12 DECEMBER 1966
The Byrds finished recording their fourth album 'Younger Than Yesterday' during this week in 1966. The album came out in early 1967 to mixed reviews and moderate success (#24 on the Billboard chart), but its reputation has grown over time and it is now acknowledged as one of their best.
One thing that the Byrds did better than just about anybody was a Dylan cover, as their early singles 'Mr. Tambourine Man' and 'All I Really Want to Do' had shown. After a commercially disappointing year, another Dylan cover seemed like a safe bet (despite the objections, as usual, of David Crosby), and a chiming, jangling recording of the 1964 song 'My Back Pages' was the very splendid result. It was released as a single in March 1967 and reached #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 but failed to chart in Britain. This was their last single to reach the US Top 40. Despite a continued output of sometimes brilliant material, the Byrds were falling out of favour with the record-buying public at large.
One thing that the Byrds did better than just about anybody was a Dylan cover, as their early singles 'Mr. Tambourine Man' and 'All I Really Want to Do' had shown. After a commercially disappointing year, another Dylan cover seemed like a safe bet (despite the objections, as usual, of David Crosby), and a chiming, jangling recording of the 1964 song 'My Back Pages' was the very splendid result. It was released as a single in March 1967 and reached #30 on the Billboard Hot 100 but failed to chart in Britain. This was their last single to reach the US Top 40. Despite a continued output of sometimes brilliant material, the Byrds were falling out of favour with the record-buying public at large.
B-side 'Renaissance Fair'
Released 13 March 1967
Recorded 5-8 December 1966, Columbia Studios, Hollywood, California
Genre: Folk rock
Length 3:08, 2:31 (Single edit)
Label: Columbia
Songwriters: Bob Dylan
Producer: Gary Usher
