out of McGuinn's guitar. It simply proves that if God plays a guitar, its a 370-12 Rickenbacker!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Should'e been the greatest recording of all time (4.5 / 5), March 20, 2005

By 

TimothyFarrell22 (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fifth Dimension (Audio CD)

"Fifth Dimension" is a truly beautiful album that should've been the greatest album ever. Intelligent and masterful songs such as "5D", "I Come and Stand at Every Door", and "Eight Miles High" are some of the best ever recorded - "5D" is second only to "Sweet Jane" as my favorite song. If only the R&B throaway insturmental "Captain Soul" and "The Lear Jet Song" had been excused. "Captain Soul" isn't bad, but it doesn't mesh well with the other songs on the album. It is a totally different sound that sticks out like a missing tooth. "The Lear Jet Song" is nice and cleaver, but ultimately pointless. Both songs should have been repalced with another songs, or they shoud've just kept it at eight songs. If the Byrds had done this, "Fifth Dimension" would be perfect, the sequencing and sound of all the songs would've been similar to "Velvet Underground & Nico" (a truly great album).

That being said, every other song on this album is a masterpeice. They are perfectly arranged and with thought-provoking lyrics, being extremly influential on psychadelic rock. "5D" is an incredible tribute to the human imagination and psyche. As another reviewer noted, this isn't the most consistant work by the Byrds, but is probably their greatest.