1972 with my dad and brother in the car. Cassette of sweerheart of the rodeo in the cassetteplayer and listening to the tape. I was 6 my brother 5. We both remember it vividly. Rest in peace dad...
Underrated album, underrated band, underrated style... This is one of things that you really have to search for years to find it. This song so reminds me of my hometown and young adulthood, beatufiul memories. I want it being played at my funeral. That is how much it means to me. Yet so simple but yet so complex on emotional level. Pure masterpiece. It's shame Gram Parsons left this world too early, it's a huge loss for both rock'and roll, country and derivative genres and music in general
I agree with you, I have no words to describe the perfection of this song. In the folk/country rock genre, the most magnificent song I've ever heard. Without a doubt one of the greatest songs in rock history!
I discovered this Byrds album the right way; doing mushrooms in the canyons of Utah along the Colorado river back in 1982. I’d never heard such music & it was like the heavens opened up & God’s hand came down & popped that 8-track in the truck while we rode around sipping whiskey, firing an occasional pistol shot out the window & somehow didn’t drive off a Mesa.
Amazing that a band like this out of Southern California could put out such a great country album! At a time when Country wasn’t huge outside of the south. Like someone else said, what a bold endeavor. One of those albums that got better and better over time. This album and Gram Parsons really created an entire new genre. California desert country
I think Gram's influence on what would be known as "country rock" is a bit overstated. He wasn't the first. But he's right up there... he still played a huge part in it.
Gram was a later convert to country. I say that because he didn't gravitate to it til after he'd lived in the south for most of his youth. Subconsciously it was always part of him and as this song will attest it never left him.
I'm not normally a music purist ("born in the wrong generation" crowd), but this is real country. Not this faux-pop "beer and jesus" crap. Just pure, sweet Americana.
No one is really singing about Jesus. Lmao. Now country music has always been beer and Jesus. God bless you. I know what your trying to say. One of my favorite tunes is called, "Booze, Drugs, and Prayer"...i wrote it. Hope to share with you one day.
Written by Gram Parsons and Bob Buchanan. Gram Parsons (vocal), John Hartford (fiddle), Lloyd Green (pedal steel guitar), Roger McGuinn (banjo), Gram Parsons (piano).
Thank you so much for posting this. In my many years of loving Gram and this album I never heard the original recordings with Gram's vocals. What an appreciated gift...
Chris is FAB at everything.........Gram on Lead vocals on this trac, some others have McGuinn CUZ Gram was on 3 diff labels @ the same time ( in 1968 ), one label dude pres wanted $ 50,000 to release Gram from contract......I did shows with all these guys in 1968 & 1969 & 1970........
Because they're too busy saying how Gram Parsons invented country rock. When anyone who follows country rock knows Buffalo Springfield was doing banjo and pedal steel as early as 66.
Byrds did a 180! a complete Country Album! Not a track here or there! Byrds covered a country song Satisfied Mind in 1965! and Chris got BS a gig at the Whiskey on Sunset to give them a leg up!
Back in the 60's, the Byrds were considered ," just a long-haired hippy band" by the traditional country music establishment. Hence, they were never invited to the Grand Old Opry...,
Re the harmony on this song: it sounds like Chris Hillman is singing a high harmony a third above the melody, but I can't tell if anyone is singing a low harmony to make it three parts.....sometimes it sounds like Hillman's high harmony is doubled and can be heard in both left and right channels, or someone is doubling Gram's melody vocal. Does anyone hear a third part?
You'll have you trust my ear as I have no receipts as such, but fwiw I'd like to consider myself a bit of a Gram aficionado, *especially* his (sadly limited) stuff with Hillman. It definitely sounds like Hillman to me. I think he's doing his best Crosby impression, but I'm quite certain it's Hillman. There's also a lower (baritone, as bluegrassers would say) harmony which I believe is Gram. One thing I will also say is that - unless it's *heavily* buried in the mix - there's (thankfully, sorry fans) no McGuinn vocal on this track; you'd hear the fake accent and sarcastic tone 8-miles (high) away. Pretty sure there's no studio singers, just 2 Grams and 1 Hillman. They might be double-tracked at some points to give a thicker sound, but as far as distinct vocal lines go, that's what I'm confident I hear.
I'm not a great fan of Gram Parsons, but this song is very nice, and I salute his courage in doing this for the Gran Ol Opry instead of Close Up the Honky Tonks or whatever else he was supposed to sing. Too bad the audience didn't appreciate what he was doing.
@@maxaronow712 Parsons was great, but Hillman said that it got to where they couldn't depend on him for performances: wouldn't show up, showed up late, showed up drugged, that kind of stuff. Understandable on Chris's part. Professionals have obligations and need to meet them.
Bernie wrote "My Man" about him. No samples "Like a flower he bloomed till that old hickory wind called him home" Bernie was in the Flying Burrito Bros briefly with Gram & Hillman. Cheers 🍷
Great song indeed but did anyone else notice someone coughing after the first vocal line ("In South Carolina...") at the 00:19 mark? Surprised they left that in...
The talent of Gram Parsons has never been appreciated like it should have been.
