album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

the Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...

live concert A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety ...

studio recording The term studio recording means any recording made in a studio, as opposed to a live recording, which is usually made in a concert venue or a theatre, with an audience attending the performance. Studio cast recordings In the case of Broadway musi ...

Skip Battin Clyde "Skip" Battin (February 18, 1934 – July 6, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter, bassist, performer, and recording artist. He was a member of the Byrds, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Εarly life C ...

bass player A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboard bass or a low br ...

John York John C. York (born April 18, 1949) is a retired American cancer research pathologist, married to Marie Denise DeBartolo York, and former co-owner and current co-chairman of the San Francisco 49ers. The studio album mostly consists of newly written, self-penned material, including a number of songs that had been composed by band leader

Roger McGuinn James Roger McGuinn (born James Joseph McGuinn III; July 13, 1942) is an American musician. He is best known for being the frontman and leader of the Byrds. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the Byrds. As a ...

and

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

theatre director A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production such as a play, opera, dance, drama, musical theatre performance, etc. by unifying various endeavors a ...

Jacques Levy Jacques Levy (July 29, 1935 – September 30, 2004) was an American songwriter, theatre director and clinical psychologist. Early life and education Levy was born in New York City in 1935 and graduated from the City College of New York in 1956. ...

for a planned

country rock Country rock is a genre of music which fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal s ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

that the pair were developing. The production was to have been based on

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...

's ''

Peer Gynt ''Peer Gynt'' (, ) is a five- act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen published in 1876. Written in Norwegian, it is one of the most widely performed Norwegian plays. Ibsen believed ''Per Gynt'', the Norwegian fairy tale on wh ...

'' and staged under the title of ''Gene Tryp'' (an anagram of Ibsen's

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...

), but plans for the musical fell through. Five of the songs that had been intended for ''Gene Tryp'' were instead recorded by the Byrds for ''(Untitled)''—although only four appear in the album's final running order. The album peaked at number 40 on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs chart and reached number 11 on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...

. A

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

taken from the album, "

Chestnut Mare "Chestnut Mare" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds, written by Roger McGuinn and Jacques Levy during 1969 for a planned country rock musical named ''Gene Tryp''. The musical was never staged and the song was instead released in September ...

" b/w "Just a Season", was released in the U.S. in October 1970, but missed the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, bubbling under at number 121. The single was later released in the UK in January 1971, where it did considerably better, reaching number 19 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

. Upon release, ''(Untitled)'' was met with positive reviews and strong sales, with many critics and fans regarding the album as a return to form for the band. Likewise, the album is today generally regarded by critics as being the best that the latter-day line-up of the Byrds produced.

Background

Following the dismissal of the Byrds' bass player, John York, in September 1969, Skip Battin was recruited as a replacement at the suggestion of

drummer A drummer is a percussionist who creates music using drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one mem ...

Gene Parsons Gene Victor Parsons (born September 4, 1944, in Morongo Valley, California) is an American drummer, banjo player, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and engineer, best known for his work with the Byrds from 1968 to 1972. Parsons has also released so ...

and

guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselv ...

Clarence White Clarence White (born Clarence Joseph LeBlanc; June 7, 1944 – July 15, 1973) was an American bluegrass and country guitarist and singer. He is best known as a member of the bluegrass ensemble the Kentucky Colonels and the rock band the Byrd ...

. Battin was, at 35, the oldest member of the band and the one with the longest musical history. Battin's professional career in music had begun in 1959, as one half of the

pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...

duo

Skip & Flip Skip & Flip was a U.S. pop duo, consisting of Skip ( Clyde Battin) and Flip ( Gary S. Paxton). They met while attending the University of Arizona in the late 1950s. Career Once known as The Rockabillies, they recorded on Rev Records as The Pled ...

. The duo had notched up a string of hits between 1959 and 1961, including "It Was I", "Fancy Nancy", and " Cherry Pie". After the break-up of Skip & Flip, Battin moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a freelance

session musician Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a ...

and formed the band Evergreen Blueshoes. Following the disbandment of that group, Battin returned to session work in the late 1960s and it was during this period that he met Gene Parsons and became reacquainted with Clarence White, whom he had known from a few years earlier. York's dismissal and Battin's recruitment marked the last line-up change to the Byrds for almost three years, until Parsons was fired by McGuinn in July 1972. Thus, the McGuinn, White, Parsons, and Battin line-up of the band was the most stable and longest lived of any configuration of the Byrds. For most of 1969, the Byrds' leader and guitarist, Roger McGuinn, had been developing a

country rock Country rock is a genre of music which fuses rock and country. It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal s ...

stage production of Henrik Ibsen's ''Peer Gynt'' with former

psychologist A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how indi ...

and

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

impresario An impresario (from the Italian ''impresa'', "an enterprise or undertaking") is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays, or operas, performing a role in stage arts that is similar to that of a film or television producer. Hist ...

