Lady Friend (song)
Encyclopedia
"Lady Friend" is a song by the American rock
band
The Byrds
, written by David Crosby
and released as a single
on July 13, 1967. The single
reached #82 on the Billboard Hot 100
but failed to chart in the United Kingdom. In America and Europe the B-side
of "Lady Friend" was the Chris Hillman
song "Old John Robertson" but in the UK the single's B-side was changed to "Don't Make Waves", a song written by Roger McGuinn
and Chris Hillman. The version of "Old John Robertson" found on the B-side of "Lady Friend" is a substantially different mix
to the version that would later appear on The Notorious Byrd Brothers
album. "Lady Friend" is notable for being the only song penned solely by David Crosby to appear on the A-side
of a Byrds' single.
The song was written by Crosby in early 1967 at his home in Beverly Glen
in Los Angeles. A demo
of the song dating from this period, featuring Crosby accompanying himself on acoustic guitar
, was included in the KPFA
program The Crosby Connection, during the radio station's February 3, 2001 Grateful Dead
marathon. The Byrds' recording of the song has a quick tempo
and features chiming guitars
, complex vocal harmonies
and brass
, resulting in the fastest and rockiest
single The Byrds had released up to that point. Crosby closely oversaw the protracted recording of the song, much to McGuinn and Hillman's consternation. Tensions in the band increased in the late stages of production when Crosby replaced his bandmates' backing vocals
with his own vocal overdubs
.
Crosby was hopeful that "Lady Friend" would return The Byrds to the upper reaches of the chart but the record received insufficient airplay and media exposure
, despite the band performing it on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
, and ultimately it failed commercially. Crosby was bitterly disappointed by the single's lack of success and cited producer
Gary Usher
's mixing
of the song as a contributing factor, stating in a contemporary interview with disc jockey
B. Mitchel Reed
"The final mix of 'Lady Friend' sounds like mush." The Byrds performed "Lady Friend" during their appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival
and a recording of this performance can be found on the 1992 The Monterey International Pop Festival CD
box set. The song was omitted from The Byrds' next album, The Notorious Byrd Brothers, partly due to its lack of commercial success as a single and partly due to Crosby having been fired from the band by McGuinn and Hillman midway through the recording of the album.
Having initially been mixed in mono
for its release as a single in 1967, "Lady Friend" wasn't released in stereo
until its inclusion on the 1987 compilation album, Never Before
. However, this version of the song also featured the addition of overdubbed drums, played by an unnamed session musician
. Reaction to the new drumming on the song amongst fans was almost universally negative, with many feeling that the addition of 1980s sounding drums was completely inappropriate and incongruous. Subsequently, this doctored version of the song has not appeared on any other album release.
A new stereo remix
of the song, without the 1980s overdubs, was released on The Byrds box set in 1990. The song was also added as a bonus track to the 1996 Columbia/Legacy
reissue of the Younger Than Yesterday
album. In addition to its appearance on the expanded reissue of Younger Than Yesterday, "Lady Friend" also appears on several Byrds' compilations
, including History of The Byrds
, The Original Singles: 1967–1969, Volume 2
, The Essential Byrds
and There Is a Season
.
"Lady Friend" has been covered
by Little John, on their 1969 album, Little John, and by The Flamin' Groovies, on their 1979 album, Jumpin' in the Night. The song was also covered by Static on the 1989 Byrds' tribute album
, Time Between – A Tribute to The Byrds. In 2001, The Posies
released a version of the song as part of their Nice Cheekbones and a Ph.D EP
. In addition, Kenny Howes
has also recorded a version of the song as the title track of his 2004 album, Lady Friend.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, written by David Crosby
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
and released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on July 13, 1967. The single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
reached #82 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
but failed to chart in the United Kingdom. In America and Europe the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of "Lady Friend" was the Chris Hillman
Chris Hillman
Christopher Hillman was one of the original members of The Byrds which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke....
song "Old John Robertson" but in the UK the single's B-side was changed to "Don't Make Waves", a song written by Roger McGuinn
Roger McGuinn
James Roger McGuinn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist on many of The Byrds' records...
and Chris Hillman. The version of "Old John Robertson" found on the B-side of "Lady Friend" is a substantially different mix
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
to the version that would later appear on The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Notorious Byrd Brothers is the fifth album by the American rock band The Byrds and was released in January 1968 on Columbia Records . Musically, the album represents the pinnacle of The Byrds' psychedelic experimentation, with the band blending together elements of folk rock, psychedelic rock,...
album. "Lady Friend" is notable for being the only song penned solely by David Crosby to appear on the A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
of a Byrds' single.
The song was written by Crosby in early 1967 at his home in Beverly Glen
Beverly Glen, Los Angeles, California
Beverly Glen is a Beverly Crest neighborhood located around Beverly Glen Boulevard north of Sunset Boulevard and south of Mulholland Drive. A predominantly wealthy area, with residences ranging from large gated estates, to smaller one story family homes. Stone Canyon Reservoir lies in the...
in Los Angeles. A demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of the song dating from this period, featuring Crosby accompanying himself on acoustic guitar
Acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, was included in the KPFA
KPFA
KPFA is a listener-funded progressive talk radio and music radio station located in Berkeley, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area. KPFA airs public news, public affairs, talk, and music programming. The station signed on-the-air April 15 1949, as the first Pacifica Station...
program The Crosby Connection, during the radio station's February 3, 2001 Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
marathon. The Byrds' recording of the song has a quick tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
and features chiming guitars
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, complex vocal harmonies
Vocal harmony
Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are sung at the same time as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical choral music and opera and in the popular styles from...
and brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
, resulting in the fastest and rockiest
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
single The Byrds had released up to that point. Crosby closely oversaw the protracted recording of the song, much to McGuinn and Hillman's consternation. Tensions in the band increased in the late stages of production when Crosby replaced his bandmates' backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
with his own vocal overdubs
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
.
