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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Arriving just months after the folk-rock call to arms of their brilliant debut, the Byrds' second album closely follows the same formula, but what a formula: durable American folksongs (from Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, and even Stephen Foster) and their own strong originals are laced with the band's keening vocal harmonies and chiming guitars in a mix since institutionalized as a perennial rock dialect. With Seeger's classic title song, the Byrds brought Ecclesiastes onto the charts, importing the urban folk movement's social and political consciousness to the pop mainstream. If the album couldn't repeat the revelatory impact of its predecessor, it's still an earful, from Gene Clark's urgent, ardent "It Won't Be Wrong" to Dylan's contemplative "Lay Down Your Weary Tune." Meticulously remastered, this restored version also boasts unreleased tracks and B-sides, including "She Don't Care About Time," noteworthy for a 12-string solo lifted from Bach. --Sam Sutherland
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
To quote the original liner notes of The Byrds' second album, "Protests growled briefly and died in great, wheezing gasps. The Byrds, unfettered, looked the other way and sang love songs." In 1965, America was beginning to enter a time of vehement political and social division and if anyone was looking for a song that flawlessly described the time, the title track of this album was a Godsend...literally. Originally taken by Pete Seeger from the 3rd chapter of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, 'Turn! Turn! Turn!' was such a powerful anthem for all involved in the social unrest--both weary politicians and youths burning their draft cards--that the other songs on the album did not need to consist of other political messages. The Byrds decided one anthem was enough, and filled "Turn! Turn! Turn!" with great songs about love and searches for personal enlightenment.
The group's debut "Mr. Tambourine Man" had been largely carried by vocalist Gene Clark's creative originals, and four Bob Dylan covers among others. Clark's songs also carry "Turn! Turn! Turn!" when it comes to the creative output of the bandmembers, but Roger (Jim) McGuinn was establishing himself as the counterpart to Clark's work. The love songs he co-wrote, 'It Won't Be Wrong' and 'Wait and See' (co-authored by budding Byrd David Crosby) were not up to the standards of those set by Gene Clark, but his arranging of folk standards and 12-string Rickenbacker playing show his influence. McGuinn brilliantly turns an old folk song 'He Was A Friend Of Mine' into a beautiful lament for John F. Kennedy, the additional lyrics McGuinn added delicately describing the tragic assassination of a president. Also a nice move is the jangle of 'Oh Susannah,' which features great interplay between McGuinn's Rickenbacker and Michael Clarke's drum kit. 'Satisfied Mind' is one of the best covers the Byrds ever did, sincere and simple, and covers of 'The Times They Are-A Changing' and 'Lay Down Your Weary Tune' helped convince Dylan himself that the group was a solid talent. He told McGuinn "Up until I heard this ['Lay Down Your Weary Tune'] I thought you were just another immitator."
But Gene Clark again eclipses with his love songs; one of the most creative ballad writers of all time, Clark's songs were never cliched or tongue-in-cheek, and always down-to-Earth. 'If You're Gone' has to be one of his most moving vocal performances ever. 'Set You Free This Time' and 'The World Turns All Around Her' display the kind of songwriting the pop world needs today. His 'She Don't Care About Time' single is fortunately included as a bonus track on this remaster, along with another Clark masterpiece 'The Day Walk,' better known as 'Never Before.'
The "Turn! Turn! Turn!" album was a make it or break it for the Byrds; during this short time they rivalled the Beatles, and the massive success of the title track solidified their stance, if only for a brief time. But the other ten songs were what proved the group's talent, avoiding sophomore slumps and delivering some of the 60s greatest music.
The group's debut "Mr. Tambourine Man" had been largely carried by vocalist Gene Clark's creative originals, and four Bob Dylan covers among others. Clark's songs also carry "Turn! Turn! Turn!" when it comes to the creative output of the bandmembers, but Roger (Jim) McGuinn was establishing himself as the counterpart to Clark's work. The love songs he co-wrote, 'It Won't Be Wrong' and 'Wait and See' (co-authored by budding Byrd David Crosby) were not up to the standards of those set by Gene Clark, but his arranging of folk standards and 12-string Rickenbacker playing show his influence. McGuinn brilliantly turns an old folk song 'He Was A Friend Of Mine' into a beautiful lament for John F. Kennedy, the additional lyrics McGuinn added delicately describing the tragic assassination of a president. Also a nice move is the jangle of 'Oh Susannah,' which features great interplay between McGuinn's Rickenbacker and Michael Clarke's drum kit. 'Satisfied Mind' is one of the best covers the Byrds ever did, sincere and simple, and covers of 'The Times They Are-A Changing' and 'Lay Down Your Weary Tune' helped convince Dylan himself that the group was a solid talent. He told McGuinn "Up until I heard this ['Lay Down Your Weary Tune'] I thought you were just another immitator."