Jacques Levy. The

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

was to be titled ''Gene Tryp'', an anagram of the title of Ibsen's play, and would loosely follow the storyline of ''Peer Gynt'', with some modifications to transpose the action from Norway to south-west America during the mid-19th century. The musical was intended as a prelude to even loftier plans of McGuinn's to produce a

science-fiction film Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstellar ...

, tentatively titled ''Ecology 70'' and starring former Byrd

Gram Parsons Ingram Cecil Connor III (November 5, 1946 – September 19, 1973) who was known professionally as Gram Parsons, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist who recorded as a solo artist and with the International Submarine Band, ...

(unrelated to Gene Parsons) and ex-member of

the Mamas & the Papas The Mamas & the Papas were a folk rock vocal group formed in Los Angeles, California, which recorded and performed from 1965 to 1968. The group was a defining force in the music scene of the counterculture of the 1960s. The group consisted of Am ...

,

Michelle Phillips Michelle may refer to: People *Michelle (name), a given name and surname, the feminine form of Michael * Michelle Courtens, Dutch singer, performing as "Michelle" * Michelle (German singer) * Michelle (Scottish singer) (born 1980), Scottish ...

, as a pair of intergalactic flower children. Ultimately, ''Gene Tryp'' was abandoned and a handful of the songs that McGuinn and Levy had written for the project would instead see release on ''(Untitled)'' and its follow-up, ''

Byrdmaniax ''Byrdmaniax'' is the tenth album by the American Rock music, rock band the Byrds. It was released in June 1971 on Columbia Records at a time of renewed commercial and critical success for the band, due to the positive reception that their two pre ...

''. Of the twenty-six songs that were written for the musical, "Chestnut Mare", "Lover of the Bayou", "All the Things", and "Just a Season" were included on ''(Untitled)'', while "Kathleen's Song" and "I Wanna Grow Up to Be a Politician" were held over for the Byrds' next album. "Lover of the Bayou" would be re-recorded by McGuinn in 1975 and appear on his '' Roger McGuinn & Band'' album. Despite not being staged at the time, ''Gene Tryp'' was eventually performed in a revised configuration by the drama

student A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution. In the United Kingdom and most commonwealth countries, a "student" attends a secondary school or higher (e.g., college or university); those in primary or elementar ...

s of

Colgate University Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York. The college was founded in 1819 as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York and operated under that name until 1823, when it was renamed Hamilton Theologi ...

, between November 18 and November 21, 1992, under the new title of ''Just a Season: A Romance of the Old West''.

Conception and title

Having toured extensively throughout 1969 and early 1970, the Byrds decided that the time was right to issue a

live album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...

. At the same time, it was felt that the band had a sufficient backlog of new compositions to warrant the recording of a new studio album. The dilemma was resolved when it was suggested by producer

Terry Melcher Terrence Paul Melcher (born Terrence Paul Jorden; February 8, 1942 – November 19, 2004) was an American record producer, singer, and songwriter who was instrumental in shaping the mid-to-late 1960s California Sound and folk rock movements. His ...

that the band should release a double album, featuring an LP of concert recordings and an LP of new studio recordings, which would retail for the same price as a regular single album. At around this same time, the band's original manager Jim Dickson, who had been fired by the group in June 1967, returned to the Byrds' camp to help Melcher with the editing of the live recordings, affording him a co-producer credit on ''(Untitled)''. The album's innominate title actually came about by accident. According to Jim Bickhart's

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desce ...

on the original double album sleeve, the group's intention was to name the release something more grandiose, such as ''

Phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...

'' or ''The Byrds' First Album''. These

working title A working title, which may be abbreviated and styled in trade publications after a putative title as (wt), also called a production title or a tentative title, is the temporary title of a product or project used during its development, usually ...

s were intended to signify the artistic rebirth that the band felt the album represented. Another proposed title for the album was ''McGuinn, White, Parsons and Battin'', but McGuinn felt that this title might be misinterpreted by the public. The band still had not made up their minds regarding a title when Melcher, while filling out record company documentation for the album sessions, wrote the placeholder "(Untitled)" in a box specifying the album's title. A misunderstanding ensued and before anyone associated with the band had realized, Columbia Records had pressed up the album with that title, including the parentheses.

Live recordings

The latter-day line-up of the Byrds, featuring McGuinn, White, Parsons, and Battin, was regarded by critics and audiences as being much more accomplished in

concert A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety a ...

than previous configurations of the band had been. This being the case, it made perfect sense to capture their sound in a live environment, and so two consecutive New York concert appearances were recorded. The first of these was the band's performance at

Queens College Queens College (QC) is a public college in the Queens borough of New York City. It is part of the City University of New York system. Its 80-acre campus is primarily located in Flushing, Queens. It has a student body representing more than 170 ...

