The Byrds: Song Discography 1965-1990

Song Discography: 1965-1990 The Byrds

Recorded: 1965-1990 Genre: folk rock

The Players: Gene Clark (v/percussion: 1964-66, 73) Roger “Jim” McGuinn (v/g: 1964-73, 89-90) Chris Hillman (b/v/ mandolin: 1964-68, 73, 89-90) David Crosby (v/g: 1964-67,73, 89-90) Michael Clarke (d: 1964-67, 73) Jim Gordon (d: 1967) Gram Parsons (v/g/k: 1967-68) Kevin Kelly (d: 1967-68) Doug Dillard (v/banjo/g – touring band: Spring ‘68) Clarence White (g: 1969-71) John York (b: 1969-71) Glen Parsons (d: 1969-71) Skip Battin (b: 1970-73) John Jorgenson (g: 1989-90) Steve Duncan (d: 1989-90) v = vocals, g = guitar, b = bass, k = keyboards; d = drums The Compilations This page lists all the songs featured on the following compilations: G1 Greatest Hits (covers 1965-67, released 1967) G2 Greatest Hits Volume II (covers 1965-71, released 1971) B2 The Best of, Volume II (covers 1965-71, released 1972) 20 20 Essential Tracks from the Boxed Set (covers 1965-1990, released 1992) Spotify Playlist Here’s my Greatest Hits 1965-1990 playlist at Spotify that includes all songs in chronological order from Greatest Hits, Greatest Hits Volume II, The Best of, Volume II, and 20 Essential Tracks from the Boxed Set. Tracks: Here are the singles and songs from the compilations above released by the Byrds from 1965 to 1990. Click on a song title for more details. Mr. Tambourine Man (1965): Mr. Tambourine Man (4/12/1965) G1, 20 All I Really Want to Do (6/14/1965) G1, 20 I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better (6/14/1965) G1, 20 The Bells of Rhymney G1 Chimes of Freedom G1 Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965): Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) (10/1/1965) G1, 20 It Won’t Be Wrong (1/10/1966) He Was a Friend of Mine B2, 20 The Times They Are A-Changin’ G2 Fifth Dimension (1966): Eight Miles High (3/14/1966) G1, 20 5D (Fifth Dimension) (6/13/1966) G1, 20 Mr. Spaceman (9/6/1966) G1, 20 Younger Than Yesterday (1967): So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (1/9/1967) G1, 20 My Back Pages (3/13/1967) G1, 20 Have You Seen Her Face (5/22/1967) 20 Lady Friend (7/13/1967) * 20 The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968): Goin’ Back (10/20/1967) G2, 20 Wasn’t Born to Follow (9/26/1969) G2, B2 Get to You G2 Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968): You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere (4/2/1968) G2, B2 I Am a Pilgrim (9/2/1968) G2 Hickory Wind Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde (1969): Bad Night at the Whiskey (1/7/1969) Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man (1/7/1969) G2 Lay Lady Lay (5/2/1969) G2 Ballad of Easy Rider (1969): Ballad of Easy Rider (10/1/1969) G2, B2, 20 Jesus Is Just Alright (12/15/1969) G2, B2, 20 The Byrds (Untitled) (1970): Chestnut Mare (10/23/70) G2, B2, 20 Byrdmaniax (1971): I Trust Everything Is Gonna Work Out Alright (5/7/1971) G2 Glory, Glory (8/20/1971) Citizen Kane B2 I Wanna Grow Up to Be a Politician B2, 20 Farther Along (1971): America’s Great National Pastime (11/29/1971) B2 Tiffany Queen B2 The Byrds (Reunion Album) (1973): Full Circle (4/11/1973) Things Will Be Better (4/24/1973) Cowgirl in the Sand (June ’73) The Songs Songs from 1965 to 1968 are featured on the individual DMDB album pages. Songs from 1969 that are listed above are show in more detail below.

Bad Night at the Whiskey The Byrds

Writer(s): Roger McGuinn, Joseph Richards Released: 1/7/1969 (single), Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde (1969) B-Side: “Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man” Peak: 49 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.17 streaming About the Song Released as the lead single from Dr. Byrd & Mr. Hyde, this song came just five months after the Byrds’ country-rock album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. This song made it apparent that the Byrds “were heading for another new sound…this was a taster of a tougher rhythm and heavier rock sound.” MC-93 The song had “sinister-sounding harmonies and a great, ghostly guitar groove from White that drives the track in a slow-motion ‘Purple Haze’ fashion.” MC-94 Joey Richards, a friend of Roger McGuinn’s, wrote the lyrics about “a bad show at the Whisky A Go Go club” MC-94 although the title is never referenced in the song and is about unspecified incidents featuring an unnamed band. MC-94