But Gene Clark again eclipses with his love songs; one of the most creative ballad writers of all time, Clark's songs were never cliched or tongue-in-cheek, and always down-to-Earth. 'If You're Gone' has to be one of his most moving vocal performances ever. 'Set You Free This Time' and 'The World Turns All Around Her' display the kind of songwriting the pop world needs today. His 'She Don't Care About Time' single is fortunately included as a bonus track on this remaster, along with another Clark masterpiece 'The Day Walk,' better known as 'Never Before.'
The "Turn! Turn! Turn!" album was a make it or break it for the Byrds; during this short time they rivalled the Beatles, and the massive success of the title track solidified their stance, if only for a brief time. But the other ten songs were what proved the group's talent, avoiding sophomore slumps and delivering some of the 60s greatest music.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a 2012 release from Sony Japan geared for the Japan market. The 27-track remastered edition of the Byrds' second album uses Blu-Spec manufacturing technology but the disc plays fine on a standard CD player.
I'm no audiophile, nor do I play one on TV, but as far as the audio quality of this disc goes, to my ears it sounds as good as the 1996 Sony Legacy remaster. As I pointed out in my earlier review of Sony Japan's release of The Notorious Byrd Brothers, an audiophile with a high-end sound system who knows what to listen for might be able to hear or observe in this new edition nuances that I am unable to detect, and I would respect that person's findings. I'm simply saying that if you have a dependable but "garden variety" sound system like mine, you may be hard-pressed to find the audio quality of this new disc superior to that of the 1996 remaster. They both sound great.
That said, there are important distinctions to be made between these two quality CD editions released 16 years apart.
1996 TTT: has just the stereo mix; I had only it to A/B with the 2012 edition's stereo mix; that's because the . . .
2012 TTT: has the stereo mix of the album AND its corresponding mono mix; I used to have both the mono and stereo versions of the vinyl album, so I am very happy to have both mixes again
1996 TTT: 7 bonus tracks (2 in mono, 5 in stereo)
2012 TTT: 5 bonus tracks (4 in mono, 1 in stereo) -- more on that later
1996 TTT: a 16-page booklet with Derek Taylor's original back-cover liner notes reprinted, David Fricke's new essay, Johnny Rogan's authoritative song notes, and some cool photos
2012 TTT: a 24-page, text-heavy booklet (almost all in Japanese, of course) with track listing and song lyrics in English; alas, there are some errors in the printed lyrics (for example, in "She Don't Care About Time": Hallways and staircases/Everyday to climb/To go up to my white ballroom/Out on the end of time)
1996 TTT: housed in a standard jewel case with a clear tray through which the original back cover photo shows
2012 TTT: housed in a beautifully rendered facsimile album jacket about half an inch taller than a standard plastic jewel case; the CD itself mimics a black vinyl record (complete with "grooves") with a red Sony Music label; it, like the 1996 remaster, has the iconic Columbia Records "walking eye" logo; the disc itself is snugly protected by a U-shaped sleeve
The disc's 27 cuts are presented in this order:
Tracks 1-11 are the mono mix of the original album.
Tracks 12-15 are the mono bonus tracks "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"; "She Don't Care About Time" (version 1); "The Times They Are A-Changin'"; and "She Don't Care About Time" (single version).
Tracks 16-26 are the stereo mix of the original album.
Track 27 is a new stereo mix of the title track.
Track 27 is the other reason I bought this disc. Would it have better/wider imaging than the stereo version of "Turn! Turn! Turn!" that's been around for years? Well . . . this new mix does have greater separation. The instruments are predominantly in the right channel and the vocals are predominantly in the left channel -- certainly different imaging from what I'm used to hearing. I can't say it's necessarily an improvement over the other two mixes on this disc. It's just different.