's Colden Center Auditorium on February 28, 1970, and the second was their performance at the

Felt Forum The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden is a theater located in New York City's Madison Square Garden. It seats between 2,000 and 5,600, and is used for concerts, shows, sports, meetings, and other events. It is located beneath the main Madiso ...

on March 1, 1970. ''(Untitled)'' featured recordings from both of these concerts,

spliced Spliced may refer to: *Spliced, the result of rope splicing Rope splicing in ropework is the forming of a semi-permanent joint between two ropes or two parts of the same rope by partly untwisting and then interweaving their strands. Splices ca ...

together to give the impression of a single continuous performance. Of the seven live tracks featured on the album, "

So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds, written by Jim McGuinn and Chris Hillman and included on the band's 1967 album, '' Younger Than Yesterday''. The song was inspired by the manufactured natur ...

", "

Mr. Tambourine Man "Mr. Tambourine Man" is a song written by Bob Dylan, released as the first track of the acoustic side of his March 1965 album '' Bringing It All Back Home''. The song's popularity led to Dylan recording it live many times, and it has been includ ...

", "

Mr. Spaceman "Mr. Spaceman" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds and was the third track on their 1966 album, '' Fifth Dimension''. It was released as the third single from the album in September 1966, reaching number 36 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 1 ...

", and "

Eight Miles High "Eight Miles High" is a song by the American Rock music, rock Musical ensemble, band the Byrds, written by Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, Jim McGuinn (a.k.a. Roger McGuinn), and David Crosby. It was first released as a Single (music), single on Ma ...

" were drawn from the Queens College performance, while "Lover of the Bayou", "

Positively 4th Street "Positively 4th Street" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan, first recorded in New York City on July 29, 1965. It was released as a single by Columbia Records on September 7, 1965, reaching on Canada's '' RPM'' chart, on the U.S. ''B ...

", and "Nashville West" originated from the Felt Forum show. Byrds biographer

Johnny Rogan John Rogan (14 February 1953 – 21 January 2021) was a British author of Irish descent best known for his books about music and popular culture. He wrote influential biographies of the Byrds, Neil Young, the Smiths, Van Morrison and Ray Davies. ...

has suggested that the appearance of the band's earlier

hit single A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...

s "Mr. Tambourine Man", "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star", and "Eight Miles High" on the live record had the effect of forging a spiritual and musical link between the band's current line-up and the original mid-1960s incarnation of the band. The opening track of the live LP is "Lover of the Bayou", a new song written by McGuinn and Levy for their aborted ''Gene Tryp'' stage show. The song is set during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

and was intended for a scene in which the eponymous hero of the musical is working as a

smuggler Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations. There are various ...

, bootlegger, and

gun runner Arms trafficking or gunrunning is the illicit trade of contraband small arms and ammunition, which constitutes part of a broad range of illegal activities often associated with transnational criminal organizations. The illegal trade of small ar ...

for both the Confederacy and the Unionists. Despite the central character's appearance in the scene, McGuinn explained in a 1970 interview with journalist Vincent Flanders that the song wasn't actually intended to be sung by Gene Tryp, but by another character, a

voodoo Voodoo may refer to: Religions * African or West African Vodun, practiced by Gbe-speaking ethnic groups * African diaspora religions, a list of related religions sometimes called Vodou/Voodoo ** Candomblé Jejé, also known as Brazilian Vodu ...

witch-doctor A witch doctor (also spelled witch-doctor) was originally a type of healer who treated ailments believed to be caused by witchcraft. The term is now more commonly used to refer to healers, particularly in regions which use traditional healing ...

(or

houngan Oungan (also written as ''houngan'') is the term for a male priest in Haitian Vodou (a female priest is known as a (''mambo''). The term is derived from Gbe languages (Fon, Ewe, Adja, Phla, Gen, Maxi and Gun). The word hounnongan means chief ...

) named Big Cat. "Lover of the Bayou" is followed on the album by a

cover Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of co ...

of

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

's "Positively 4th Street", which would be the last Dylan song that the Byrds covered on an album until "Paths of Victory", which was recorded during the 1990 reunion sessions featured on ''

The Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...

''

box set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...

. The remainder of side one of ''(Untitled)'' is made up of live versions of album tracks and earlier hits. In a 1999 interview with journalist

David Fricke David Fricke is an American music journalist who serves as the senior editor at ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, where he writes predominantly about rock music. One of the best known names in rock journalism, his career has spanned over 40 years. I ...

