Belated 55th Anniversary Album Spotlight
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
Released July 18, 1966
Chart debut: August 27, 1966
Chart peak: #24 (October 8, 1966)
Wiki said:
Fifth Dimension is the third album by the American rock band the Byrds and was released in July 1966 on Columbia Records. Most of the album was recorded following the February 1966 departure of the band's principal songwriter Gene Clark. In an attempt to compensate for Clark's absence, guitarists Jim McGuinn and David Crosby stepped into the breach and increased their songwriting output. In spite of this, the loss of Clark resulted in an album with a total of four cover versions and an instrumental, which critics have described as "wildly uneven" and "awkward and scattered". However, the album is notable for being the first by the Byrds not to include any songs written by Bob Dylan, whose material had previously been a mainstay of the band's repertoire.
The album opens with its Jim McGuinn-penned title track and second single, "5D (Fifth Dimension)" (charted July 16, 1966; #44 US):
Wiki said:
"5D (Fifth Dimension)"...was an abstract attempt to explain Einstein's theory of relativity, which was misconstrued by many as being a song about an LSD trip....This resulted in some radio stations in America refusing to play the song.
Next is the prettily sang "Wild Mountain Thyme," one of two band arrangements of traditional folk songs on the album...this one having been known to Jim McGuinn from a recording made by Pete Seeger.
Following that is another McGuinn original and the album's third single, the playful "Mr. Spaceman" (charted Sept. 24, 1966; #36 US):
Wiki describes it as
an early foray into country rock and a semi-serious meditation on the existence of alien life. In spite of its tongue-in-cheek lyrics, both McGuinn and Crosby were serious about the possibility of communicating with extraterrestrial lifeforms via the medium of radio broadcast. McGuinn in particular felt that if the song was played on radio there was a possibility that extraterrestrials might intercept the broadcasts and make contact. However, in later years McGuinn realized that this would've been impossible since AM radio waves disperse too rapidly in space.
McGuinn/Crosby collboration
"I See You" hearkens back to some of the poppier songs on the band's prior albums. Wiki describes it as "jazzy" and representing an "example of abstract lyrics coupled with raga-influenced, psychedelic guitar solos."
The first song written solely by David Crosby to appear on a Byrds record is the contemplative if excessively punctuated "What's Happening?!?!":
"What's Happening?!?!"...began [Crosby's] penchant for writing abstract songs asking irresoluble questions—a trend that has continued throughout his career with Crosby, Stills & Nash and as a solo artist. During a 1966 interview, Crosby admitted that it was a strange song, noting, "It asks questions of what's going on here and who does it all belong to and why is it all going on. I just ask the questions because I really don't know the answers."...The song exhibits the strong influence of Indian classical music, with its droning guitar and melody.
The first side closes on a very solemn, morbid note with
"I Come and Stand at Every Door".
The song's lyrics, which were adapted from a poem by Nâzım Hikmet, recount the story of a seven-year-old child who was killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The song describes how the child's spirit now walks the earth in search of peace in the nuclear age.
Side two opens with the album's lead single, the groundbreaking "Eight Miles High," written by Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn, and David Crosby (charted Apr. 9, 1966; #14 US; #24 UK; #150 on
Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time [2004]):
Musically, the song was a fusion of John Coltrane-influenced guitar playing—courtesy of lead guitarist Jim McGuinn—and raga-based musical structure and vocals, inspired by the Indian classical music of Ravi Shankar. Written mostly by Clark in November 1965...the song was pivotal in transmuting folk rock into the new musical forms of psychedelia and raga rock. Regardless of its innovative qualities, however, many radio stations in the U.S. banned the record, believing the title to be a reference to recreational drug use. Although the song's lyrics actually pertained to the approximate cruising altitude of commercial airliners, and the group's first visit to London during their 1965 English tour, both Clark and rhythm guitarist David Crosby later admitted that the song was at least partly inspired by their own drug use.
Immersive retro context really helped me to appreciate how much this song was bringing to the table in its time...it stood out as being the first example of full-on psychedelic rock to pop up on our radar.
Reportedly Dave Crosby took an early interest in Billy Roberts composition
"Hey Joe (Where You Gonna Go)," though other acts beat the Byrds to recording it. Their up-tempo arrangement does precede the definitive Jimi Hendrix Experience version, however.
"Captain Soul" is an instrumental credited to all four Byrds of the time (McGuinn, Chris Hillman, Michael Clarke, and Crosby). According to Wiki, it "grew out of an in-studio jam of Lee Dorsey's 'Get Out of My Life, Woman'".
"John Riley" is the other band arrangment of a traditional folk song, this one known to McGuinn from a Joan Baez recording.
The album closes with experimental McGuinn composition
"2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)". Per Wiki, it was
an attempt to create an aural approximation of a flight in a Lear Jet. The song was inspired by the band's friendship with jet manufacturer John Lear and the title is a reference to the registration number of Lear's own personal jet, which was N242FT. The song makes extensive use of aviation sound effects, including an in-cockpit recitation of a pilot's pre-takeoff checklist and the sound of a jet engine starting up. While the song can be regarded as another of the Byrds' quirky album closers, like "Oh! Susannah" and "We'll Meet Again" from their previous albums, Crosby and McGuinn actually took the song very seriously, arguing that it was an innovative attempt at incorporating mechanical sounds into a pop song format.
Upon release, Fifth Dimension was widely regarded as the band's most experimental album to date and is today considered by critics to be influential in originating the musical genre of psychedelic rock.
While the album is perfectly pleasant and listenable, it lacks stand-out tracks that live up to the promise of "Eight Miles High".
_______
A propaganda coup for both the North Vietnamese and the Right Wing.
Burdening her with the nickname Hanoi Jane.
And would subsequently be returned by Jovian authorities for insufficient postage.
Was this meant to tie in with the Apollo 15 item?
That's a nice little rocker.
From a posthumous live album, this recording dates to a Big Brother show back in '68.
Also could be described as a nice little rocker.
The only charting Stones single with Keith on lead vocals...this is the part of the show where Mick shakes some maracas to try to look like he's doing something.
Both relatively undistinguished songs by distinguished artists.
Good one. Oldies Radio staple.
Yep, and an effective pick-me-up song.
