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#878: The Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man

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Yes, the same song. I did tell you. And here it is. The post today is dedicated to the Byrds’ take on ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’, originally written by Bob Dylan. Instead of the going down the more-or-less strictly acoustic route, the band decided to give the track a full rock band treatment with the use of jangling 12-string electric guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies – a combination of which, at the time, was very much unheard of at the time. Fair to say a lot of people were attracted to this new sound, and it set a foundation that many band followed during the 60s. The track itself did so well that they named their first album after it, so there you go.

I recall hearing it many, many years ago on one of those “Call in and get your double CD set of these great 60s songs” adverts on the television, and there was this 10 second clip of the band singing the song. But it wasn’t until about 2011 that I thought it was a really great song, when it appeared on an Internet radio station. You’ve just got to admire the three-way vocal harmonies of Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark and David Crosby here. Just perfect. It was this track and its lyrics that gave the ‘jangle pop’ genre its name. And that bass riff that opens and closes it out is memorable in itself. Because the producer didn’t have faith in the band’s musicianship, the famous “Wrecking Crew” cast of musicians were brought in to provide a rhythm section to McGuinn’s vocal and 12-string guitar. This was probably a good move. But no one was to really know as the band ‘performed’ it on US television many a time.

So if you were to ask me which I prefer between Dylan’s original and the Byrds’ cover… I mean, the Byrds’ take is the one I’m usually singing in the shower out of the blue. So it may be that. Helps that they shortened the track to only include the chorus and one verse out of the four from Dylan’s take. But overall, it’s such a comfortable listen. There’s a real warmth to it. Ten years ago, this track really took me to a peaceful place. Still does today really. And having Dylan’s original to get lost in makes it all the better.

#877: Bob Dylan – Mr. Tambourine Man

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The original. ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’ was released as a track on Bob Dylan’s fifth album Bringing It All Back Home, the first of two records he would release in 1965. Three weeks after its release, the track gained a ton of popularity when it was covered by The Byrds. The band’s cover was a number one hit on both sides of the Atlantic, and essentially launched folk rock as this huge movement in music, going on to influence a large number of their peers and bands in the years to come.

I’ll say it now, The Byrds’ cover will get its own post in a couple days. Might as well get that admission out of the way. I like both takes of the song quite a bit. Though while I probably sing along to the Byrds, I pretty much just listen to Dylan’s original. There are only four verses in it, but they contain a lot of words – the majority of which I haven’t memorised. But sometimes all you can do is listen to Dylan here. You have to remember this guy was 23 years old when he wrote this, and yet there’s so much imagery and poetry in his lyricism. His rhyming patterns just remind of all those poems I had to read when studying English back in the day. There’s so much to unpack, and yet it’s all just about this character who Dylan seems to admire for their musical abilities. Well, that’s one way of looking at it anyway.

It’s kept quite simple musically. Bob Dylan plays the acoustic guitar and the harmonica during those instrumental breaks alongside an electric guitar countermelody supplied by folk musician Bruce Langhorne. It is said that he was the inspiration behind ‘Tambourine Man’, as he would play a Turkish frame drum during performances. Keeping things stark and light on the ears really allows Dylan’s voice to come through, and it’s difficult to not get lost in the words. You may make fun of the way he sings it all, but who doesn’t when it comes to Bob Dylan songs. I know it’s something I’m prone to do. Can’t help it. But again, it’s all about the feeling rather than the quality of his singing. There’s plenty of that here.

#876: The Kinks – Mr. Songbird

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In a parallel universe, ‘Mr. Songbird’ made it onto the final tracklist of The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. It would have been the seventh song on there out of 12, and it would have been loved and appreciated by all as the album was commercially successful and went straight to number one in many countries. It didn’t happen that way over here though. In fact, the complete opposite happened. The track was actually to be on a 12-track version of the album that planned for release in Europe, but main songwriter Ray Davies persisted that more work had to be done. In the end, the album came out on the same day as The Beatles’ White Album, with 15 tracks and no sign of ‘Songbird’ on there. It didn’t do very well commercially too.

So ‘Songbird’ was something of a rarity for years before it was released as a bonus track on a release of Village Green in 2004. Bit of a shame as, like the 15 tracks that made it on the original release, it contains just as great a melody in the vocals and instrumental elements. Its subject matter also aligns with the overall theme of the album. Nature and nostalgia. Ray Davies tells the listener about a bird that provides him the comfort and enthusiasm to wake up and start a new day with its singing. The mellotron plays the role of the bird here, answering Davies’ “Sing Mr. Songbird” plea with a little trill.