, McGuinn explained the rationale behind the inclusion of earlier Byrds' material on the album: "The live album was Melcher's way of repackaging some of the hits in a viable way. Actually, I wanted the studio stuff to come first. Terry wouldn't hear of it." Side two of the live album is taken up in its entirety by a sixteen-minute, extended version of "Eight Miles High", which proved to be popular on progressive rock radio during the early 1970s. The track is highlighted by the dramatic guitar interplay between McGuinn and White, as well as the intricate bass and

drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...

playing of Battin and Parsons. The song begins with

improvisational Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. Improvisation in the performing arts is a very spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of impr ...

jamming, which lasts for over twelve minutes and culminates in an iteration of the song's first verse. Rogan has stated the opinion that the revamping of "Eight Miles High" featured on ''(Untitled)'' represented the ultimate fusion of the original Byrds and the newer line-up. At the end of this live performance of "Eight Miles High", the band can be heard playing a rendition of their signature stage tune, "Hold It", which had first been heard on record at the close of the "

My Back Pages "My Back Pages" is a song written by Bob Dylan and included on his 1964 album ''Another Side of Bob Dylan''. It is stylistically similar to his earlier folk protest songs and features Dylan's voice with an acoustic guitar accompaniment. Howeve ...

/B.J. Blues/

Baby What You Want Me to Do "Baby What You Want Me to Do" (sometimes called "You Got Me Running" or "You Got Me Runnin'") is a blues song that was written and recorded by Jimmy Reed in 1959. It was a record chart hit for Reed and, as with several of his songs, it has appeal ...

" medley included on '' Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde''. Additional live material from the Byrds' early 1970 appearances at Queens College and the Felt Forum has been officially released over the years. "Lover of the Bayou", "Black Mountain Rag (Soldier's Joy)", and a cover of

Lowell George Lowell Thomas George (April 13, 1945 – June 29, 1979) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who was the primary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and founder/leader for the rock band Little Feat. Ear ...

's "Willin'", taken from the Queens College concert, were included on ''The Byrds'' box set in 1990. Additionally, performances of "

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" is a song written by American musician Bob Dylan in 1967 in Woodstock, New York, during the self-imposed exile from public appearances that followed his July 29, 1966 motorcycle accident. A recording of Dylan performin ...

", "Old Blue", "

It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan and first released on his 1965 album ''Bringing It All Back Home''. It was written in the summer of 1964, first performed live on October 10, 1964, and recorded on ...

", "

Ballad of Easy Rider "Ballad of Easy Rider" is a song written by Roger McGuinn, with input from Bob Dylan (although Dylan is not credited as a co-writer), for the 1969 film, ''Easy Rider''. The song was initially released in August 1969 on the ''Easy Rider'' soundt ...

", "My Back Pages", and "

This Wheel's on Fire "This Wheel's on Fire" is a song written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko. It was originally recorded by Dylan and the Band during their 1967 sessions, portions of which (including this song) comprised the 1975 album, '' The Basement Tapes''. The B ...

" from the Felt Forum show were included on the expanded ''(Untitled)/(Unissued)'' release in 2000. A further two songs, "You All Look Alike" and "Nashville West", taken from the Queen's College concert were included on the 2006 box set, ''

There Is a Season ''There Is a Season'' is a four- CD and one DVD 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, ...

''.

Studio recordings

The studio recording sessions for ''(Untitled)'' were produced by Terry Melcher and took place between May 26 and June 11, 1970 at Columbia Studios in Hollywood, California. Melcher had been the producer of the Byrds' first two albums in 1965, ''

Mr. Tambourine Man "Mr. Tambourine Man" is a song written by Bob Dylan, released as the first track of the acoustic side of his March 1965 album '' Bringing It All Back Home''. The song's popularity led to Dylan recording it live many times, and it has been includ ...

'' and ''

Turn! Turn! Turn! "Turn! Turn! Turn!", or "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)", is a song written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s and first recorded in 1959. The lyrics – except for the title, which is repeated throughout the song, and the fin ...

'', as well as producer of their previous LP, ''

Ballad of Easy Rider "Ballad of Easy Rider" is a song written by Roger McGuinn, with input from Bob Dylan (although Dylan is not credited as a co-writer), for the 1969 film, ''Easy Rider''. The song was initially released in August 1969 on the ''Easy Rider'' soundt ...

''. The majority of the songs included on the studio album were penned by the band members themselves, in stark contrast to their previous album, which had largely consisted of

cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

s or renditions of

traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

material. Among the songs recorded for the album were Parsons and Battin's "Yesterday's Train", a gentle meditation on the theme of

reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...

; a cover of Lowell George and Bill Payne's "Truck Stop Girl", sung by Clarence White; and a light-hearted reading of

Lead Belly Huddie William Ledbetter (; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk music, folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, Virtuoso, virtuosity on the twelve-string guita ...

