THE BYRDS, Fifth Dimension (alt.)

THE BYRDS

Fifth Dimension (1966)

5D (Fifth Dimension)
I Know My Rider    [Cancelled Flytes]
Wild Mountain Thyme
Mr. Spaceman
I See You
The Day Walk (Never Before)    [TTT CD re-issue]
Eight Miles High
Hey Joe (Where You Gonna Go)
Why   [Mono Singles 1965-67]
She Don't Care About Time    [TTT CD re-issue]
John Riley
What's Happening?

BONUS 

   Captain Soul 

2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)

I Come and Stand at Every Door 

Another Dimension  (2xLP)

Eight Miles High (RCA version)   [Never Before]

Why (RCA version)   [Never Before]

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The Byrds' 1966 LP was prefaced by two significant events---the release of the groundbreaking single "Eight Miles High"  and the subsequent departure of the band's most consistent singer-songwriter (at the time). Overwhelmed by the anxieties of travelling by plane to meet the demands of the Byrds' touring and promotional needs coupled with increasing alienation among his bandmates due in part to jealousies over his profitable songwriting royalties, Gene Clark was on his way to going solo. His last track completed with the band was "The Day Walk (Never Before)"; a Dylan worshipping lyric paired with a 12-string riff that suspiciously sounds copped from another hit-of-the-day (a similar pattern found in the alternate mix of "She Don't Care About Time"). Guess Clark loved the Stones, too!

Jim (later 'Roger') McGuinn took the songwriting reins with a pair of hits to follow in "5D" and "Mr. Spaceman" .; while Crosby also got in on the action with "What's Happening?!!"  No Dylan covers this time. A couple old folk ditties saw new life breathed into them with string laden arrangements; well sung by McGuinn ("John RIley" and "WIld Mountain Thyme"). 

However, the overall LP isn't as strong as it could be!  Let's lose the downbeat "I Come and Stand at Every Door" and the instrumental b-side "Captain Soul" (which contrary to popular 'belief' features drummer Michael Clarke on harmonica--NOT Gene Clark as one Wikipedia nazi likes to fight me over, lol). The latter song is credited to all four current members at the time; thus, explaining its presence here (not on musical merit). Two songs recorded for a planned single: "I Know My Rider" (another folk tune; the band regrettably decided it'd been done to death) and the jazzy psych jam "Psychodrama City" (written and sung by Crosby) were tragically left unreleased until 1987's 'Never Before' compilation.

My solution? Add the sides from the cancelled single  and replace the two aforementioned tracks with "Why" and "The Day Walk". This gives Gene Clark a fitting farewell in addition to filling out the LP with quality material. Completists should look to the Another Dimension compilation for some groovy ass instrumental takes from the 5D sessions. In particular, "The Lear Jet Song" holds up a lot better than you'd think!

Spotify link: Fifth Dimension (alt.)