So what we're left with -- right? -- is that this 2012 edition of an album that's still available more than 45 years after its initial release contains three different-sounding presentations of one of the band's best-loved songs. It really comes down to personal preference, and there's no way I would tell other music lovers they should dismiss what they've always liked, what they're familiar with, and start embracing something else just because it's new and different. I like having all three versions, which, by the way, also differ in their running times. (To further cloud the issue, the 1996 stereo remaster of the album shows the title track at still another running time. Somebody help me!)
The collectors among you may want to pop for this new edition just to get the faithful reproduction of the original cover art (front and back -- though you may need a magnifying glass to read Derek Taylor's liner notes). And, as I've already mentioned, because this edition was not made with the U.S. or UK markets in mind, the booklet will be of little help to non-Japanese-speaking music fans. In any event, thank you for taking the time to read my review. I hope it has been of some help to you.
I'm no audiophile, nor do I play one on TV, but as far as the audio quality of this disc goes, to my ears it sounds as good as the 1996 Sony Legacy remaster. As I pointed out in my earlier review of Sony Japan's release of The Notorious Byrd Brothers, an audiophile with a high-end sound system who knows what to listen for might be able to hear or observe in this new edition nuances that I am unable to detect, and I would respect that person's findings. I'm simply saying that if you have a dependable but "garden variety" sound system like mine, you may be hard-pressed to find the audio quality of this new disc superior to that of the 1996 remaster. They both sound great.
That said, there are important distinctions to be made between these two quality CD editions released 16 years apart.
1996 TTT: has just the stereo mix; I had only it to A/B with the 2012 edition's stereo mix; that's because the . . .
2012 TTT: has the stereo mix of the album AND its corresponding mono mix; I used to have both the mono and stereo versions of the vinyl album, so I am very happy to have both mixes again
1996 TTT: 7 bonus tracks (2 in mono, 5 in stereo)
2012 TTT: 5 bonus tracks (4 in mono, 1 in stereo) -- more on that later
1996 TTT: a 16-page booklet with Derek Taylor's original back-cover liner notes reprinted, David Fricke's new essay, Johnny Rogan's authoritative song notes, and some cool photos
2012 TTT: a 24-page, text-heavy booklet (almost all in Japanese, of course) with track listing and song lyrics in English; alas, there are some errors in the printed lyrics (for example, in "She Don't Care About Time": Hallways and staircases/Everyday to climb/To go up to my white ballroom/Out on the end of time)
1996 TTT: housed in a standard jewel case with a clear tray through which the original back cover photo shows
2012 TTT: housed in a beautifully rendered facsimile album jacket about half an inch taller than a standard plastic jewel case; the CD itself mimics a black vinyl record (complete with "grooves") with a red Sony Music label; it, like the 1996 remaster, has the iconic Columbia Records "walking eye" logo; the disc itself is snugly protected by a U-shaped sleeve
The disc's 27 cuts are presented in this order:
Tracks 1-11 are the mono mix of the original album.
Tracks 12-15 are the mono bonus tracks "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue"; "She Don't Care About Time" (version 1); "The Times They Are A-Changin'"; and "She Don't Care About Time" (single version).
Tracks 16-26 are the stereo mix of the original album.
Track 27 is a new stereo mix of the title track.
Track 27 is the other reason I bought this disc. Would it have better/wider imaging than the stereo version of "Turn! Turn! Turn!" that's been around for years? Well . . . this new mix does have greater separation. The instruments are predominantly in the right channel and the vocals are predominantly in the left channel -- certainly different imaging from what I'm used to hearing. I can't say it's necessarily an improvement over the other two mixes on this disc. It's just different.
So what we're left with -- right? -- is that this 2012 edition of an album that's still available more than 45 years after its initial release contains three different-sounding presentations of one of the band's best-loved songs. It really comes down to personal preference, and there's no way I would tell other music lovers they should dismiss what they've always liked, what they're familiar with, and start embracing something else just because it's new and different. I like having all three versions, which, by the way, also differ in their running times. (To further cloud the issue, the 1996 stereo remaster of the album shows the title track at still another running time. Somebody help me!)