's "Take a Whiff on Me". The album also included the Battin-penned "Well Come Back Home", a heartfelt comment on the Vietnam War. Battin explained the song's genesis to Rogan during a 1979 interview: "I was personally touched by the Vietnam situation, and my feelings about it came out in that song. I had a high school friend who died out there and I guess my thoughts were on him at the time." Battin also revealed in the same interview that he couldn't decide whether to name the song "Well Come Back Home" or "Welcome Back Home", but finally settled on the former. Curiously, although the song was listed on the original album and the original Compact Disc, CD issue of ''(Untitled)'' as "Well Come Back Home", it was listed as "Welcome Back Home" on the ''(Untitled)/(Unissued)'' re-release in 2000, possibly in error. With a running time of 7:40, the song is the longest studio recording in the Byrds' entire oeuvre. In addition, the song also continues the tradition of ending the Byrds' albums on an unusual note, with Battin chanting the Nichiren Buddhism, Buddhist mantra "Daimoku, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" towards the end of the song. "

Chestnut Mare "Chestnut Mare" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds, written by Roger McGuinn and Jacques Levy during 1969 for a planned country rock musical named ''Gene Tryp''. The musical was never staged and the song was instead released in September ...

" had originally been written during 1969 for the abandoned ''Gene Tryp'' stage production. The song was intended to be used in a scene where Gene Tryp attempts to catch and tame a wild horse, a scene that had originally featured a deer in Ibsen's ''Peer Gynt''. Although the majority of "Chestnut Mare" had been written specifically for ''Gene Tryp'', the lilting middle section had actually been written by McGuinn back in the early 1960s, while on tour in South America as a member of the Chad Mitchell Trio. Two other songs originally intended for ''Gene Tryp'' were also included on the studio half of ''(Untitled)'': "All the Things", which included an uncredited appearance by former Byrd Gram Parsons on Backing vocalist, backing vocals, and "Just a Season", which was written for a scene in which the eponymous hero of the musical circumnavigates the globe. Lyrically, "Just a Season" touches on a variety of different subjects, including reincarnation, life's journey, fleeting romantic encounters and finally, stardom, as touchingly illustrated by the semi-autobiographical line, "It really wasn't hard to be a star." The album also includes the song "Hungry Planet", which was written by Battin and record producer, songwriter, and impresario Kim Fowley. The song is one of two Battin–Fowley collaborations included on ''(Untitled)'' and features a Lead vocalist, lead vocal performance by McGuinn. The ecological theme present in the song's lyrics appealed to McGuinn, who received a co-writing credit after he completely restructured its melody prior to recording. Journalist Matthew Greenwald, writing for the AllMusic website, has described "Hungry Planet" as having an underlying Psychedelic rock, psychedelic atmosphere, which is enhanced by the sound of the Moog modular synthesizer (played by McGuinn) and the addition of earthquake sound effects. The album's second Battin–Fowley penned song, "You All Look Alike", was again sung by McGuinn and provided a sardonic view of the plight of the hippie in American society. There were six other songs that were attempted during the ''(Untitled)'' recording sessions, but were not present in the album's final running order. Of these, "Kathleen's Song" would be held over until ''Byrdmaniax'', a cover of Dylan's "Just Like a Woman" would not be issued until the release of ''The Byrds'' box set in 1990, and a second Lowell George song, "Willin'", along with John Newton's Christianity, Christian hymn "Amazing Grace" were eventually issued as bonus tracks on the ''(Untitled)/(Unissued)'' re-release in 2000 ("Amazing Grace" appearing as a hidden track). Additionally, an Musical improvisation, improvised Jam session, jam was recorded during the album sessions and was logged in the Columbia files under the title of "Fifteen Minute Jam". Two different excerpts from this jam were later issued on ''The Byrds'' box set and ''(Untitled)/(Unissued)'', where they were given the retronyms of "White's Lightning Pt.1" and "White's Lightning Pt.2" respectively. One other song attempted in the studio, but not included on ''(Untitled)'', was a cover of Dylan's "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)". As of 20, this track has never been officially released, although a live version is included on ''(Untitled)/(Unissued)''. "Lover of the Bayou" was also recorded during studio sessions for ''(Untitled)'', but ultimately, a live recording of the song would be included on the album instead, with the studio recording appearing for the first time on the ''(Untitled)/(Unissued)'' reissue.

