The short version: That was on the original pressing of the band's debut album, but after "For What It's Worth" became a hit, it was removed in favor of the million-seller.
It's a little sloppy, to be sure, but I love it for a) the quote from "Day Tripper" at the end, and b) its ahead of its time sort of punkish folk-rock insouciance. Man, what I wouldn't have given to see those guys live.
And and oh my god -- that bridge is a work of freaking genius!!!
6 comments:
Great find. It was included on the badly curated (by Neil) Box set, but I’d completely forgotten it.
Who wrote that one?
Jai Guru Dave
Steven Stills
A very good track but as the weakest track on the album the most logical track to get bumped.
Captain Al
Agree with Captain Al. Weakest song on the debut. It was better live. Saw 'em do it at Gazzarri's. My beloved uncle took me, Sandy and another friend. Love's bass player was filling in.
Too bad you never got to see them live, Steve. Guess they didn't make it out your way very often. In their heyday they were fuckin' ubiquitous in the Southland. Saw them with the Seeds at least three times. Between fifteen to twenty times total. They were pretty dynamic to say the least. It's a shame that none of the scattered bootlegs do them justice.
When the Byrds toured Southern California in 1966 the Springfield were their opener. In fact, the band's first major gig was in Berdoo at the Swing. I went to see the Byrds. Nobody knew who the fuck Buffalo Springfield were. They barely knew who they were themselves! It would be nice to say I saw them on their first gig, but me, Sandy and our friend Audrey were scoring and sampling some weed in the bathroom during their short set. It was the first pot I ever paid for, juvenile delinquent that I was. Typical low-grade Sixties mersh. Back then people didn't openly toke up in public. So, we hung out in the bathroom with the high school girls who sold us the grass. During the break between the Dillards and the Byrds we returned to the rest room and each soloed our own joints.
My favorite Byrds song at the time was She Don't Care About Time, available only as a B-Side. Though it wasn't likely, I was gonna make damn sure I'd do my best to get 'em to do the number. The three of us got up by the low stage and beheld the coolness that was the Byrds. Except for the guy with the cape. Other than him, they were all doable. Not that we were doing anything like that yet. Other than in the realm of fantasy. For me, Gene has always been the sexiest.
VR (more to come)
Eight Miles High was just breaking when the Byrds did this San Bernardino gig. Naturally, they played it and all the big hits. They played for about 40 minutes. The Byrds DID perform She Don't Care About Time. I'd like to think we drew it out of them. Jim looked at me and smiled between songs when I suggestively said "Joy of man's desiring." My imagination really went wild when I made eye contact with Gene during the song as they sang "Her eyes are dark and deep with love, her hair hangs long and fine ...'
They stuck around for a short while after the show and I was able to hug and kiss Gene on the cheek. He called us sweet rosebuds. It was my "Letter from Elaina" moment.
VR
P.S.
I had the original version of the Buffalo Springfield LP when it came out and bought the timely For What It's Worth 45 by the end of 1966. The band already had a huge local buzz. Nowaday's Clancy, the debut 45, made it into the 20's in SoCal charts the previous summer. Even higher in the desert communities. The original Baby Don't Scold Me version of the album sold pretty respectably at the time. Wallich's Music City had it on their top seller list which means it must have been selling thousands of copies.
Subsequently, FWIW made it to #2 out here, kept out of #1 by the Stones' double-sided Ruby Tuesday/Let's Spend the Night Together. One thing that always blows my mind is that the follow-up single Bluebird/Mr. Soul didn't perform well nationally. It was a double-sided #1 out here!
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