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.
He Was A Friend
The Byrds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was a friend of mine
His killing had no purpose
No reason, or rhyme
Oh, he was a friend of mine
He was in Dallas town
He was in Dallas town
A gunman shot him down
Oh, he died in Dallas town
He never knew my name
He never knew my name
Though I never met him
I knew him just the same
Oh, he was a friend of mine
Leader of a nation for such a precious time
Oh, he was a friend of mine
The Byrds' "He Was a Friend Of Mine" is a poignant lamentation for the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963. The song mourns the loss of a friend whose death had no meaning, reason, or sense. The Byrds' melancholic harmonies and strummed guitars express the sadness, regret, and disbelief that permeated the country following the tragedy.
The song speaks to the personal connection that many felt towards the President, even if they had never met him. By referring to him as a friend, the lyrics convey a sense of shared humanity and empathy. The repeated refrain of "He was a friend of mine" underscores the universal feeling of loss and sorrow experienced by many Americans who saw Kennedy as a beacon of hope and progress.
Moreover, the song evokes the particular circumstances of Kennedy's killing in Dallas. By mentioning the sixth-floor window, the gunman, and the city's name, the lyrics create a vivid and poignant narrative of the event. The use of the past tense throughout the song amplifies the sense of grief and finality, as if the world lost something irreplaceable and irretrievable.
Overall, The Byrds' "He Was a Friend Of Mine" is an insightful and moving tribute to a momentous event in American history and a call to remember the human cost of political violence.
Line by Line Meaning
He was a friend of mine
The singer had a personal connection with the man who died.
He was a friend of mine
The singer is emphasizing their emotional attachment to the person who died.
His killing had no purpose
The singer believes there was no meaningful reason for the person's death.
No reason, or rhyme
The death was senseless and lacked any explanation.
Oh, he was a friend of mine
The artist continues to express the depth of their sadness over the loss.
He was in Dallas town
The location of the man's death was in Dallas, Texas.
From a sixth floor window
The person who shot him was located on the sixth floor of a building.
A gunman shot him down
The person who died was shot by someone with a gun.
Oh, he died in Dallas town
The artist is repeating that the location of the death was in Dallas.
He never knew my name
The artist did not have a personal relationship with the person who died.
Though I never met him
Despite never meeting the person, the singer had a strong emotional connection to them.
I knew him just the same
The artist still felt connected to the person even though they didn't know each other personally.
Leader of a nation for such a precious time
The person who died was a leader of a nation for a significant period of time.
Oh, he was a friend of mine
The singer continues to express their sadness and emotional attachment to the person who died.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: ROGER MC GUINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-ip9yu7lp1q
He was a friend of mine
His killing had no purpose
No reason, or rhyme
He was in Dallas town
From a sixth floor window
A gunner shot him down
Oh, he died in Dallas town
He never knew my name
Though I never met him
I knew him just the same
Leader of a nation for such a precious time
@primtones
Bass sounds like a tuba!
@DanCohoon
Burst into tears.
@gortbot7748
The event that shaped a generation. I was in 11th grade. If you weren't there, you don't know how it was. Nothing after that was the same.
@leann5213
I was in 7th grade, learned of the death in study hall, cried all the way walking home. Such a sad day.
@usgrantprez3349
I was in Study hall also, in the 8th grade. Heard teachers crying in the hall outside the room. My eyes were glued to the tv through to the funeral.
My first experience with death to a person I cared for. I used to watch his news conferences after school in the afternoon many a time. Witty, charming and damn smart. Many of my heroes have fallen since but he was the first. It was definitely the cruelest loss. Just senseless.
@RedGoldGreen-Dub
Fantastic song ❤️🔥
@TheGuitarMan71
My god this is good
@patearly9492
Fantastic song and album! God bless everyone from Patrick
@LettyK
God Bless you too...
@lucbon71
Grande canzone...grandi Byrds.