Release

''(Untitled)'' was released on September 14, 1970 in the United States (catalogue item G 30127) and November 13, 1970 in the United Kingdom (catalogue item S 64095). Despite being a double album release, it retailed at a price similar to that of a single album, in an attempt to provide value for money and increase sales. The album peaked at number 40 on the ''Billboard'' Top LPs chart during a stay of twenty-one weeks. It reached number 11 in the United Kingdom, where it spent a total of four weeks on the charts. The "Chestnut Mare" single was released some weeks after the album, on October 23, 1970, and bubbled under at number 121 on the ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' singles chart. It fared better when it was released in the UK on January 1, 1971, reaching number 19 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, during a chart stay of eight weeks. "Chestnut Mare" went on to become a staple of FM broadcasting, FM radio programming in America during the 1970s. Although ''(Untitled)'' was released exclusively in Stereophonic sound, stereo commercially, there is some evidence to suggest that Monaural, mono copies of the album (possibly Radio broadcasting, radio station Promotional recording, promos) were distributed in the U.S. In addition, there are advance promo copies of the album known to exist which list both "Kathleen's Song" and "Hold It" as being on the album: the former under the simplified title of "Kathleen" and the latter as "Tag". While "Hold It" does indeed appear on the official album release, at the end of the live recording of "Eight Miles High", it was not listed as a separate track on commercially released copies of the album. "Kathleen's Song", however, was not included in the album's final running order. The album cover artwork was designed by Eve Babitz and featured photographs taken by Nancy Chester of the Byrds upon the steps of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, with the view of L.A. that originally made up the background being replaced by a desert scene. When the double album gatefold sleeve was opened up, the front and back cover photographs were mirrored symmetrically in a style reminiscent of the work of Graphic arts, graphic artist M. C. Escher. The inside gatefold featured four individual black & white photographic portraits of the band members, along with

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desce ...

written by Jim Bickhart and Derek Taylor. ''(Untitled)'' is the only double album to be released by the Byrds (excluding later Compilation album, compilations) and is therefore the band's longest album by far. In fact, the studio LP alone, which has a running time of roughly 38 minutes, is longer than any other Byrds album—despite containing fewer tracks than any of the band's other albums.

Reception

Upon its release, ''(Untitled)'' was met with widespread critical acclaim and strong international sales, with advance orders alone accounting for the sale of 100,000 copies. The album's success continued the revival of the band's commercial fortunes that had begun with the release of their previous album, ''Ballad of Easy Rider''. Many fans at the time regarded the album as a return to greatness for the Byrds and this opinion was echoed by many journalists. Bud Scoppa, writing in the November 16, 1970 edition of ''Rock'' magazine, described the album as "easily their best recorded performance so far – in its own class as much as the records of the old Byrds were – and I think one of the best half-dozen albums of 1970." Ben Edmonds' review in the December issue of ''Fusion'' magazine was also full of praise: "''(Untitled)'' is a joyous re-affirmation of life; it is the story of a band reborn. The Byrds continue to grow musically and lead stylistically, but they do so with an unailing sense of their past." Edmonds concluded his review by noting that, "History will no doubt bear out the significance of the Byrds' contribution to American popular music, but, for the time being, such speculations are worthless because ''(Untitled)'' says that the Byrds will be making their distinctive contributions for quite some time to come." In a contemporary review for ''Jazz & Pop'' magazine, Bruce Harris declared that the album "brings the Byrds back as the super cosmic-cowboys of all time, and is without question their greatest achievement since ''The Notorious Byrd Brothers''." However, Lester Bangs was less enthusiastic about the album in his review for ''Rolling Stone'' magazine: "This double album set is probably the most perplexing album the Byrds have ever made. Some of it is fantastic and some is very poor or seemingly indifferent (which is worse), and between the stuff that will rank with their best and the born outtakes lies a lot of rather watery music, which is hard to find much fault with but still harder for even a diehard Byrds freak to work up any enthusiasm about." In a negative review for ''The Village Voice'' in 1971, Robert Christgau found the songs "unarresting", their harmonies "weak or just absent", and the live performances poorly captured on vinyl. In the UK, ''Disc (magazine), Disc'' magazine hailed the album as "probably the most intelligent collection of songs ever assembled on a double LP... The Byrds show they retain all their imagination yet at the same time retain their unique sound." Roy Carr, writing in the ''NME'', commented that, "the Byrds still retain an artistry and freshness unmatched by most others in their genius. Even changes in personnel and direction haven't dulled their appeal or magical charms." Yet another complimentary review came from the pen of Richard Williams (journalist), Richard Williams, who described the album as "simply their most satisfying work to date" in his review for the ''Melody Maker''. In his review of the album for AllMusic, Bruce Eder said that although ''(Untitled)'' was always considered by fans to be "the one to own" among the band's post-1968 output, it has, since its initial release, risen in the estimation of some critics more than any other Byrds' album. Eder goes on to attempt to evaluate the album's significance within the context of the Byrds' back catalogue: "listening to this album nearly 40 years later, it now seems as though this is the place where the latter-day version of the group finally justified itself as something more important than just a continuation of the mid-'60s band." In his 2000 review for ''The Austin Chronicle'', Raoul Hernandez described it as, "beginning with a biting live set before giving way to a studio side of crackling Americana fare." ''(Untitled)'' was remastered at 20-bit resolution as part of the Legacy Recordings, Columbia/Legacy Byrds series. It was reissued in an expanded form with the new title of ''(Untitled)/(Unissued)'' on February 22, 2000. The remastered reissue of the album contains an entire bonus CD of previously unreleased live and studio material from the period. The six studio based bonus tracks on the reissue include alternate versions of "All the Things", "Yesterday's Train", and "Lover of the Bayou", along with the outtake "Kathleen's Song". The remaining eight bonus tracks are live recordings taken from the Byrds' concerts on March 1, 1970 at the Felt Forum and September 23, 1970 at the Fillmore East.

