You know, The Byrds had some luminaries as members: David Crosby, and Roger McGuinn. But watch their early videos on Youtube, and the only fully-fledged musical genius in that band is the guy playing the tamborine. The magnificent Gene Clark.
Any hit the Byrds had, if not composed by Dylan, you can bet it was written by him. Try "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better", "She Don't Care About Time" and "Eight Miles High" on fer size. All Clark compositions.
And if "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" isn't objectively one of top 5 greatest songs of the 60s, I'll personally eat your hat. Sometimes, when it's late at Keating Towers, and I'm ferreting away here with headphones, while the world sleeps, I believe it to be the finest pop song ever written.
And how many other native American pop stars were there? If anyone knows others, comment away.
Anyhoo, if you like 60s west coast sounds, get yourself his solo album from 1967, after he left the Byrds: its sometimes called Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers, other times known as Echoes. It's truly a forgotten gem. In mon humble opinion.
3 comments:
"Through the Morning, Through the Night" (song) is my favourite Gene.
Re: Native American mainstream musos. Off the top of my head, Jimi Hendrix, Tina Turner, Wayne Newton and representing Canada Robbie Robertson and Buffy Sainte-Marie.
Thanks Amanda! I must confess I didnt research the question, but of course, Hendrix and Robbie Robertson were obvious ones!
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