Their music bridged the gaps between the socially and spiritually conscious folk music of Bob Dylan, the studio trickery of The Beach Boys, and the sardonic rock of The Beatles. Some of their trademark songs include pop versions of Bob Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man and Pete Seeger’s Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season), and the originals I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better, and Eight Miles High. Throughout their career they helped forge such subgenres as folk rock, raga rock, psychedelic rock, jangle pop, and – on their 1968 classic Sweetheart of the Rodeo – country rock inviting Gram Parsons on rhythm guitar.
The original and most successful lineup consisted of Chris Hillman, David Crosby, Michael Clarke, Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark. After several line-up changes (with lead singer/guitarist McGuinn as the only consistent member), they broke up in 1973.
In 1991 they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and several band members launched successful solo careers after leaving the group. The most successful was David Crosby who was inducted again for his work with Crosby, Stills & Nash. Other than The Beatles, the only artist with all members inducted twice are, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
Change Is Now
The Byrds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things that seemed to be solid are not
All is now, all is now
The time that we have to live
Gather all that we can
Keep in harmony with love's sweet plan
That which is not real does not exist
In and out roundabout
Dance to the day when fear it is gone
Gather all that we can
Keep in harmony with love's sweet plan
Change is now, change is now
Things that seemed to be solid are not
In and out roundabout
Dance to the day when fear it is gone
Fear it is gone
Fear it is gone
The Byrds's song Change Is Now seems to embody a moment of awakening, a realization that everything we have assumed to be solid, unchangeable and comforting is, in fact, in constant flux. We are invited to embrace change, to see it as an opportunity, even a gift. The song starts with the firm assertion that change is now, it is no longer something abstract that may or may not happen in the future. As the lyrics unfold, every line seems to be related to this idea of change in some way.
The second verse reminds us that truth is real and that which is not real does not exist. This may be interpreted as a call to embrace honesty in all aspects of life and to let go of the illusions that prevent us from seeing things as they are. It is only when we dance to the day when fear it is gone that we can truly live. Fear is one of the biggest obstacles to change, and the song suggests that it is only when we are able to face it and let go of its grip that we can truly transform ourselves and the world around us.
In essence, Change Is Now is a song that urges us to embrace the inevitability of change and to view it as an invitation to grow and transform. It is a call to live in harmony with each other and with nature, to let go of fear, and to cultivate love and honesty as guiding principles in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Change is now, change is now
The state of things is no longer the same as it was. It is rapidly changing.
Things that seemed to be solid are not
The things that were once considered to be stable and permanent are now revealed to be unstable and changeable.
All is now, all is now
The present moment is all that exists, and it is constantly in motion.
The time that we have to live
The finite amount of time that we have in this life, which we must use wisely.
Gather all that we can
We must make the most of the time we have, by collecting all that is valuable and necessary.
Keep in harmony with love's sweet plan
We must strive to maintain a harmonious relationship with the world, in accordance with the principle of love.
Truth is real, truth is real
The only thing that is truly real is the truth.
That which is not real does not exist
Anything that is not based on truth has no real existence.
In and out roundabout
Life is a continuous cycle of ups and downs, twists and turns.
Dance to the day when fear it is gone
We must strive to live with joy and freedom, letting go of all fear and negativity.
Fear it is gone
We can free ourselves from fear and live life fully and without restriction.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: CHRIS HILLMAN, ROGER MCGUINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
A D
this album is very underrated. nearly every track on it is a banger.
llama40204
My favorite Byrds album AD, without question.
- XxJimmyPagexX -
U right. This album slaps
George Felton
I played Byrds albums in my dorm in college. This one got the most positive comments. People came by to see who it was.
Muni Math by Peter Felton
Yeah, it's got a terrific flow from the opening two-beat drum on Artificial Energy until the droning fadeout of Space Odyssey. A real masterpiece. My favorite Byrds album in fact.
Jean Williquet
This album is the most peaceful, humane, inspired and inspiring I have been lucky enough to listen to. It's a hippie masterwork, a beacon for all those who look for a way out of materialism and vulgarity. Just as plain as deep it is and as such it's a miracle.
Roy Posner
One of the ten greatest albums of the 1960s era. An electronic folk rock masterpiece.
Arthur Harris
The greatest.
gasper signorelli
Totally agree
Mark Grieves
I could never disagree with that. I'd probably put it in my top five of all time.