It took a rock n roll genius to write the greatest country music song of all time.
amen brother!!
1972 with my dad and brother in the car. Cassette of sweerheart of the rodeo in the cassetteplayer and listening to the tape. I was 6 my brother 5. We both remember it vividly. Rest in peace dad...
Another fabulous song from one of the best albums ever released. God I miss The Byrds.! Peace
Underrated album, underrated band, underrated style... This is one of things that you really have to search for years to find it. This song so reminds me of my hometown and young adulthood, beatufiul memories. I want it being played at my funeral. That is how much it means to me. Yet so simple but yet so complex on emotional level. Pure masterpiece. It's shame Gram Parsons left this world too early, it's a huge loss for both rock'and roll, country and derivative genres and music in general
Not a underrated band, they even influenced the Beatles.
Have the original album
Not completely underrated. With the general population, yes, but musicians worship this album. And Gram.
@@marknelson7451 I saw that SOTR line up play in London in 1968.
Underrated? The Byrds were as popular as The Beatles. George Harrison was a fan.
Masterpiece, the greatest county song ever written. Fly high cosmic cowboy, Cosmic American Music lives!
Masterpiece, certainly! Though, "Greatest country song EVER written?!" That's somewhat hyperbolic for me--sorry.
Gram Parsons is my hero
I agree with you, I have no words to describe the perfection of this song. In the folk/country rock genre, the most magnificent song I've ever heard. Without a doubt one of the greatest songs in rock history!
It always hits me in the right spot. Take care Alex.
I think it's the greatest too
As the years pass and we all get older this song just gets better.
Really is a perfect country music vocal.
One of the most beautiful songs EVER
+Gus Cabezas you said it gus
I agree I would put this in the top 5 songs of all time including any genre of music
Love this song. Heartbreaking vocals with beautiful harmonies.
I discovered this Byrds album the right way; doing mushrooms in the canyons of Utah along the Colorado river back in 1982. I’d never heard such music & it was like the heavens opened up & God’s hand came down & popped that 8-track in the truck while we rode around sipping whiskey, firing an occasional pistol shot out the window & somehow didn’t drive off a Mesa.
The brilliant Gram Parsons 👌🏻
What else can life bring?
In the early '70's the musicians I was associated with spoke about this album as their favorite!!
Amazing that a band like this out of Southern California could put out such a great country album! At a time when Country wasn’t huge outside of the south. Like someone else said, what a bold endeavor. One of those albums that got better and better over time. This album and Gram Parsons really created an entire new genre. California desert country
I think Gram's influence on what would be known as "country rock" is a bit overstated. He wasn't the first. But he's right up there... he still played a huge part in it.
Google "Bakersfield, CA"
The best countyrock album ever made in my opinion;;; see also also rave-ups(town * country)
Country was certainly big in some parts of Southern California. Bakersfield most of all.
I applaud whoever it was in The Byrds that decided to make an album cover featuring the illustrations of the great cowboy artist, Jo Mora.👏👏👏🙏
I think it was their producer, Gary Usher. It is wonderful.
Gram was a later convert to country. I say that because he didn't gravitate to it til after he'd lived in the south for most of his youth. Subconsciously it was always part of him and as this song will attest it never left him.
May this song live forever
Requiescat in Pace Gram
I'm not normally a music purist ("born in the wrong generation" crowd), but this is real country. Not this faux-pop "beer and jesus" crap. Just pure, sweet Americana.
Yet at the time the "real" country artists didn't want to have anything to do with those "dirty hippies"!
@@konradv7 'cause they are hippies, smokin' dope and such. And this is folk, not country
@@bierwolf8360 All my country buddies smoke dope, well all them born in the 50s or later.
Gram rules!
No one is really singing about Jesus. Lmao. Now country music has always been beer and Jesus. God bless you. I know what your trying to say. One of my favorite tunes is called, "Booze, Drugs, and Prayer"...i wrote it. Hope to share with you one day.
Love the steel Guitar in these greats from THE BYRDS!
Written by Gram Parsons and Bob Buchanan. Gram Parsons (vocal), John Hartford (fiddle), Lloyd Green (pedal steel guitar), Roger McGuinn (banjo), Gram Parsons (piano).
John Hartford? Wow, had no idea. A genius in his own right.
Thank you so much for posting this. In my many years of loving Gram and this album I never heard the original recordings with Gram's vocals. What an appreciated gift...
This is an absolute masterpiece in the world of Country and Rock . Joerg
Sing it! In South Carolina, there’s many tall pines, I remember the oak tree that we used to climb. Too good
Beautiful!
Thank you Gram Parsons and the Byrds for great music.
Eagles credit every day. We just don't listen well.
Love this song and The Byrds
Chris is FAB at everything.........Gram on Lead vocals on this trac, some others have McGuinn CUZ Gram was on 3 diff labels @ the same time ( in 1968 ), one label dude pres wanted $ 50,000 to release Gram from contract......I did shows with all these guys in 1968 & 1969 & 1970........
Ronn that had to be fun !
and the other label was owned by Lee Hazlewood
👍🎶❤️
if you get it, you get it.
How come no one ever mentions Chris Hillman's great harmony vocal?
