20 Essential Tracks from the Boxed Set: 1965-1990

by The Byrds

Overview

For those who don't want to invest the time or money in the full four-disc The Byrds, 20 Essential Tracks is a decent sampler of the Byrds' better tracks throughout the years. If the collection has any faults, it's that only 12 of the 20 tracks come from the quintessential 1965-1968 period, and selections from the country-rock classic Sweetheart of the Rodeo have been omitted entirely. Instead, unnecessary tracks such as "I Wanna Grow Up to Be a Politician" and a few more obscure songs like the Beach Boys-esque "Lady Friend" are included. The low point of the collection is the inclusion of box-set-only tracks like "Paths of Victory," "Love That Never Dies," and a maudlin "From a Distance" -- while interesting, these cuts are definitely not essential. Still, as greatest-hits compilations go, this one does a fairly good job of showing quite a few different sides of the entire Byrds body of work. ~ Matt Fink

Product Details

Release Date:	01/14/1992
Label:	Bmg / Columbia / Sony Music
UPC:	0886978830722
Rank:	29888

Tracks

1. Mr. Tambourine Man
2. I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better
3. All I Really Want to Do
4. Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)
5. 5D (Fifth Dimension)
6. Eight Miles High
7. Mr. Spaceman
8. So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star
9. Have You Seen Her Face
10. Lady Friend
11. My Back Pages
12. Goin' Back [LP Version]
13. Ballad of Easy Rider
14. Jesus Is Just Alright
15. Chestnut Mare
16. I Wanna Grow Up to Be a Politician
17. He Was a Friend of Mine
18. Paths of Victory
19. From a Distance
20. Love That Never Dies

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Byrds   Primary Artist
Larry Knechtel   Primary Artist,Keyboards
Hal Blaine   Primary Artist
Leon Russell   Primary Artist
Jerry Cole   Primary Artist
Gene Parsons   Guitar,Vocals,Banjo,Drums
John York   Guitar,Vocals
Roger McGuinn   Vocals,Guitar (12 String)
Van Dyke Parks   Keyboards
Jim Gordon   Drums
Jim McGuinn   Vocals,Guitar (12 String)
Byron Berline   Fiddle
Gram Parsons   Banjo,Drums,Guitar,Vocals
JayDee Mannes   Guitar (Steel)
Roy M. "Junior" Husky   Bass
Kevin Kelley   Drums
John Hartford   Guitar,Banjo
John Jorgenson   Bass,Guitar,Mandolin
Jon Corneal   Drums
Stan Lynch   Drums
Skip Battin   Bass,Vocals
Terry Melcher   Piano
Sneaky Pete Kleinow   Guitar (Steel)
Chris Hillman   Bass,Guitar,Vocals
Clarence White   Guitar,Vocals
Red Rhodes   Guitar (Steel)
Gene Clark   Vocals,Tambourine
Gene Parson   Banjo,Drums,Guitar,Vocals
Lloyd Green   Guitar (Steel)
Michael Clarke   Drums
Al Kooper   Keyboards
Earl Poole Ball   Piano
David Crosby   Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Rhythm)

Technical Credits

Vic Anesini   Remixing
Roger McGuinn   Composer
Lisa Sparagano   Art Direction
Book of Ecclesiastes   Composer
Paul Polena   Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
A. Reid Reynolds   Composer
Arthur Reid Reynolds   Composer
Stan Lynch   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Bob Irwin   Compilation Producer
Bob Dylan   Composer
Chris Hillman   Composer
Jacques Levy   Composer
Carole King   Composer
Don DeVito   Compilation Producer
Julie Gold   Composer
Gene Clark   Composer
Pete Seeger   Composer,Adaptation
Tim Geelan   Remixing
David Crosby   Composer
Gerry Goffin   Composer
Joel Zimmerman   Artwork
David Fricke   Liner Notes