(Apologies - this has sat in draft, unfinished for months)

There was a time, different place, different era, when I played The Byrds obsessively. The twinkling 12 string Rickenbacker, the three part harmonies, Gene Clark’s brooding magnificence, McGuinn’s granny glasses and Crosby’s cheeky grin, cape and high harmony.

I think my induction to the Byrds proper was the Original Singles Album (1965/67) which featured their first eight singles both A and B sides. Amongst the obvious Clark originals and Dylan covers - Mr Tambourine Man, Feel A Whole Lot Better for example, I discerned another quite different voice creeping in on the later cuts, all B sides. David Crosby.

On that album he is featured solo on three self penned classics - Why, What’s Happening?!?! and Everybody’s Been Burned. Within these three you have the quintessential Crosby vibe - laid back, melodic, whilst employing an almost conversational approach to lyrics.

Interestingly enough, it wasn’t until the third album, after Clark left, that Crosby starting putting forward his own songs. He had written previously - The Airport Song from Preflyte, the years later collection of early Bryds demos, is one of my favourites - but for the next couple of years until he was kicked out, Crosby was the Byrds main man.

Classics from this time - the groove of I See You, the sexual freedom of Triad - and the unreleased madness of Psychodrama City. The standout song though was released as a single in 1967; Lady Friend. It’s pretty obscure as the single failed and didn’t even make it onto an album. But it’s a classic - rollicking, brass led, great harmonies, usual Crosby sideways lyrics. A lost masterpiece in plain sight.

And then he was booted out of the Byrds and formed Crosby, Stills and Nash and went onto write other classics of which Genevieve is the most outstanding and up with anything he wrote for the Byrds. Haunting, beautiful lyrics with some great guitar from the man himself. See video below. Deja Vu is also a decent song. There are occasional gems both in this configuration and on his solo album but I have to say, I prefer my Crosby in the Byrds period.

Crosby. A one off. RIP.