I have been pondering this thread for a while and didn't know what to say until I went to see Roger McGuinn on Friday night. Then I realized that when I was growing up I listened to surf bands, to folkies, to jazz, and early rock 'n roll, but when I first heard the Byrds, it was nirvana. Roger says he took folk songs and added a Beatle beat, but it was more than that. Think Mr. Tambourine Man or Turn, Turn, Turn and that Rickenbaker 12-string playing the opening riff, then the rest of the band coming in, and then the voices and harmonies of McGuinn, Crosby, Clark and Hillman.....wow.

Even today, when I hear those songs opening with the 12-string, I get chills. They had the lyrics (often Dylan's or their own), the melodies, the riffs, the harmonies, the rhythm. Roger gets the credit of being the inventor and the architect and the rest of them brought the voices and the songs. I would be hard pressed to pick one song because there were many that used a similar formula. It was not just the melody, the lyrics, the chord progression, it was the whole package - the sound!!!

By the way, Roger does a great one man show now playing the Ricky as well as acoustic guitars - Byrds, folk, blues, etc.

Colin

I try to critique as if you mean business.....

http://colinwardmusic.com/

http://rosewoodcreekband.com/