Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo: Legacy Edition
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CD Details
Artist: ByrdsEdition: Music CD
Format: Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2003-09-02
Music Label: Sony
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Original LP: You Ain't Going Nowhere
- Original LP: I Am A Pilgrim
- Original LP: The Christian Life
- Original LP: You Don't Miss Your Water
- Original LP: You're Still On My Mind
- Original LP: Pretty Boy Floyd
- Original LP: Hickory Wind
- Original LP: One Hundred Years From Now
- Original LP: Blue Canadian Rockies
- Original LP: Life In Prison
- Original LP: Nothing Was Delivered
- Additional Master Takes: All I Have Are Memories
- Additional Master Takes: Reputation
- Additional Master Takes: Pretty Polly
- Additional Master Takes: Lazy Days
- Additional Master Takes: The Christian Life
- Additional Master Takes: You Don't Miss Your Water
- Additional Master Takes: One Hundred Years From Now
- Additional Master Takes: Radio Spot: Sweetheart Of The Rodeo Album
- The International Submarine Band: Sum Up Broke
- The International Submarine Band: One Day Week
- The International Submarine Band: Truck Drivin' Man
- The International Submarine Band: Blue Eyes
- The International Submarine Band: Luxury Liner
- The International Submarine Band: Strong Boy
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: Lazy Days
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: Pretty Polly
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: Hickory Wind
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: The Christian Life
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: The Christian Life
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: Life In Prison
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: Life In Prison
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: One Hundred Years From Now
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: One Hundred Years From Now
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: You're Still On My Mind
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: You're Still On My Mind
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: All I Have Are Memories (Instrumental)
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: All I Have Are Memories (Instrumental)
- Working Demos, Outtakes & Rehearsal Versions: Blue Canadian Rockies
Music reviews of Sweetheart of the Rodeo: Legacy Edition
Music Review: TWO SWEETHEARTS
Rating: 5 Stars
A couple of things up front....
For most people, the excellent single disk "Expanded Edition Sweetheart" is just fine. If you own it, you really don't need to buy this one. If you are thinking about buying "Sweetheart", you will not go wrong with the single disk version.
If you're a serious Byrds fan or collector you'll almost certainly want this lavishly presented 2 disk Legacy Edition with a substantial amount of new material. But you will still need the single disk as well, as some things remain unique to it.
For example, I really like the instrumental 'All I Have Are Memories', but the Legacy Edition places Kevin Kelley's vocal over this track. Two instrumental alternate takes are on the bonus disk, but both are to my ear inferior and in any case are on the wrong disk. So when I just want to hear "Sweetheart" for listening pleasure, I often still choose the 1-disk edition.
Some other outtakes and studio talk are only on the single disk; e.g., McGuinn, Parsons, and producer Gary Usher before 'The Christian Life,' and the exchange between Parsons and Usher after 'One Hundred Years'.
You will also need that edition for its booklet's notes on individual songs, and a reproduction of the back cover of the original vinyl album (only the back cover artwork is on Legacy).
That having been said...
The Legacy Edition has many good things for serious Byrds fans, even if you're not a serious Parson's fan:
(1) Legacy's Disk 1 is clearly intended for listening pleasure, with no false starts or studio talk to interrupt the experience. The original 11 track "Sweetheart" album is presented in its entirety, followed by four songs that failed to make that album, followed by three clean Gram Parsons vocals that had to be replaced by McGuinn/Hillman due to Parsons' contractual dispute with another label. The radio spot for "Sweetheart" which closes the 1998 single disk as an unlisted "hidden track" closes this one as a listed track.
(2) Sound quality is noticeably improved -- even over the excellent 20 bit sound of the single disk. This one plays louder, and with exceptional clarity.
(3) Gram Parsons' vocal for `You Don't Miss Your Water' is here. It was omitted on the single disk, and is otherwise available only on the Boxed Set.
(4) And of course Kevin Kelley's vocal on 'Memories'. I didn't know one of my favorites had lyrics, so I was glad to find this even though I prefer the instrumental.
(5) My favorite of Disk 2's bonus tracks is a completely different version of 'Pretty Polly' that has to be one of the mysteries of life.
This is not just an alternate take -- lyrics and instrumental interpretation are dramatically different. The words sound at times like Old English, despite a reference to Tennessee and expressions like "up tight". Instrumentally it is closer in feel to 'Pretty Boy Floyd', with an opening countdown and cold ending adding to its charm.
The singer seems to be some sort of court reporter, putting down on public record for his township the incident of "Pretty Polly". Despite intriguing snatches of dialogue between Polly and gambler Willie, obscure and fragmented lyrics leave it tantalizingly unclear what has actually happened. It is not even clear that there was a murder -- though one gathers whatever happened was not good.
Both versions of `Pretty Polly' are first rate polished performances and I can't choose between them, but trying to figure out what to make of them has been fun. Legacy "Sweetheart" attributes both to McGuinn-Hillman, but the single disk booklet says the first is "the traditional crime of passion song 'Pretty Polly'". McGuinn covered this version in "Cardiff Rose" where he attributes it, "Traditional, arranged and adapted by Roger McGuinn". It is a straight forward narrative tale of reckless youth, passion, and murder that nails you between the eyes.
The other - well, doesn't. It certainly sounds traditional. But is it a complete song? An abandoned attempt at an earlier traditional version? I don't think it's a joke. I suspect it is abridged fragments of a much longer song. Whatever this is, it's a thoroughly enjoyable performance that confounds only if you try to follow the lyrics.
(6) The new booklet is completely different and lavishly illustrated in color. David Fricke interviewed McGuinn and Hillman for a much more insightful second look into the creation of the album, and has some great stories about its disastrous reception.
(7) The packaging is exceptional throughout, and as much fun to explore as the original "Sgt. Pepper" album with its paper doll Beatles cut-outs insert. Especially dazzling here is a two panel panorama of the "Sweetheart" Byrds silhouetted in performance on stage, with a couple of psychedelic logos ("The Byrds") floating like wisps of smoke across a screen behind them
And finally, for those serious Gram Parsons fans... Even if you have the monaurel Parsons singles and stereo "Submarine" cuts, you've probably never heard them sound this good. Then there are a few more of his "Sweetheart" outtakes with false starts and studio talk. Those interested in listening to these will find the muscians really do try different things, and there are a number of awfully good moments and musical ideas one wishes could have survived into a final polished track.
Bottom line:
Anyone who buys this will easily get their money's worth, and it is a delicious treat for serious Byrds fans.
But not everyone needs to go that extra mile...
Description of Sweetheart of the Rodeo: Legacy Edition
Generally reckoned to be the most important & greatest country-rock album of all time, 1968's Sweetheart of the Rodeo is back in a deluxe reissue that really brings to light the genius of Gram Parsons & the Byrds themselves. Disc one reprises the original album with the vocals Roger Mc Guinn substituted for Parsons due to contractual entanglements, then offers the songs with the original Parsons vocals that first surfaced on the now out-of-print Byrds boxed set. The disc ends with an unreleased Kevin Kelley vocal on 'All I Have Is Memories, presaging the glorious run of rarities on disc two, beginning with the International Submarine Band's lone single for Columbia & three tracks in stereo from their Safe At Home album, then turning to 14 previously unreleased rehearsal & alternate takes from the Sweetheart of the Rodeo sessions. Plus revealing studio chatter that portrays a masterpiece in theClassic Rock CDs
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