The collectors among you may want to pop for this new edition just to get the faithful reproduction of the original cover art (front and back -- though you may need a magnifying glass to read Derek Taylor's liner notes). And, as I've already mentioned, because this edition was not made with the U.S. or UK markets in mind, the booklet will be of little help to non-Japanese-speaking music fans. In any event, thank you for taking the time to read my review. I hope it has been of some help to you.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
'Turn! Turn! Turn!' is the Byrds' second album, & featured the title track, their second & last US #1 single. The rest of the album follows the formula laid down the same year by their debut album, 'Mr. Tambourine Man', though somewhere, this second album is a bit more flawed, which is only understandable due to the hectic conditions under which it was created.
The title track is as wonderful a Byrdesque folk-rock song as any, fully reprising the glory of 'Mr. Tambourine Man', not only commercially, but also artistically.
'It Won't Be Wrong' is another folk-rock classic, whose intro sounds anticipate the coming of psychedelia a few years later. Later the song changes pace & returns to the original speed again later. All in all as great a Byrd song as any on their debut album.
'Set You Free This Time' sets their strongest lyric so far (those covered from Dylan not included), to a tune that marks a slight step down from the previous two songs, but not enough to prevent this from being one of their most underrated gems.
'Lay Down Your Weary Tune' is one of the group's best Dylan-interpretations, and, like all of those, it is hard not to think of it as a Byrds-original. An already strong song loses nothing of its beauty, but is presented in the full grace of folk-rock.
The traditional 'He Was A Friend Of Mine' is buoyed by a great, twangling acoustic guitar, but otherwise the song becomes somewhat tedious in the long run, though it isn't at all bad, and doesn't seem out of place on the album.
'The World Turns All Around Her' is a pure Byrds-classic, complete with the title, a perfect blend of tortured romanticism & mind-altering psychedelia.
'Satisfied Mind' is here transformed into a great Byrds song, but it pales next to the classic 'If You're Gone', an immortal folk-rock jewel.
It is followed by the biggest flaw of the album, the Byrds' cover of Dylan's more-than-immortal classic 'The Times They Are A-Changing'. The band simply betrays the rebellion & protest of the original & try to make it another tender tune, which just doesn't work. For the original is as angry as Sex Pistols' 'Anarchy In The U.K.', and nobody would ever make a serious folk-rock version of that track, well?
'Wait And See' is a suave little love song quite well played, & though it doesn't compensate for the previous track, it is strong enough to overshadow the flaws of the ending track, so it doesn't feel like the last fourth of the album is crap. The cover of 'Oh! Susannah' is indeed an idea spawned of genius, & a great song it is. But it irritates me the way it returns to a single guitar playing the main riff after each verse. This way, an otherwise great, rollin' song, that could have been a Byrds' classic & an album peak, is cut into small pieces, that seriously disturbs your heartbeat ;)... you get up, fall down, get up, and in the end, it gets really annoying. Hard to imagine, but easy to hear.
But except the full-scale flaw of 'The Times They Are A-Changing' & the much better 'Oh! Sussannah', which is anyway mostly a joke, the album is about as great as 'Mr. Tambourine Man'. As for the bonus tracks; 'The Day Walk (Never Before)' has a riff that sounds like 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' some years too early - but otherwise that song is pretty inessential.
But on the other hand, 'She Don't Care About Time' is a timeless Byrds classic, & their cover 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue' actually surpasses Dylan's original (the only time the Byrds inarguably did that). Those two songs are so great that it seems complete foolish they were left off the album for the sake of the Byrds' greatest flaw, 'The Times' cover.
As for the alternate versions, they are really not essential, but they don't hrt anybody with their presence, and the instrumental 'Stranger In A Strange Land' is also fine enough, though one can only imagine how the Byrdesque voices entwined in each other would have transformed it...
The title track is as wonderful a Byrdesque folk-rock song as any, fully reprising the glory of 'Mr. Tambourine Man', not only commercially, but also artistically.
'It Won't Be Wrong' is another folk-rock classic, whose intro sounds anticipate the coming of psychedelia a few years later. Later the song changes pace & returns to the original speed again later. All in all as great a Byrd song as any on their debut album.
'Set You Free This Time' sets their strongest lyric so far (those covered from Dylan not included), to a tune that marks a slight step down from the previous two songs, but not enough to prevent this from being one of their most underrated gems.
'Lay Down Your Weary Tune' is one of the group's best Dylan-interpretations, and, like all of those, it is hard not to think of it as a Byrds-original. An already strong song loses nothing of its beauty, but is presented in the full grace of folk-rock.
