The Byrds-"Set You Free This Time"-2/19/66

[gdholmfirth]

Not the first song you think of when you hear "Byrds", but one of my favorites. Had a wistful, deep, haunting sound.

[yonkieponkie]

p f sloan rip off

[TheBabyboomkidof53]

I remember roger mcguinn granny glasses set of a national fad....they came in a veriety of colors.....mine were light blue and a second pair dark green...we were so hip! but I never found a david crosby cape...I looked everywhere.

[andenandenia]

Work will set you free ...from work.  Automation will make you slave!

[LetsNotBeL7]

Absolutely top notch. Bellissimo!

[bboucharde]

Gene is the man. His music touched my heart when I was in high school---and it still does. He will not be forgotten.

[sebacarde]

if any of you want to know in spanish this song was translated by charly garcia with the titlte "aguante la amistad" by sui generis( his band)

[KJPRAR1]

hi gene xoxo

[MaabudZ]

Interesting that Crosby is essentially playing the lead here and McGuinn is playing the rhythm. Was that Wink Martindale, the obnoxious MC?

[bboucharde]

@MaabudZ No, the host was Mr. Gene Weed, who actually did a good job, given the genre and the time.

[imthefrogman]

i would only say for myself that the Byrds wasnt all that good. they has a few good song out but only a few. Crosby had to leave the Byrds so he could do and be bigger and better things . Crosby, stills. nash, & young. thats when David came alive.

[genericgeorge]

@imthefrogman I agree, Their real influence was in their vocal sound and 12 string. The songs werent that great except a few classics. This song is one that never did anything for me.

[BS1965able]

The classic Byrds line up

[Wisegeorge]

A poet and first class vocalist who made me a lifelong fan while I was still a little boy.

[Babyhowdy233]

@Wisegeorge

Me too, Gene was a first-rate poet and vocalist!

[belladonna1482]

Gene Clark at his finest.

[russallert]

I like the fact that axewulf made a comparison between Gene Clark and Marty Balin. Both were creative forces in the early period of their respective bands, and both were sometimes unappreciated.

[whirlized]

Try to imagine a song this deep and meaningful on any show today. This is a glimpse into a time when people sang from the heart and audiences listened. Too bad all that is so rare today. But music is still great, and a great healer, just in a different way, I know. The cool thing about pop music is, of course, that there really is no tradition. It just keeps getting reinvented by new artists. It will always blow your mind though. Long live The Byrds! RIP Gene.

[pentlandite]

Pure poetry set to a hauntingly beautiful melody. Over 90% of the words in the lyrics are monosyllabic, giving a breathlessly gliding feeling...

Thank you Gene!

[Babyhowdy233]

@pentlandite

I'd noticed that too, Gene wasn't merely a lyricist but instead was a REAL poet, first class!

[iagobroxado]

To me this is the deepest and most touching song to come out from the Byrds works. Love ya Gene, the music lives on.

[andyinoregon]

@iagobroxado Gene really gives Dylan a run for his money on this composition.

[iagobroxado]

@andyinoregon I agree. Have you listened to his composition "Spanish Guitar" from the White Light album? Another great piece by Gene.

[zeenasworld]

@iagobroxado i agree with u. i feel the song in my heart since the first time i heard the song when i was 12 years old.

[moorlock2003]

"Set You Free This Time" is sheer brilliance. It got radio play here in Los Angeles, in fact it was a big hit; so was "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" was another one that should have been a huge national hit. Instead, it was a B side. Tragic.

[moorlock2003]

"Set You Free This Time" is sheer brilliance. It got radio play here in Los Angeles, in fact it was a big hit; so was "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" was another one that should have been a huge national hit. Instead, it was a B side. Tragic.

[spoiledbigtime]

Gene is the pride of Bonner Springs, Kansas and Mendocino California. He is greatly missed.

[bearlag]

Gene Clark was a genius. No one understood that, least if all gene,

[Babyhowdy233]

@bearlag

You are SOOO RIGHT!

[aleecat75]

Without Gene Clark the band REM would have had no reference point. They are a very successful extension of Gene's vision.

[bren1231001]

Gene and Chris are my two favorites.

[captainfairfield]

A previous poster stated, "the Byrds made a lot of memorable music after Clark's departure." This is true, but as a Byrds fan then and now I always felt they were never as good without him. Too much talent to lose in one person.

