« Back to Top Level | Byrds, The

The Byrds - The Columbia Singles Collection 1965-1967 {24-96 Sundazed 180gr Vinyl} (1967)

Track listing:
  1. Mr Tambourine Man 2:19
  2. I Knew I'd Want You 2:15
  3. All I Really Want To Do 2:04
  4. I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better 2:32
  5. The Bells Of Rhymney 3:32
  6. Chimes Of Freedom 3:50
  7. She Don't Care About Time (Version 1) 2:25
  8. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue 3:07
  9. The Times They Are A-Changin' 1:54
  10. Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season) 3:36
  11. She Don't Care About Time (Version 2) 2:30
  12. Set You Free This Time 2:51
  13. It Won't Be Wrong 1:58
  14. He Was A Friend Of Mine 2:30
  15. Eight Miles High 3:37
  16. Why 3:00
  17. 5d (Fifth Dimension) 2:34
  18. Captain Soul 2:36
  19. Mr. Spaceman 2:10
  20. What's Happening 2:32
  21. So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star 2:04
  22. Everybody's Been Burned 3:04
  23. My Back Pages 2:33
  24. Renaissance Fair 1:52
  25. Have You Seen Her Face 2:30
  26. Don't Make Waves 1:34
  27. Lady Friend 2:32
  28. Old John Robertson 1:52
  29. Goin' Back 3:24
  30. Change Is Now 3:22

Notes

produced by Prof. Stoned

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"When “Mr. Tambourine Man” first rumbled out of car radio speakers in 1965, it was a pivotal moment in pop history. With its jangling 12-string and epic sweep, it was the dawn of a new day: the birth of folk-rock. And the Byrds were just getting started. The next two years saw one hit after another, from the Biblical prophesies of “Turn, Turn, Turn” to the raga-rock of “Eight Miles High,” from the exotic orchestration of “So You Want To Be A Rock ‘N’ Roll Star” to the Byrds bringing it all back home with “My Back Pages.” Here they are again, 30 landmark recordings in their perfectly constructed, radio-friendly mono mixes: the forgotten rarities, withdrawn singles and, of course, all the original A and B-sides. No one has ever had a stronger run of singles than did the Byrds in their prime. No one."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prof sez:

Another terrific Sundazed compilation that was released on vinyl only.
All the early Byrds singles in mono -of course- including three withdrawn ones.

But be warned that fidelitywise this is not always a stunner, despite the fact the producers of this compilation went back to the original Holywood mono mixdown masters. This has to do with the poor fidelity of the original recordings. As Terry Melcher (R.I.P.) points out in his linernotes, these recordings where made to good sound on (car) radio's only. Because of that, the recordings sound compressed and somewhat pinchy because of the hi-mid boost.

Another reason that makes some tracks sound not-so-good, is the obvious bad condition some of the tapes are in which can be heard on -amongst others- 'Mr Tambourine man' (can be heard on the MFSL as well) and especially 'Eight Miles high'. The damage on that track is actually so severe that is hard to enjoy it. Columbia tended to use their mixdown mastertapes for many a vinyl cutting (a highly unusual practice), and as a result many of those wore out. This is the reason why some Byrds album where remixed in the nineties; simply because the LP masters where in a poor condition. It is a pity though that Sundazed did not went back to the original vinyl in those few cases, rather than settling with the wretched mastertapes.