ON THE FLIP-SIDE: the birds

Monday, November 18, 2013

The Flip Sides of The Byrds' Singles: Why?, Captain Soul, What's Happening?!?!

Day three of our spin of the Flip-Sides of The Byrds original US singles.

Why? (singe version)

Why? appeared as the Flip-Side to The Byrds 5th official single, the remarkable Eight Miles High as released on Columbia Records in March of 1966. The A-side was written by Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn and David Crosby. McGuinn and Crosby get songwriting credit for the featured song today. This would mark the last recording before Gene Clark would take flight from the band. The song would later be reprised with a different take featuring a longer intro and no Gene Clark, for the apex of their LP work, Thoughts And Words.

Captain Soul

Captain Soul is an instrumental credited to the whole band (sans Gene Clark who just left months before) and was featured as the Flip-Side to 5D (Fifth Dimension) released June of 1966. The song is a clear lift of the Allen Touissant song, Get Out Of My Life Woman which would get released by The Leaves five months later on Mira. Get Out Of My Life Woman was also recorded by Dutch garage gods, Q65.

What's Happening?!?!

David Crosby gets his first lead singing job on a Byrds single with What's Happening?!?!, the Flip-Side to the September 1966 release, Mr. Spaceman. David Crosby had a languid jazzy style with odd timings, chord progressions and unexpected phrasing. That style would play itself out over his long career, but here you get to hear the birth of his unique style. I love this song and the way Michael Clarke propels the number into the warped Roger McGuinn leads.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Under The Covers: Leaving Here by The Birds and Eddie Holland

The Birds

Leaving Here! This is one of those songs that can be done by just about anybody and it will still sound great. It's just one of those songs. Leaving Here was first recorded by Eddie Holland for Motown in December of 1963. Eddie Holland's name may sound familiar, despite the fact that he had only a brief frontman career for Motown. Eddie was the lyricist for one of THEE most potent songwriting teams ever -- Motown's house composers, Holland-Dozier-Holland. Eddie was the lyricist behind the label's biggest hits such as Heatwave, Baby I Need Your Loving, How Sweet It Is, Stop In The Name Of Love, Baby I Need Your Lovin'....Ah, hell, you get the picture. I could go on and on with the songs he wrote and produced of which you know every frickin' word. But back to one of his lesser known songs....

Leaving Here got picked up early by mod kings, The Who. They recorded it two or three times and did a pretty damn good job of it too. But none of the recordings ever made it to vinyl. From The Who the song was picked up by Ron Wood and his bandmates in his first band, The Birds. (nope, not The Byrds, but The Birds). Ron Wood substantially rearranged the song and turned it into a barre chord burner with a nice 1 and 1/2 step down twist for the lead guitar riff. The band released it on Decca on the 30th of April, 1965. While an obscure recording, The Birds version inspired many other covers of the song by artists as diverse as Motorhead, The Morlocks and The Cracked Jaffers. Pearl Jam, it should be noted, clearly covers The Who version.