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.
Set You Free This Time
The Byrds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you were standing there sad in your way
Was that you were not blind
You were sure to make a fool of me
'Cause there was nothing there was that you could see
That could go beyond your mind
Now who's standing at the door
Remembering the days beforeAnd asking please be kind
It isn't how it was set up to be
But I set you free this time
I have never been so far out in front
That I could never ask for what I want
And have it anytime
Knowing this you found the thought for me
That told you just what I should be
And there I stood behind
With all the ones that were before
And memories that always seem to tear me from my mind
In front of what it is you see me to be
And I've set you free this time
I could never find a chance to choose
Between a way to to wear or a thing to loose
Because there was your stand
On top of all the love you took
That was always something you could look at
Lying in your hand
Now who's wondering what has changed
And why it cannot be arranged to have each thing work fine
It isn't how it was set up to be
But I've set you free this time
The Byrds' song "Set You Free This Time" begins with the singer listening to their former lover as they try to explain that they were never in love with them, but instead were using them to free themselves from their own pain. The lover claims to have never been able to see beyond their own mind and only ever saw the singer's worth as a means to an end. The singer, however, chose to set the lover free despite their own pain.
As the song continues, the singer reflects on their memories with the lover and how they always felt like they were never enough for them. The lover seemed to always be searching for something more, and the singer eventually realized that they could never give them what they wanted. The singer ultimately chose to let them go, even though it was not what they had originally planned.
The lyrics of the song are a poignant exploration of love, letting go, and the difficult choices we often have to make in relationships. It touches on themes such as self-discovery, personal freedom, sacrifice, and the complexities of human emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
The first thing that I heard you say
When you were standing there full of sorrow, the first thing you told me was revealed
When you were standing there sad in your way
In your own unique style, you were standing there looking sad
Was that you were not blind
You let me know that you were aware of everything that was happening
You were sure to make a fool of me
You were confident and determined to embarrass me
'Cause there was nothing there was that you could see
There was nothing beyond what you could perceive
That could go beyond your mind
Your thoughts could not reach beyond what you already knew
Now who's standing at the door
Currently, who is standing at the entrance
Remembering the days before
Reflecting on the past times
And asking please be kind
Requesting for you to be gentle and considerate
It isn't how it was set up to be
This is not how things were intended or planned to progress
But I set you free this time
However, I have decided to release you from our relationship
I have never been so far out in front
I've never been so advanced in my thinking
That I could never ask for what I want
That I could never express my desires or wishes
And have it anytime
And just like that, get whatever I want
Knowing this you found the thought for me
Being aware of this, you found an idea for me
That told you just what I should be
Which informed you of what I ought to become
And there I stood behind
And there I remained in the background
With all the ones that were before
With all the people that were in my life before you
And memories that always seem to tear me from my mind
And memories that constantly rip my mind apart
In front of what it is you see me to be
And despite the persona you have imagined for me
And I've set you free this time
I have decided to release you from our relationship
I could never find a chance to choose
I never had the opportunity to make my own decisions
Between a way to to wear or a thing to loose
Between a fashion style to put on or an object to dispose of
Because there was your stand
Because you had asserted your presence
On top of all the love you took
Above all the affection you received from me
That was always something you could look at
That was always readily available for your inspection
Lying in your hand
Being held tightly in your grip
Now who's wondering what has changed
Now, someone else is questioning what has been altered
And why it cannot be arranged to have each thing work fine
And why all things cannot be sorted out to ensure that everything runs smoothly
It isn't how it was set up to be
This is not how things were intended or planned to progress
But I've set you free this time
Nevertheless, I have decided to release you from our relationship
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GENE CLARK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@비정한세상
The first thing that I heard you say
When you were standing there
Set in your way was that you were not blind
You were sure to make a fool of me
Cause there was nothing there
That you could see
That could go beyond your mind
Now who's standing at the door
Remembering the days before
And asking please be kind
It isn't how it was set up to be
But I've set you free this time
I have never been so far out in front
That I could ever ask for what I want
And have it any time
Knowing this you found a thought for me
That told you just what I should be
And there I stood behind
With all the ones that went before
And memories that always seems to Tear me from my mind
In front of what it is you seem me to be
I've set you free this time
I could never find a chance to choose
Between a way to win or a thing to lose
Because there was your stand
On top of all the love you took
There was only something You can look at lying in your hand
Now who's wondering what has changed
And why it can not be arranged To have each thing work fine
It isn't how it was set up to be
But I'll set you free this time
@ericbgordon1575
It's unusual that the singing Gene did on the first two Byrds records wasn't double-tracked. In this instance, we get the pure sound of his singing.
@robmoss8198
Ladies and gentlemen - the exceptional talent of Gene Clark
@JohnLittle-i6o
On full display here, on what is both his and The Byrds' finest song.
@courtneysands6646
He wrote most my favorite songs in the early days.
@thomasrebeling3356
One of a kind.
@maureendevries1904
Nice and smooth song--none other Gene Clark. RIP.
@byrdmaniacsg2776
Classic Gene Clarke! Hillman commented on Gene’s song writing skills, “Where does he get this talent, he doesn’t even read books”. It was just a god given talent.
@lxx5045
Such a beautiful song, those harmonies are wonderful .
@christineparker8020
Gene's voice is all that matters. Perfection.
@christineparker8020
Gene 's voice is beautiful.