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.
Old John Robertson
The Byrds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People everywhere would
Laugh behind his back
No one cared to take
Any time to find out
What he was all about
Fear kept them out
Children laughed and played
And didn't know his name
They could tell when he
Was coming just the same
Walking slow with old John's
Crippled wife by his side
Then she sighed, then she died
Magic words from him
Entrancing children's ears
But they laughed at him
When he went to hide his tears
All in vain was no game
For he'd lost an old friend
In the end, in the end
Old John Robertson
He wore a Stetson hat
People everywhere would
Laugh behind his back
No one cared to take
Any time to find out
What he was all about
Fear kept them out
The lyrics of Old John Robertson by The Byrds seem to tell the story of an old man who is misunderstood and ridiculed by the people in his community. Old John Robertson is portrayed as a figure of solitude who wears a Stetson hat, prompting people to mock and ridicule him behind his back. The song suggests that no one took any time to truly understand John Robertson or to know what he was all about, indicating that their prejudice against him was based solely on their fear and ignorance towards him. Even children laughed at him but when he passed by, they could sense his presence without knowing his name.
Despite the isolation that Old John Robertson experiences, the song suggests that he possesses a magic quality that enthralls children. Nevertheless, when he tries to hide his tears, the children erroneously interpret his vulnerability as weakness and laughed at him, further setting him apart from the people in his community. The final lines of the song reveal that Old John Robertson is left alone to mourn the death of his wife, who walked by his side in the face of the ridicule and prejudice.
Overall, Old John Robertson, as portrayed in the song, is a figure of pathos, misunderstood and ridiculed by people too ignorant to take the time to understand him. The only thing that was left for him, in the end, was the mourning of the death of his wife and his solitude - a tale of unfulfilled human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Old John Robertson
This is the title of the song and refers to a man named John Robertson.
He wore a Stetson hat
John Robertson wore a cowboy hat called a Stetson.
People everywhere would
Many people in the area where John lived would
Laugh behind his back
ridicule him or make fun of him behind his back.
No one cared to take
Nobody bothered to
Any time to find out
attempt to discover
What he was all about
who John Robertson really was or what he stood for.
Fear kept them out
People were afraid of John or didn't want to associate with him.
Children laughed and played
Kids nearby would have fun playing and joking around.
And didn't know his name
None of them knew John Robertson's name.
They could tell when he
Although the kids didn't know who John was,
Was coming just the same
they could predict when he would be around.
Walking slow with old John's
John would walk slowly with his
Crippled wife by his side
wife, who had a physical disability, walking next to him.
Then she sighed, then she died
At some point, John's wife passed away, and it seems that she took her final breath while John was with her.
Magic words from him
John would often say something that the children found enchanting.
Entrancing children's ears
The sound of John's voice and the words he spoke captivated the kids in the area.
But they laughed at him
Even though they loved hearing what John had to say,
When he went to hide his tears
the children still made fun of him when he tried to hide his sadness and cried.
All in vain was no game
John's efforts to connect with the children and befriend them were unsuccessful.
For he'd lost an old friend
John lost his wife, who was his closest companion.
In the end, in the end
Ultimately, things turned out the way they did despite John's best efforts.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CHRIS HILLMAN, ROGER MCGUINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lankylankster7148
NOTORIOUSLY great album, non-stop, Wasn't Born to Follow thru Dolphin's Smile! LL
@fransdicker1300
This album is already in my life since I was a teenager in the 60th, now lhear this music after more than fifty years, l think it's the best album they ever made
@enricorigon1925
this album is fantastic,maybe their best
@steveododo
I agree maybe with younger than yesterday...
@lavallee1963
Absolute masterpiece. I agree.
@peliche77
@@steveododo totally agree!
This is my favourite and "younger than yesterday" second best sin muy opinion
@drdavid1963
I've just listened to all their albums chronologically and although the other albums have their merits, this brings all their strengths and exudes quality and confidence throughout - it's their masterpiece
@steveoshea50
great to hear Crosby's voice in the harmony on the first four songs of side 2 of the LP.
@joergjendis8244
yes this album is definitely a true masterpiece by the Byrds. Love it
@mannyruiz1954
What a great album.