Drug Store Truck Drivin’ Man The Byrds

Writer(s): Roger McGuinn, Gram Parsons Released: 1/7/1969 (B-side of “Bad Night at the Whiskey”), Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde (1969) Peak: 19 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.87 streaming About the Song The song is “a classic, bitter country waltz, ridiculing combative country music DJ Ralph Emery, who the band had incurred the wrath of when they appeared on his Nashville radio show. He ridiculed them throughout the interview and proclaimed his dislike for ‘You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere.’ The incident duly inspired Gram Parsons and McGuinn to write a sarcastic and condescending response.” MC-92 “The song’s truck-driving references relate to truck-driver-product adverts Emery used to play.” MC-92 “Though the song sounds like a vicious parody – and Ralph Emery was an outrageously confrontational redneck (hence the Ku Klux Klan jibe) – there’s a real country authenticity with a catch Nashville groove.” MC-92 While the song fit the vibe of the Sweetheart of the Rodeo, it wasn’t recorded until October, two months after the album’s release. MC-92 It was the only song written by McGuinn and Parsons together and features what may be “the wittiest of all Byrds lyrics.” MC-93

Lay Lady Lay The Byrds

Writer(s): Bob Dylan Recorded: 3/27/1969 at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, California; 4/18/1969 at Columbia Studios in Nashville, Tennessee Released: 5/2/1969 (single), Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde (1997 reissue of 1969 album) B-Side: “Old Blue” Peak: 30 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 18.63 streaming About the Song The Byrds tackled Bob Dylan yet again. Dylan recorded “Lay Lady Lay” in February 1969; the Byrds recorded it a month later. The Byrds released theirs as a single in May, while Dylan didn’t do so until two months later. Dylan, however, released his version first as an album cut on Nashville Skyline in April. Unfortunately, the Byrds’ version is “a tale of producer Bob Johnston’s bad decision-making. The first 10 seconds…tell you all you need to know. Without the band’s knowledge, Johnston overdubbed the female choir, and the band were so incensed by the gauche and unnecessary addition, that they rehired Terry Melcher as their producer.” MC-95

Ballad of Easy Rider The Byrds

Writer(s): Roger McGuinn Recorded: February 1969 at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, California Released: 10/1/1969 (single), Ballad of Easy Rider (1969) B-Side: “Oil in My Lamp” Peak: 65 BB, 87 CB, 74 HR, 33 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 6.79 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: There is an assumption that the two main characters in the movie Easy Rider are based on Roger McGuinn (played by Peter Fonda) and David Crosby (Dennis Hopper). Therefore, it’s no surprise that the Byrds would offer up this song for the soundtrack. Bob Dylan initially wrote some words on a napkin and gave it to Fonda, telling him to give it to McGuinn, who would know what to do with it. McGuinn turned those “introductory lines into a tasteful folk lament.” MC-97 Dylan didn’t ask for any credit since he didn’t care for the end of the film. MC-97

Jesus Is Just Alright The Byrds

Writer(s): Arthur Reid Reynolds Recorded: 6/17/1969 at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, California Released: 12/15/1969 (single), Ballad of Easy Rider (1969) B-Side: “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” Peak: 97 BB, 76 HR, 43 CL, 18 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.20 streaming About the Song A

Chestnut Mare The Byrds

Writer(s): Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy Recorded: June 1-5, June 9, and June 11, 1970 at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, California Released: 10/23/1970 (single), The Byrds (Untitled) (1970) B-Side: “Just a Season” Peak: 95 CB, 16 CL, 19 UK Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.01 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: A

I Trust (Everything Is Gonna Work Out Alright) The Byrds

Writer(s): Roger McGuinn Released: 5/7/1971 (single), Byrdmaniax (1971) B-Side: “This Is My Destiny” Peak: 49 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.07 streaming About the Song A

Glory, Glory The Byrds

Writer(s): Arthur Reynolds Released: 8/20/1971 (single), Byrdmaniax (1971) B-Side: “Citizen Kane” Peak: 43 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.12 streaming About the Song A

America’s Great National Pastime The Byrds

Writer(s): Skip Battin, Kim Fowley Released: 11/29/1971 (single), Farther Along (1971) B-Side: “Farther Along” Peak: 49 CL, 19 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.10 streaming About the Song A

Full Circle The Byrds

Writer(s): Gene Clark Recorded: Oct. 16 – Nov. 15, 1972 at Wally Heider Studio in Los Angeles, California Released: 4/11/1973 (single), The Byrds (Reunion Album) (1973) B-Side: “Long Live the King” Peak: 87 CB, 77 HR, 44 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.93 streaming About the Song Gene Clark wrote and recorded this song as “Full Circle Song” for his 1973 Roadmaster solo album. Months later, the reunited Byrds recorded it for their Byrds (Reunion) album.

Things Will Be Better The Byrds

Writer(s): Chris Hillman, Dallas Taylor Released: 4/24/1973 (single), The Byrds (Reunion Album) (1973) B-Side: “For Free” Peak: 49 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.16 streaming About the Song A

Cowgirl in the Sand The Byrds

Writer(s): Neil Young Released: June 1973 (single), The Byrds (Reunion Album) (1973) B-Side: “Long Live the King” Peak: 49 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 7.02 streaming About the Song Neil Young wrote and recorded this song for his 1969 album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.

Resources/References: MC Andy McArthur (2023). On Track…Every Album, Every Song. Sonicbond Publishing: United Kingdom. Related DMDB Pages: First posted 10/24/2026; last updated 10/25/2026.