Track listing

Side one (live)

#"Lover of the Bayou" (

Roger McGuinn James Roger McGuinn (born James Joseph McGuinn III; July 13, 1942) is an American musician. He is best known for being the frontman and leader of the Byrds. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the Byrds. As a ...

,

Jacques Levy Jacques Levy (July 29, 1935 – September 30, 2004) was an American songwriter, theatre director and clinical psychologist. Early life and education Levy was born in New York City in 1935 and graduated from the City College of New York in 1956. ...

) – 3:39 #"

Positively 4th Street "Positively 4th Street" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan, first recorded in New York City on July 29, 1965. It was released as a single by Columbia Records on September 7, 1965, reaching on Canada's '' RPM'' chart, on the U.S. ''B ...

" (

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

) – 3:03 #"Nashville West" (

Gene Parsons Gene Victor Parsons (born September 4, 1944, in Morongo Valley, California) is an American drummer, banjo player, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and engineer, best known for his work with the Byrds from 1968 to 1972. Parsons has also released so ...

,

Clarence White Clarence White (born Clarence Joseph LeBlanc; June 7, 1944 – July 15, 1973) was an American bluegrass and country guitarist and singer. He is best known as a member of the bluegrass ensemble the Kentucky Colonels and the rock band the Byrd ...

) – 2:07 #"

So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds, written by Jim McGuinn and Chris Hillman and included on the band's 1967 album, '' Younger Than Yesterday''. The song was inspired by the manufactured natur ...

" (Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman) – 2:38 #"

Mr. Tambourine Man "Mr. Tambourine Man" is a song written by Bob Dylan, released as the first track of the acoustic side of his March 1965 album '' Bringing It All Back Home''. The song's popularity led to Dylan recording it live many times, and it has been includ ...

" (Bob Dylan) – 2:14 #"

Mr. Spaceman "Mr. Spaceman" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds and was the third track on their 1966 album, '' Fifth Dimension''. It was released as the third single from the album in September 1966, reaching number 36 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 1 ...

" (Roger McGuinn) – 3:07

Side two (live)

#"

Eight Miles High "Eight Miles High" is a song by the American Rock music, rock Musical ensemble, band the Byrds, written by Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, Jim McGuinn (a.k.a. Roger McGuinn), and David Crosby. It was first released as a Single (music), single on Ma ...

" (Gene Clark, Roger McGuinn, David Crosby) – 16:03

Side three (studio)

#"

Chestnut Mare "Chestnut Mare" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds, written by Roger McGuinn and Jacques Levy during 1969 for a planned country rock musical named ''Gene Tryp''. The musical was never staged and the song was instead released in September ...

" (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) – 5:08 #"Truck Stop Girl" (

Lowell George Lowell Thomas George (April 13, 1945 – June 29, 1979) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who was the primary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and founder/leader for the rock band Little Feat. Ear ...

, Bill Payne) – 3:20 #"All the Things" (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) – 3:03 #"Yesterday's Train" (Gene Parsons,

Skip Battin Clyde "Skip" Battin (February 18, 1934 – July 6, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter, bassist, performer, and recording artist. He was a member of the Byrds, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Εarly life C ...

) – 3:31 #"Hungry Planet" (Skip Battin, Kim Fowley, Roger McGuinn) – 4:50

Side four (studio)

#"Just a Season" (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) – 3:50 #"Take a Whiff on Me" (Huddie Ledbetter, John Lomax, Alan Lomax) – 3:24 #"You All Look Alike" (Skip Battin, Kim Fowley) – 3:03 #"Well Come Back Home" (Skip Battin) – 7:40

2000 CD reissue bonus tracks

#"All the Things" [Alternate Version] (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) – 4:56 #"Yesterday's Train" [Alternate Version] (Gene Parsons, Skip Battin) – 4:10 #"Lover of the Bayou" [Studio Recording] (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) – 5:13 #"Kathleen's Song" [Alternate Version] (Roger McGuinn, Jacques Levy) – 2:34 #"White's Lightning Pt.2" (Roger McGuinn, Clarence White) – 2:21 #"Willin' (Little Feat song), Willin'” [Studio Recording] (Lowell George) – 3:28 #"

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" is a song written by American musician Bob Dylan in 1967 in Woodstock, New York, during the self-imposed exile from public appearances that followed his July 29, 1966 motorcycle accident. A recording of Dylan performin ...