[moorlock2003]

True. The Byrds made good music after Gene left, but his talents were sorely missed. Songs like this one, "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better", "If You're Gone", and "Eight Miles High" are just beyond brilliant.

[Darius50]

I've been covering this song for years. I loved Gene's stuff. But the others later on stepped up the plate and did some great work as well. I was living in Europe when the Byrds hit and missed all the tv shows. Thanks for posting.

[CarolJHayes]

Gene Clark was always my favourite of the group. I was shocked to hear of his death some time ago.

[GeorgieWise]

The rest of the band hadn't realized how much additional money Gene would receive due to the songwriting royalties. He was rich when they still were not and he flaunted it. After the first album they all started writing songs and jockeying to get their cuts on the albums. The book "Mr. Tamborine Man" is a cover to cover read all at once tome that will keep you spellbound. Gene was the best, in my mind.

[cudaj2]

All though alot of misinformed people consider the Byrds as a Bob Dylan cover band, which they were not, I would have to say that their best early self composed songs were definitely with Gene Clark compositions. From what I know, they made the mistake, which alot of young bands do, of being envious and jealous of their best songwriter, which was a contributing factor towards him leaving the band, instead of being grateful and playing to his strenghts as a songwriter.

[Babyhowdy233]

@cudaj2

That is VERY true!

[bearlag]

Gene stole his own genius from us all too soon. Perhaps he will return again.

[Radicals888]

This is one of my favorite early Byrd's song... very beautiful .Thanx Gene

[alartandy]

I always thought that Gene Clark was the "voice" of the Byrds along with McGuinn's Rickenbacker guitar for the melodies. When Clark left, the group went on a slow decline.

[alonzogarbanzo]

Crosby and McGuinn were no slouches vocally either. But yeah, Gene was always my favorite too. What gets overlooked too much in this song is the intricate rhythm guitar and bass work--Crosby's lines crisscross with Hillman's beautifully while old Roger's way up there in the stratosphere doin' his jingly-jangly thing.

[tfmuch]

A friend brought the single back from the States for me and just put it on. I thought it was Jefferson Airplane. Creative, serious, original beyond anything else the Byrds were doing at the time. And the others just went once they'd laid down their own parts, leaving Gene to it. He was pretty hurt.

[sewerdad]

was a fan of this man from day 1 and still am one of the best. never knew there was so much byrds to be viewed

[friar124]

He sings like an angel too...

[redsoxfan713]

clark wrote many good songs for the band and this is one of the best in my opinion

[TJamesBell]

My all-time favorite Byrds song. This Gene Clark original is absolutely timeless. Gene was such a great and heartfelt songwriter who gets overlooked in the shadow of McGuinn and Crosby. An essential component of their early success. There's no doubt. Thank you for the great post. Wish there was a better quality clip out there somewhere, but I'm grateful for this one.

[hippie1964]

does anyone remember this song by 'the improper bostonians' in the 60's?..i would love to find it; i'd even settle for just the 'wav'..

[moorlock2003]

BIG HIT on Los Angeles radio back in '65

[moorlock2003]

Another brilliant, deeply felt song. Gene Clark - an amazing songwriter.

[tboltjohn]

Gene was not a superstar or of vast wealth and fame, he was something far better.. a legend way ahead of his time.

[moorlock2003]

I come to appreciate Gene Clark's artistry more as time passes. His songs have a poignacy and fragility that is rare.

[arnol7608]

Yeah mate. I agree.

[byrdsmaniac]

Thank you for posting this!

[byrdsss]

Yea no doubt, Gene's contribution can never be overlooked. "She Don't Care About Time", "Set You Free This Time", "Feel A Whole Lot Better", "The World Turns All Around Her", etc.. are brilliant. Gene was The Byrds best songwriter IMO!

[axewulf]

This is a very tender and vulnerable song and I think it influenced Marty Balin who was also good at this sort of thing. Long Live Gene Clark wherever he may be now!

[KennethVJ]

although being quite fond of The Byrds' melodies, I never knew this one till now. Thanks!

[bobbilse]

God, I loved this man's contribtion to The Byrds.

[moorlock2003]

Gene Clark's songs were the best original tunes the band ever had. "If You're Gone" is another gem that tends to get overlooked. Great song.

[zeenasworld]

me 2. the ever best