The traditional 'He Was A Friend Of Mine' is buoyed by a great, twangling acoustic guitar, but otherwise the song becomes somewhat tedious in the long run, though it isn't at all bad, and doesn't seem out of place on the album.
'The World Turns All Around Her' is a pure Byrds-classic, complete with the title, a perfect blend of tortured romanticism & mind-altering psychedelia.
'Satisfied Mind' is here transformed into a great Byrds song, but it pales next to the classic 'If You're Gone', an immortal folk-rock jewel.
It is followed by the biggest flaw of the album, the Byrds' cover of Dylan's more-than-immortal classic 'The Times They Are A-Changing'. The band simply betrays the rebellion & protest of the original & try to make it another tender tune, which just doesn't work. For the original is as angry as Sex Pistols' 'Anarchy In The U.K.', and nobody would ever make a serious folk-rock version of that track, well?
'Wait And See' is a suave little love song quite well played, & though it doesn't compensate for the previous track, it is strong enough to overshadow the flaws of the ending track, so it doesn't feel like the last fourth of the album is crap. The cover of 'Oh! Susannah' is indeed an idea spawned of genius, & a great song it is. But it irritates me the way it returns to a single guitar playing the main riff after each verse. This way, an otherwise great, rollin' song, that could have been a Byrds' classic & an album peak, is cut into small pieces, that seriously disturbs your heartbeat ;)... you get up, fall down, get up, and in the end, it gets really annoying. Hard to imagine, but easy to hear.
But except the full-scale flaw of 'The Times They Are A-Changing' & the much better 'Oh! Sussannah', which is anyway mostly a joke, the album is about as great as 'Mr. Tambourine Man'. As for the bonus tracks; 'The Day Walk (Never Before)' has a riff that sounds like 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' some years too early - but otherwise that song is pretty inessential.
But on the other hand, 'She Don't Care About Time' is a timeless Byrds classic, & their cover 'It's All Over Now, Baby Blue' actually surpasses Dylan's original (the only time the Byrds inarguably did that). Those two songs are so great that it seems complete foolish they were left off the album for the sake of the Byrds' greatest flaw, 'The Times' cover.
As for the alternate versions, they are really not essential, but they don't hrt anybody with their presence, and the instrumental 'Stranger In A Strange Land' is also fine enough, though one can only imagine how the Byrdesque voices entwined in each other would have transformed it...
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life Long Byrds fan
As a lifelong Byrds fan I would give the Byrds the highest possible rating. If I could give them 6 stars I would.
Published 1 month ago by Milton L. Erhardt
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Another Byrds'huge album, part of the historical path they set in the world of rock & roll music during the 60s. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mehaudy S. Roberto
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still Great!
I had this album when it came out, and nearly wore it out. The music sounds wonderful today, especially in the era of rap, boy bands, and all the other junk out there. Read more
Published 2 months ago by GM
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Album
The band was still at its commerical peak when this album was released. The album continues in the style of the previous one. Fits into the Beatles Rubber Soul mould. Read more
Published 2 months ago by F. Clark
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Byrds Continue Folk-Rock Formula
Following the dramatic success of their debut album, "Mr. Tambourine Man," the Byrds returned to Columbia's Studio A on June 28, 1965 to begin work on their next single and... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Tom
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great Byrds album
Turn turn turn is one of the finest albums from the Byrds which contains some of the finest songs from the awesome title track. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Rohit R
5.0 out of 5 stars
beautiful
This album really does contain some of their best material, original or not. Nothing like jangly rickenbacker guitars. Great pressing, with no surface noise and excellent dynamics.
Published 15 months ago by Marc
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Seasoning of The Byrds
The Byrds/ Turn! Turn! Turn! (bonus tracks version): The title track (from Pete Seeger's reworking of the Biblical Book of Ecclesiastes) has become a true classic song of the... Read more
Published 18 months ago by J. Bynum
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid follow up to a great beginning
As others have remarked, any follow up to Mr. Tambourine Man would have been hard-pressed to live up to the debut. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Philip Bradshaw
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't Turn Down The Chance To Own This Classic.
1965 saw the birth of The Byrds with Mr Tambourine Man and quickly followed by Turn, Turn Turn.
The Byrds, Bob Dylan and others ushered in folk/rock which has had a massive... Read more
The Byrds, Bob Dylan and others ushered in folk/rock which has had a massive... Read more
Published on February 22, 2010 by J. Thompson
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