Crosby was hopeful that "Lady Friend" would return The Byrds to the upper reaches of the chart but the record received insufficient airplay and media exposure
Publicity
Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public's perception of a subject. The subjects of publicity include people , goods and services, organizations of all kinds, and works of art or entertainment.From a marketing perspective, publicity is one component of promotion which is one...
, despite the band performing it on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
, and ultimately it failed commercially. Crosby was bitterly disappointed by the single's lack of success and cited producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Gary Usher
Gary Usher
Gary Usher was an American surf rock musician, songwriter, and record producer.-Biography:Usher's early life was spent in Grafton, Massachusetts. He attended Norcross Grammar School with his sister, Sandra, who was in the same class and was likely his twin. Gary was kiddingly called "Chicken Feed"...
's mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
of the song as a contributing factor, stating in a contemporary interview with disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
B. Mitchel Reed
B. Mitchel Reed
B. Mitchel Reed was a successful American disc Jockey for both Top 40 and album-oriented rock radio, who worked in New York and Los Angeles in a career spanning 25 years.-Career:...
"The final mix of 'Lady Friend' sounds like mush." The Byrds performed "Lady Friend" during their appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival
Monterey Pop Festival
The Monterey International Pop Music Festival was a three-day concert event held June 16 to June 18, 1967 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California...
and a recording of this performance can be found on the 1992 The Monterey International Pop Festival CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
box set. The song was omitted from The Byrds' next album, The Notorious Byrd Brothers, partly due to its lack of commercial success as a single and partly due to Crosby having been fired from the band by McGuinn and Hillman midway through the recording of the album.
Having initially been mixed in mono
Monaural
Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
for its release as a single in 1967, "Lady Friend" wasn't released in stereo
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
until its inclusion on the 1987 compilation album, Never Before
Never Before (album)
Never Before is a compilation album by the American rock band The Byrds, consisting of previously unreleased outtakes, alternate versions, and rarities. It was initially released by Re-Flyte Records in December 1987 and was subsequently reissued on CD in 1989, with an additional seven bonus tracks...
. However, this version of the song also featured the addition of overdubbed drums, played by an unnamed session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
. Reaction to the new drumming on the song amongst fans was almost universally negative, with many feeling that the addition of 1980s sounding drums was completely inappropriate and incongruous. Subsequently, this doctored version of the song has not appeared on any other album release.
A new stereo remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of the song, without the 1980s overdubs, was released on The Byrds box set in 1990. The song was also added as a bonus track to the 1996 Columbia/Legacy
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
reissue of the Younger Than Yesterday
Younger Than Yesterday
Younger Than Yesterday is the fourth album by the American rock band The Byrds and was released in February 1967 on Columbia Records . The album saw the band continuing to integrate elements of psychedelic rock into their music, a process they had begun on their previous LP...
album. In addition to its appearance on the expanded reissue of Younger Than Yesterday, "Lady Friend" also appears on several Byrds' compilations
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, including History of The Byrds
History of The Byrds
History of The Byrds is a budget priced, double album compilation by the American rock band The Byrds and was released on May 18, 1973 by CBS Records . The compilation was released exclusively in Europe and the UK, peaking at #47 on the UK Albums Chart, but it was also available in the United...
, The Original Singles: 1967–1969, Volume 2
The Original Singles: 1967–1969, Volume 2
The Original Singles: 1965-1967, Volume 2 is a compilation album by American rock 'n' roll band The Byrds. Originally released in 1982, it offered, for the first time, all of the mono single versions of the Byrds' singles released between 1967 and early 1969...
, The Essential Byrds
The Essential Byrds
-Disc one:#"Mr. Tambourine Man" – 2:31#"I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" – 2:32#"All I Really Want to Do" – 2:04#"Chimes of Freedom" – 3:51...
and There Is a Season
There Is a Season
There Is a Season is a four-CD box set by the American rock band The Byrds that was released on September 26, 2006 by Columbia/Legacy. It comprises 99 tracks and includes material from every one of the band's twelve studio albums, presented in roughly chronological order...
.
"Lady Friend" has been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by Little John, on their 1969 album, Little John, and by The Flamin' Groovies, on their 1979 album, Jumpin' in the Night. The song was also covered by Static on the 1989 Byrds' tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
, Time Between – A Tribute to The Byrds. In 2001, The Posies
The Posies
The Posies are an alternative rock/power pop group. The band was formed in 1987 in Bellingham, Washington by primary songwriters Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow. They are best known for their radio hits "Golden Blunders" , as well as "Dream All Day", "Solar Sister" and "Flavor of the Month"...
released a version of the song as part of their Nice Cheekbones and a Ph.D EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. In addition, Kenny Howes
Kenny Howes
-Early years:Raised in Mulberry, Florida, Howes began his musical endeavors at the age of ten by simultaneously learning the guitar and piano at home and the French horn at school....
has also recorded a version of the song as the title track of his 2004 album, Lady Friend.