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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.