Thursday, September 10, 2009

An Early Clue to the New Direction: Unfinished Business Edition

From 1965 (and the 1996 reissue of the Turn! Turn! Turn! album) please enjoy the David Crosby-penned backing track for The Byrds' uncompleted yet sci-fi themed "Stranger in a Strange Land."





The Byrds never finished this, for reasons that have never been satisfactorily explained to my knowledge, but what survives is, as they say, a hot one. Apparently there are lyrics somewhere, and some group actually covered it, with Crosby's blessing, at some point; if anybody has a clue, I'd love the details. Personally, I've always thought some smart alt-rock guy should write his own lyrics to the track and dub stuff on top of it.

In any case, as always a coveted PowerPop No-Prize will be awarded the first listener who gleans the clip's relevance to the theme of tomorrow's Weekend Listomania.

17 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds like a session drummer. Verification word today? "Roculad."

David said...

Songs David Crosby wrote when he was high? Nah, too broad a category. Songs named after sci-fi classics?

steve simels said...

The sci-fi songs thing is a good idea, and I will steal it in the future (get it? the future! Jeez -- I'm turning into Ed Wood).

But no, alas.

steve simels said...

No, it's Mike Clarke.

Listen to his foot. And the breaks between the verse and chorus.

Anonymous said...

instrumentals?

best uses of the 12-string?

Anonymous said...

Songs by guys who should have stayed in their original band. (This way we can also tweak Stills & Nash.)

or

Unfinished songs?

ROTP(lumber)

steves said...

Post-Beatles Songs About Alienation?

steve simels said...

No, no and no.

I'm trying to think of a hint...

Anonymous said...

repetititive meloies?

steve simels said...

Okay...it's something about the song, but nobody's got it yet.

Dave said...

Songs with tambourines?

steve simels said...

Good guess.

But NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
:-)

MJConroy said...

"Stranger in a Strange Land."
Was covered by Blackburn and Snow
see: http://www.answers.com/topic/blackburn-snow?cat=entertainment
take a listen here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B00000IGKH/ref=pd_krex_dp_001_001?ie=UTF8&track=001&disc=001

steve simels said...

MJC:

Thanks for that...I've always wanted to hear that.

steve simels said...

Okay -- a hopefully helpful hint.


It has to do with the reissue.

The Kenosha Kid said...

Best bonus track?

steve simels said...

TKK --

We have a winner!!!

Kudos and huzzahs, my friend -- your coveted PowerPop No-Prize is on its way to you via swineherd caravan as we speak!