Mr. Tambourine Man

Artist: The Byrds
Released: 1965

When I die and (fingers crossed) proceed to heaven, it will be the sound of Roger McGuinn’s 12-string greeting me at the gates. Chiming, ringing, capable of both intricate contrapuntal melodies and a wall of treble, the Rickenbacker is damn near perfect at expressing whatever emotion the player wishes to convey. It’s even better when it’s recorded in mono, pushed to the front of a mix that’s crammed with drums, bass, lead guitar, tambourines, harmonies, phase shifting, and one hundred monkeys banging out MacBeth on typewriters.

Mr. Tambourine Man introduces this formula to great effect. Although the band was a bit pithy with their compositions (only 5 of the 12 tracks were originals), they had the good sense to cover Dylan four times. The title track may have been the apotheosis of “folk rock,” but “Spanish Harlem Incident,” “Chimes of Freedom,” and “All I Really Want To Do” are just as good at breaking down the artificial genre barriers that had been drawn at Top 40 radio. As for those aforementioned originals, “I Knew I’d Want You” and “You Won’t Have To Cry” show a surprising level of sophistication, while “I’d Feel a Whole Lot Better” may have been the greatest non-hit of the 1960s. The sound, however, is king in these songs, placing The Byrds right up there with the Beatles and Velvet Underground when it comes to a post ‘60s musical influence.

So, Mr. Rickenbacker, I’ll catch you in, say, sixty years. If I hear Journey after I’ve left this life, then I know I’m headed in the wrong direction.