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.
Space Odyssey
The Byrds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Onto the the sea of crisis like children from the womb
We journeyed 'cross the great wall, plain beneath the mountain range
And there we saw the pyramid, it looked so very strange
This beacon had a field of force that circled all around
And not a man could get inside, no way could be found
It was here for thousands of years before our life beganWaiting very patiently for evolving man
When the galaxy was young they looked upon the earth
And saw that its position was promising for birth
They searched for life but finding none they left a beacon bright
Its signal had not been disturbed in the eternal light
How wise they were to choose this place, they knew when we arrived
That our atomic energy we'd harnessed and survived
I look out on the Milky Way for people of the dawn
And know that they will come some day but will our wait be long?
In nineteen and ninety-six we ventured to the moon
Onto the sea of crisis like children from the womb
We journeyed 'cross the great wall, plain beneath the mountain range
And there we saw the pyramid, it looked so very strange
The Byrds’ “Space Odyssey” is a remarkable song that tells a tale of a group of explorers who journeyed to the moon in 1996. Upon arrival, they encountered a pyramid-like structure surrounded by a powerful force field that prevented anyone from entering. The singer goes on to explain that this pyramid has been on the moon for thousands of years, waiting for the evolution of man.
The song also alludes to the idea that the beings responsible for the creation of the pyramid had a hand in the birth of Earth, having chosen its position in the galaxy specifically for this purpose. They searched for life, but finding none, left a beacon behind that has remained untouched for ages until humans finally arrived at the moon.
The singer wistfully looks out at the Milky Way, wondering when the “people of the dawn” will finally arrive. The song leaves the listener with an overwhelming sense of wonder, curiosity, and a call to explore the mysteries of the universe.
Overall, “Space Odyssey” is a fascinating song that employs a mix of science fiction and existentialist themes to conjure up an evocative tale of space exploration and discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
In nineteen and ninety-six we ventured to the moon
The singer is referring to a past mission that took place in 1996 where a team of individuals traveled to the moon.
Onto the sea of crisis like children from the womb
The team traveled to a specific area of the moon called the 'sea of crisis' which appears to be a metaphorical comparison to being born into a new environment.
We journeyed 'cross the great wall, plain beneath the mountain range
The group traveled across a distance that was called the 'great wall', in a flat terrain near a mountain range.
And there we saw the pyramid, it looked so very strange
While in the area the team found a pyramid which they describe as looking odd or unusual.
This beacon had a field of force that circled all around
The pyramid had an energetic field that surrounded it completely.
And not a man could get inside, no way could be found
Despite efforts to enter, the team could not find a way into the pyramid.
It was here for thousands of years before our life began
The pyramid had been present for a very long time before human existence.
Waiting very patiently for evolving man
The pyramid was possibly built with the intention of being discovered by humans who had sufficiently evolved in their knowledge or evolution.
When the galaxy was young they looked upon the earth
A group or species in the galaxy had observed Earth when it was young.
And saw that its position was promising for birth
The observations indicate that Earth's position aligned with their understanding of where life could be born or come into being.
They searched for life but finding none they left a beacon bright
Despite searching, the group did not find any existing life on Earth. As a result, they left some sort of bright, noticeable signal or object behind.
Its signal had not been disturbed in the eternal light
The signal or object left behind has remained unchanged or undiscovered throughout history.
How wise they were to choose this place, they knew when we arrived
The group who left the signal or object on Earth likely had great forethought in choosing the location, because they predicted that humans would eventually come in contact with it.
That our atomic energy we'd harnessed and survived
The group possibly knew that humans would have to discover and learn how to harness atomic energy to survive.
I look out on the Milky Way for people of the dawn
Looking out into the galaxy, the singer is searching for people who could be considered the original, earliest inhabitants of the universe.
And know that they will come some day but will our wait be long?
The artist anticipates that these early inhabitants will eventually make contact with humans, but is unsure how long it will take.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Roba Music Verlag GMBH, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBERT JAMES HIPPARD, ROGER MCGUINN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Noel Salisbury, from England
on John Riley
I always have my eyes brimming with tears , listening to this masterpiece. Thankyou DC & RMg & I hope you two make music together again- "Everybody knows Music is Love" ay, David