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.
Pretty Boy Floyd
The Byrds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About pretty boy Floyd the outlaw, Oklahoma knew him well
It was in the town of Shawnee on a Saturday afternoon
His wife beside him in a wagon as into town they rode
And along come a deputy sheriff in a manner rather rude
Using vulgar words of language and his wife she overheard
And pretty boy Floyd grabbed a long chain, and the deputy grabbed a gun
And in the fight that followed, he laid that deputy down
Then he ran through the trees and bushes and lived a life of shame
Every crime in Oklahoma was added to his name
He ran through trees and bushes on the Canadian River shore
And many a starving farmer opened up his door
It was in Oklahoma City, it was on a Christmas Day
A whole carload of groceries and a letter that did say
You say that I'm an outlaw, you say that I'm a thief
Well, here's a Christmas dinner for the families on relief
As through this life you travel, you meet some funny men
Some rob you with a six-gun, some with a fountain pen
As through this life you ramble, as through this life you roam
You'll never see an outlaw take a family from their home
The Byrds' song "Pretty Boy Floyd" tells the story of a notorious outlaw named Charles Arthur Floyd, also known as "Pretty Boy Floyd". The song begins with a description of his reputation in Oklahoma where he was well-known for his criminal activities. The second verse focuses on an incident where Floyd and his wife were riding into town on a wagon and were confronted by a rude deputy sheriff. In response, Floyd grabbed a chain and a fight ensued where he ended up killing the deputy. After the fight, Floyd fled into the woods and continued to commit crimes, which he became famous for in Oklahoma.
The third verse of the song tells the story of how Floyd became somewhat of a folk hero among the poverty-stricken farmers of Oklahoma during the Great Depression. He would often hide out in the Canadian River shore area and many farmers who were struggling to feed their families would open up their doors to him and provide him with food and shelter. The final verse describes a Christmas Day incident in Oklahoma City where Floyd sent a carload of groceries for families in need and wrote a letter defending himself as an outlaw and thief.
The song shows how the public perception of an outlaw can be somewhat contradictory. Some rob you with a six-gun, while others use a fountain pen. Floyd may have been a criminal, but he also had a loyal following among the poor and was known for his generosity. The song also speaks to the poor conditions in America during the Great Depression and how even a criminal could become a hero to those who were struggling to get by.
Line by Line Meaning
Well gather round children, a story I will tell
Listen up kids, I've got a story to share with you.
About pretty boy Floyd the outlaw, Oklahoma knew him well
This story is about a well-known outlaw named Pretty Boy Floyd from Oklahoma.
It was in the town of Shawnee on a Saturday afternoon
One Saturday afternoon in Shawnee, Oklahoma...
His wife beside him in a wagon as into town they rode
As he and his wife traveled in a wagon into town...
And along come a deputy sheriff in a manner rather rude
Then a deputy sheriff came along, acting rudely.
Using vulgar words of language and his wife she overheard
This deputy used offensive language, and Floyd's wife heard it all.
And pretty boy Floyd grabbed a long chain, and the deputy grabbed a gun
Floyd took hold of a chain, while the deputy aimed his firearm.
And in the fight that followed, he laid that deputy down
In the ensuing scuffle, Floyd ended up defeating the deputy.
Then he ran through the trees and bushes and lived a life of shame
After that, he fled into the woods and lived a shameful life on the run.
Every crime in Oklahoma was added to his name
Floyd became known for committing a slew of crimes throughout Oklahoma.
He ran through trees and bushes on the Canadian River shore
He made his way through trees and bushes along the shore of the Canadian River.
And many a starving farmer opened up his door
Floyd found refuge at the homes of many farmers who were struggling to make ends meet.
It was in Oklahoma City, it was on a Christmas Day
One Christmas Day, in Oklahoma City...
A whole carload of groceries and a letter that did say
Floyd sent a car filled with groceries to be distributed, along with a message.
You say that I'm an outlaw, you say that I'm a thief
In the message, he acknowledged his outlaw status.
Well, here's a Christmas dinner for the families on relief
He still wanted to help those in need, and sent a Christmas dinner to families receiving aid.
As through this life you travel, you meet some funny men
Throughout life, you'll come across all sorts of characters.
Some rob you with a six-gun, some with a fountain pen
Some will rob you with violence, while others will do it through deceitful means, like fraud or embezzlement.
As through this life you ramble, as through this life you roam
As you travel through life, moving from place to place...
You'll never see an outlaw take a family from their home
Despite their crimes, real outlaws won't harm or displace innocent families.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WOODY GUTHRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mlebron20
@@scudfarcus4343
Are we splitting hairs here?
I could actually write at great length about this topic but lacking the time, I’ll let DeepSeek do this mini-lift for me:
Gram Parsons and Bluegrass**
1. **Early Influences**:
- Parsons grew up in the South, where he was exposed to traditional country and bluegrass music. These genres had a significant impact on his musical development.
- As a teenager, he was particularly inspired by *The Stanley Brothers* and **Flatt & Scruggs**, who were prominent figures in bluegrass.
2. **The Shiloh Revival**:
- In the early 1960s, Parsons formed a folk and bluegrass-inspired group called *The Shiloh Revival* while attending Harvard University. This group performed traditional folk and bluegrass tunes, showcasing his early interest in the genre.
3. **The Byrds and "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"**:
- When Parsons joined *The Byrds* in 1968, he pushed the band toward a country and bluegrass-influenced sound. The album *"Sweetheart of the Rodeo"* (1968) is a landmark in country-rock and features several bluegrass-inspired tracks, such as *"The Christian Life"* (originally by The Louvin Brothers) and *"I Am a Pilgrim"* (a traditional bluegrass tune).
- Parsons' contributions to this album helped bridge the gap between rock and traditional American roots music, including bluegrass.
4. **The Flying Burrito Brothers**:
- After leaving The Byrds, Parsons co-founded *The Flying Burrito Brothers**, where he continued to explore country and bluegrass influences. Their debut album, **"The Gilded Palace of Sin"* (1969), features a mix of country, rock, and bluegrass elements, though it leans more toward country-rock
@chrispaul6290
"Now as through this life I've rambled, I've seen lots of funny men. Some'll rob you with a six-gun, and some with a fountain pen." You just can't top Woodie Guthrie.
@markelliottchurchman1635
This is a child that the world is loving.
@markelliottchurchman1635
This is a child that the world is loving.
@francisbradley1027
Sweet Heart of the Rodeo, omg , I love listening to this album.yay.
@bernhardlohr4662
Love this original Columbia- LP!! One of my treasures !!
"Pretty Boy Floyd"...what a brilliant bluegrass-song from
one of the finest bands in Rock-History !!!
Simply perfect !!
Greetings to all Byrds-fans from
Germany, B.L.
@henkbraaksma9775
Yup, still one of my favourites. Found it a million years ago the charity shop i was working in then.
@peterblack1639
This entire album should have been presented live on stage at the Grand Ole Opray........Nashville Tennessee .........
@noahholmes1448
They did perform it at the Grand Ole Opray in 68...and they were booed off stage
@freddiemercury-gw5wj
@@noahholmes1448 good to learn that
@psychonautseventen2249
@@noahholmes1448 pitty the fool