This is my version of the "Preflyte" sessions from 1964. In short, the Byrds didn't release an album until 1965, "Mr. Tambourine Man." But it turned out they did a lot of recording in 1964, before they got any widespread attention at all. (They didn't call themselves "The Byrds" yet, going by "The Jet Set" or "The Beefeaters. But for simplicity's sake, I'm calling them the Byrds, since it's the exact same five people.)
In 1969, an album from these sessions called "Preflyte" was released, and it did well both commercially and critically. In fact, it was just about the first archival rock release. But that was just the start, because these sessions got repackaged several times, with different songs each time: "In the Beginning," "The Preflyte Sessions," and "Preflyte Plus."
I decided to make two albums out of all this material. One would be the best album the Byrds could have released, without using any of the songs they put on their later albums. (There are about four of those.) This is that album. The other collects the best of all of the acoustic versions of the songs. I'll post that shortly.
It turns out that, in addition to the Byrds doing some recording in 1964, Byrds member David Crosby did some recording with a full band too. There are four good songs, but they only feature Crosby singing. Rather than putting them all together at the end, I've scattered them throughout the album.
I also found two instrumentals from 1964 by Byrds bassist Chris Hillman, done with a bluegrass group he was briefly in, called the Hillmen. These songs have Hillman showing his instrumental prowess playing mandolin, not bass. I've added them in too.
The result is a mere 33 minute long album, but that's fine because that was a typical album length in those days. I think this album would have caused many to sit up and take notice in 1964, because the classic Byrds sound and songwriting was already in full bloom.
I really don't like the name "Preflyte," because this imagines an album that could have been released in 1964, and obviously the name "Preflyte" only makes sense in retrospect. The obvious hit single is the song "You Showed Me." In 1968, the Turtles covered it and had a big hit with it, even though it had a 1964 sound that was totally out of step with musical trends in 1968. Surely then it would have been a hit in 1964, if it had been properly promoted. The usual thing to do was name the album after the hit, so that's what I'm doing here (even though it's an imagined hit).
01 You Showed Me (Byrds)
02 The Airport Song (Byrds)
03 Come Back, Baby (David Crosby)
04 Tomorrow Is a Long Ways Away (Byrds)
05 Boston (Byrds)
06 The Reason Why (Byrds)
07 Willie Jean (David Crosby)
08 For Me Again (Byrds)
09 Wheel Hoss [Instrumental] (Hillmen)
10 Let's Get Together (David Crosby)
11 You Movin' (Byrds)
12 Don't Be Long [It Won't Be Wrong] (Byrds)
13 Please, Let Me Love You (Byrds)
14 Jack of Diamonds (David Crosby)
15 Blue Grass Chopper [Instrumental] (Hillmen)
https://www.imagenetz.de/jjAGX
For the album cover, I took a photo from the artwork of one of the Preflyte releases. Then I added the text and the same record company and stereo logos found on the next Byrds album.
Thanks for sharing.
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