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37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mr. Tambourine Man -- What A Debut!, May 8, 2008
What a debut! The Byrds only released two albums and a handful of singles with Gene Clark--until a rather abysmal reunion in the early 1970's--but what a couple of albums they are! "Mr. Tambourine Man," their first release, would of course be hailed as one of the penultimate folk-rock records, with the group so aptly adapting the songs of Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger to a radio-friendly audience. Yet, for me, it's not how the group performs the title track, "The Bells of Rhymney," "Spanish Harlem Incident" or even "Chimes of Freedom," but the quality of their original material, the bulk of which was penned by Gene Clark! Clark's amazing "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" has become a rock and roll classic, and "Here Without You" beautifully exemplifies its composer's darker, poetic side. Clark and McGuinn, the team that penned The Turtles' "You Showed Me," would co-write "You Won't Have to Cry" (not to be confused with "You Don't Have to Cry" by Crosby, Stills and Nash) and the lesser known "It's No Use." With the success of their first LP under their belts, the group would appear to offer more of the same with "Turn! Turn! Turn!" but Clark would emerge as an even more powerful force with compositions "Set You Free This Time," "She Don't Care About Time" and the hauntingly brilliant "The World Turns All Around Her!" Lesser known track "If You're Gone" would precede Clark's last songwriting credit on a Byrds recording with "Eight Miles High" on their "Fifth Dimension" LP. With Clark's departure, group members David Crosby and Roger McGuinn would be allowed to spread their wings and soar as celebrities and songwriters in their own right, and Crosby's ultimate departure would likewise permit bassist Chris Hillman to step forward before leaving to form The Flying Burrito Brothers, Souther, Hillman and Furay and the Desert Rose Band, then completing a musical full-circle by again reuniting with Clark and McGuinn for two releases and a brief tour. It having been common practice in the early to mid 1960's for session musicians to play on the company predicted hits, such would be the case with much of "Mr. Tambourine Man," but The Byrds would prove themselves to be competent enough musicians and capable performers that this would not be the case with subsequent releases. I love every line-up that's existed of The Byrds, from Gene Clark to Gram Parsons and John York to Clarence White and Skip Battin, with drummer Gene Parsons himself providing exceptional all-around musicianship and serving as a steadying force while the group forged its way into country-rock after a brief dalliance with psychedlic music. But again coming full-circle, it would be this cornerstone from the folk-rock years and the group's debut that holds the dearest place in my heart and serves as the best starting point for future Byrds fans.
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18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic debut album, February 25, 2004
This debut album features Jim (Roger) McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke. The line-up of the Byrds changed regularly but some of these musicians also achieved success with other groups, too numerous to mention here. The style is generally described as folk-rock, but there is more to it than that.The title track of this album was their first and biggest hit, going all the way to number one on both sides of the Atlantic. The follow-up, All I really want to do, was also a massive hit despite having to compete with a version of the same song by Cher. Both versions of the song made the UK top ten, though the Byrds' version charted higher. The single version of All I really want to do differed from the original album version, but both are included in this set. The two hits are from the songbook of Bob Dylan, one of the finest songwriters of his generation. The Byrds recorded many of his songs during their career. This album contains two other Dylan songs, Chimes of freedom and Spanish Harlem incident. Don't doubt yourself babe is a song by Jackie De Shannon, another excellent songwriter, who was one of the first music professionals to recognize the Byrds' talent. The bells of Rhymney (about a Welsh mining disaster) is a cover of a song that Pete Seeger based on an Idris Davies poem. The most surprising inclusion is We'll meet again is the signature tune of Dame Vera Lynn, the British forces' sweetheart of World war two. Apparently, the song was featured at the end of the move, Dr Strangelove, and it was this that brought the song to their attention. Gene Clark wrote all the remaining songs here, often with the help of Roger McGuinn. This was a fine album in its original form. The excellent bonus tracks make it more desirable than ever to anybody who enjoys sixties pop, rock and folk music.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The first stepping stone of a brilliant legacy..an essential, January 22, 2001
In 1965 The Byrds released "Mr.Tambourine Man", creating a new jangle guitar sound influenced by the words of Bob Dylan. The Byrds transformed folk to a new electric guitar sound including Roger McGuinn's legendary 12-string Rickenbacker. The Byrds still remain one of America's finest rock bands and 'the proof is in the pudding' as Iggy Pop once said.From the opening chords of "Mr.Tambourine Man", it is apparent that this album is a classic. Even Bob Dylan after he heard The Byrds' recording of "Mr.Tambourine Man" was surprised and didn't record his own version until later. "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" was one of the few hits The Byrds had that wasn't written by someone else out of the band. Gene Clark's lyrics "I'll probably feel a whole lot better when you're gone" represents an anti-romantic song that was rarely heard in songwritting in the 60's, it is one of The Byrds strongest singles. "Spanish Harlem Incident"(a Bob Dylan cover) was a good choice as the lyrics show the mystic-folk world of The Byrds. "You Won't Have To Cry" is an early tip off of The Byrds harmonizing vocals. "Here Without You" another great example of Gene Clark's talent at songwritting and singing. "The Bells Of Rhymney" show that Pete Seeger was another strong influence of The Byrds besides Dylan. Pete Seeger adapted the lyrics from a poem by Idris Davis about a coal mining disaster in Wales. The song is very moving and beautifully done, George Harrison said this song inspired his "If I Needed Someone." "All I Really Want To Do" returns as back to another classic Byrds cover of a Dylan song classic. Its a very strong single and always a great listen. "I Knew I'd Want You" was the b-side to the original "Mr.Tambourine Man" single and shows that The Byrds didn't just start with covering Dylan, it was Gene Clark's song. "It's No Use" has a heavier sound then the rest of the album and has hints of Pink Floyd type solos and such. "Don't Doubt Yourself Baby" is one of my favorite songs musically. "Chimes Of Freedom" is the core and best song on "Mr.Tambourine Man." This Bob Dylan song reflects greatly about the times during the 60's. David Crosby was about to leave the group and refused to sing this song but manager Dickson forced him to and the result was amazing. "We'll Meet Again" ends the album on an ironic note. The bonus tracks are: "She Has A Way", "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better(alternative version)", "It's No Use"(alternative version)", "You Won't Have To Cry(alternative version)" and "All I Really Want To Do(single version)." "Mr.Tambourine Man" besides creating a new sound and setting new limits for rock, is an amazing album and may be The Byrds' best album. One thing is for sure, it's one of the best achievements in American music.
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