Boy, howdy.
You just did!
Because they're too busy saying how Gram Parsons invented country rock. When anyone who follows country rock knows Buffalo Springfield was doing banjo and pedal steel as early as 66.
Byrds did a 180! a complete Country Album! Not a track here or there! Byrds covered a country song Satisfied Mind in 1965! and Chris got BS a gig at the Whiskey on Sunset to give them a leg up!
@@jamesfitzgerald6636 From what I know about Hillman, that sounds like the kind of thing he'd do.
Wonderful Magic Forever Masterpiece
A fine version of a great song.
SUPERIOR SOUND!
Still hard to believed they were booed at the Ryman for singing this song. Saying it wasn't country :(
Not country? This is pure country. Old time.
I wish today's country was more like this.
Clearly country. If an artist listen to fans, then they’ll be in the audience sitting with them instead of on-stage performing soon enough.
I think they meant it wasn't cornball country which is what they couldn't let go of.
Back in the 60's, the Byrds were considered ," just a long-haired hippy band" by the traditional country music establishment. Hence, they were never invited to the Grand Old Opry...,
John Lennon loved Buck Owens...listen to early Beatles..pure Buck....Gram was a genius as is Hillman
Best ever
wow
Mama he's Crazy! No copyright protection in slockey C and W?
This song was featured on KXCI 91.3 in Tucson
Re the harmony on this song: it sounds like Chris Hillman is singing a high harmony a third above the melody, but I can't tell if anyone is singing a low harmony to make it three parts.....sometimes it sounds like Hillman's high harmony is doubled and can be heard in both left and right channels, or someone is doubling Gram's melody vocal. Does anyone hear a third part?
I love the high harmony. Reminds me of my mom's voice.
Nice. Not the version I was looking for, though... The one I know had quite a bit of guitar/banjo playing in between verses. I think it was live too.
Ooo. I would love to hear this with banjos. Mandelin, too.
ua-cam.com/video/7lIln1ueAzw/v-deo.html Live at the Piper Club with Doug Dillard on banjo.
Chris Hillman.
think of the many songs gram would have wrote!!...such a shame!
You're so right. I hear the lyrics of his songs and think, what if.
👍🎶❤️
Does anyone know who did the background vocals on this? It wasn't Hillman was it? Sounds like actual studio singers, not just him... anyone know?
You'll have you trust my ear as I have no receipts as such, but fwiw I'd like to consider myself a bit of a Gram aficionado, *especially* his (sadly limited) stuff with Hillman. It definitely sounds like Hillman to me. I think he's doing his best Crosby impression, but I'm quite certain it's Hillman. There's also a lower (baritone, as bluegrassers would say) harmony which I believe is Gram. One thing I will also say is that - unless it's *heavily* buried in the mix - there's (thankfully, sorry fans) no McGuinn vocal on this track; you'd hear the fake accent and sarcastic tone 8-miles (high) away.
Pretty sure there's no studio singers, just 2 Grams and 1 Hillman. They might be double-tracked at some points to give a thicker sound, but as far as distinct vocal lines go, that's what I'm confident I hear.
@@GuyDude-hk8uy Thanks for the post. I'll take your word for it, you're probably more knowledgeable than I am on the subject.
@@american_cosmic No worries - nice username. Can't beat a bit of cosmic American music! :)
@@GuyDude-hk8uy Thanks! Such a cool name for music, right? Or for anything, for that matter!
@@GuyDude-hk8uy Excellent analysis!
A capa totalmente psicodélica
I'm not a great fan of Gram Parsons, but this song is very nice, and I salute his courage in doing this for the Gran Ol Opry instead of Close Up the Honky Tonks or whatever else he was supposed to sing. Too bad the audience didn't appreciate what he was doing.
Country audiences aren't the brightest
Man I was born in the wrong generation
So gringo
Gram was good in byrds, should have stayed.
And miss out on the Flying Burrito Brothers?
.... You do realize, he was fired, right?
@@maxaronow712 Parsons was great, but Hillman said that it got to where they couldn't depend on him for performances: wouldn't show up, showed up late, showed up drugged, that kind of stuff. Understandable on Chris's part. Professionals have obligations and need to meet them.
533 like!!
A J Lee did a beautiful rendition of this song... check it out
Eagles Sampled This Just a Bit. More than Once
Bernie wrote "My Man" about him. No samples
"Like a flower he bloomed till that old hickory wind called him home"
Bernie was in the Flying Burrito Bros briefly with Gram & Hillman.
Cheers 🍷
Feels like the Grateful Dead
Give me a break! Dead couldn’t do this in a Million years
@@jamesfitzgerald6636 they could do this in a heartbeat. They were great at covers.
reminds me of new riders of the purple sage
🦝
Great song indeed but did anyone else notice someone coughing after the first vocal line ("In South Carolina...") at the 00:19 mark? Surprised they left that in...
yeah if you listen to the flying burrito brothers on Christines tune gram loses his voice clears his throat and keeps singing and they kept it lol
@@doorsfan48 Expect he was smoking too much.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THEIR BULLSHIT?
The most boring song of all time.
go back to listening to Miley Cyrus then