" [Live Recording] (Bob Dylan) – 2:56 #"Old Blue" [Live Recording] (traditional music, traditional, arranged Roger McGuinn) – 3:30 #"

It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)" is a song written and performed by Bob Dylan and first released on his 1965 album ''Bringing It All Back Home''. It was written in the summer of 1964, first performed live on October 10, 1964, and recorded on ...

" [Live Recording] (Bob Dylan) – 2:49 #"

Ballad of Easy Rider "Ballad of Easy Rider" is a song written by Roger McGuinn, with input from Bob Dylan (although Dylan is not credited as a co-writer), for the 1969 film, ''Easy Rider''. The song was initially released in August 1969 on the ''Easy Rider'' soundt ...

" [Live Recording] (Roger McGuinn) – 2:22 #"

My Back Pages "My Back Pages" is a song written by Bob Dylan and included on his 1964 album ''Another Side of Bob Dylan''. It is stylistically similar to his earlier folk protest songs and features Dylan's voice with an acoustic guitar accompaniment. Howeve ...

" [Live Recording] (Bob Dylan) – 2:41 #"Take a Whiff on Me" [Live Recording] (Huddie Ledbetter, John Lomax, Alan Lomax) – 2:45 #"Jesus Is Just Alright" [Live Recording] (Arthur Reynolds) – 3:09 #"

This Wheel's on Fire "This Wheel's on Fire" is a song written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko. It was originally recorded by Dylan and the Band during their 1967 sessions, portions of which (including this song) comprised the 1975 album, '' The Basement Tapes''. The B ...

" [Live Recording] (Bob Dylan, Rick Danko) – 6:16 #*NOTE: this song ends at 5:08; at 5:17 begins "Amazing Grace" (traditional, arranged Roger McGuinn, Clarence White, Gene Parsons, Skip Battin)

2014 Japanese CD reissue bonus tracks

Mono bonus tracks #"Chestnut Mare" [Single Version] – 2:57 #"Just a Season" [Single Version] – 3:31 Stereo bonus tracks #"White's Lightning Pt.1" – 2:36 #"All the Things" [Alternate Version] – 4:57 #"Lover of the Bayou" [Prev. Unissued Stereo Version] – 5:13 #"Yesterday's Train" [Alternate Version] – 4:10 #"Willin'" [Prev. Unissued Studio Version] – 3:28 #"White's Lightning Pt.2" – 2:21 #"Kathleen's Song" [Alternate Version] – 2:35 #"Just Like a Woman" [Prev. Unissued Version] – 3:59 #"You All Look Alike" [Live] – 3:09 #"Nashville West" [Live] – 2:12 #"Willin'" [Live] – 3:13 #"Black Mountain Rag (Soldier's Joy)" [Live] – 1:20

Personnel

Sources: The Byrds *

Roger McGuinn James Roger McGuinn (born James Joseph McGuinn III; July 13, 1942) is an American musician. He is best known for being the frontman and leader of the Byrds. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with the Byrds. As a ...

– guitar, Moog modular synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, Singing, vocals *

Clarence White Clarence White (born Clarence Joseph LeBlanc; June 7, 1944 – July 15, 1973) was an American bluegrass and country guitarist and singer. He is best known as a member of the bluegrass ensemble the Kentucky Colonels and the rock band the Byrd ...

– guitar, mandolin, vocals *

Skip Battin Clyde "Skip" Battin (February 18, 1934 – July 6, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter, bassist, performer, and recording artist. He was a member of the Byrds, the New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Εarly life C ...

– Bass guitar, electric bass, vocals *

Gene Parsons Gene Victor Parsons (born September 4, 1944, in Morongo Valley, California) is an American drummer, banjo player, guitarist, singer-songwriter, and engineer, best known for his work with the Byrds from 1968 to 1972. Parsons has also released so ...

– Drum kit, drums, guitar, harmonica, vocals Additional personnel *

Gram Parsons Ingram Cecil Connor III (November 5, 1946 – September 19, 1973) who was known professionally as Gram Parsons, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist who recorded as a solo artist and with the International Submarine Band, ...

– Backing vocalist, backing vocal on "All the Things" *

Terry Melcher Terrence Paul Melcher (born Terrence Paul Jorden; February 8, 1942 – November 19, 2004) was an American record producer, singer, and songwriter who was instrumental in shaping the mid-to-late 1960s California Sound and folk rock movements. His ...

– piano on "All the Things" and "Truck Stop Girl" * Byron Berline – fiddle on "You All Look Alike" * Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar on "Yesterday's Train"

Release history

References

Bibliography

*Rogan, Johnny, ''The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited'', Rogan House, 1998, *Hjort, Christopher, ''So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star: The Byrds Day-By-Day (1965–1973)'', Jawbone Press, 2008, .

External links

Snopes article
about the origin of the album's title. {{DEFAULTSORT:Untitled 1970 albums The Byrds albums Albums produced by Terry Melcher Columbia Records albums CBS Records albums Legacy Recordings albums