Apart from the mellotron and Davies’ vocals which are clearly meant to be the main focus in the track judging by how predominant in the mix, Pete Quaife also plays his role on the melodic side of it all with his bass. I particularly like that walk down he performs about a minute and a half in. Vilagge Green was the last album he played on as a member of The Kinks, and Davies himself admits that things weren’t the same once he departed. The overall swing feel to the track is another plus in my eyes. And I swear there are these female ‘ooh’ backing vocals at some points too, but they’re really really quiet in the mix. There’s quite a bit to look out for when listening to this one, so I’ll leave it in your hands. Or ears. Whichever one makes more sense.

#875: Mos Def ft. Q-Tip – Mr. Nigga

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‘Mr. Nigga’ can be found on Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def’s) first solo studio album Black on Both Sides. I heard this track for the first time when I was 18 or so. At that age, you think you’re an adult ’cause that’s how it is in the UK. You really aren’t. I still had a lot of growing up to do. So when it came to this one, I didn’t really pay attention to what Mos Def what saying, but more how many times the N word was said in the track. Why’s that, you might ask. I’m not too sure myself. I guess an over-use of swear words in music was still amusing to me at the time. But then I got older, properly listened, and realised ‘Mr. Nigga’ is one of the realest hip-hop songs ever made. In three verses and its three choruses, the track deals with a topic that is very much relevant today – that being the subtle and not-so-subtle racism in society. Though coming from the perspective of a wealthy Black rapper, the situations are still the same.

The track tells a story of a wealthy Black man who still has to endure the stares, the comments, injustice from the law, mistreatment in America and abroad, all because of the colour of his skin. The instrumental’s great. Led by this flowing groove with some slapping bass and a somewhat cheery piano riff, it skips and hops and sometimes drops out to accentuate what Mos says in some places. But what really sells the song’s message, apart from the lyrics (obviously), is his delivery. The way he portrays the characters he describes by changing his voice, like the annoying flight attendant in the second verse, or when he expresses his loss for words when that same flight attendant asks for a photograph a few moments later. Just all throughout, Mos’ vocal delivery is so engaging and expressive, you can’t help but just nod your head to it, but you really have to take note that he is telling you some very serious stuff here. His admission that he’ll probably be treated the same way, even after having provided for his children or bought his mother a nice new house, doesn’t give much hope for the future either. There’s no happy ending to this track. And as you can see today, 22 years on, not much has changed really.

I like that Q-Tip is included in the track. He doesn’t have a verse. He more backs up Mos with ad-libs and joins him the chorus. I believe that’s due to the fact that the chorus itself is an interpolation of ‘Sucka Nigga’, a track that Q-Tip was on in his A Tribe Called Quest days. That’s all a side note though, needed a way to end this post on a positive. Both tracks are well worth the time.

#874: They Might Be Giants – Mr. Me

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‘Mr. Me’ from TMBG’s Lincoln is a whole ball of fun. It has quite a cartoon-ey feel about it in its delivery. I read a comment somewhere that likened it to the music you’ll hear in a Mario Kart game; just from the knowledge I’ve gained from playing Mario Kart DS, the comparison isn’t too far off. Those high whistle-like noises and trumpet sounds are very reminiscent of the sounds from those games. And in general, the track is just propelled onwards by these crazy drum-machine rhythms which give an odd, but strangely addictive bounce to everything that’s going on.

But then you see the lyrics, and it’s clear that it’s about the titular character who may just be suffering from severe depression. Mr. Me’s been feeling this way for a while, depression is the track is symbolised as a ‘misty sea’ that ‘Me’ has been lost in for some time, and the track is something like a cry or a call for someone to help ‘Me’, but to also be careful that they don’t become depressed as well. So, you know… very polarising elements of a song are present here. Have to say though, a song about a really sad man never sounded so upbeat and cheerful before. It wouldn’t be the last time the band did something to this effect too. They always seem to do it so well.

To sum up, I enjoy it. This is a track that is over in under two minutes, so there’s not much else that I can think of to say. John Linnell sings it, he does a good job, John Flansburgh provides the catchy ‘yo yo-yo’ backing vocals which are very hard to forget. Just a short sweet burst of happy/sad music. And to close out, here’s a live performance of the song from 1987.