The Byrds - "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)"
Hit Number 1: December 4, 1965
Stay at Number 1: 3 Weeks
Apparently, even the bible could produce a #1 hit. Most of the lyrics in "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" are from the first eight verses of the third chapter of the Book of Ecclesiastes. The song was written in the late 1950s by Pete Seeger, a folk singer known for his protest music. It was recorded for the first time in 1959, and then again in 1962 when it was recorded by the folk group the Limeliters, who included it on their album "Folk Matinee". One of the backing musicians for the Limeliters was Roger McGuinn, the front man for the Byrds, who would take the song all the way to #1 in 1965.
While the Byrds were touring, McGuinn's future wife, Dolores, had requested the song to be played on the tour bus. That was McGuinn's inspiration to let the Byrds take a crack at the song. Even though the Byrds are considered to be folk rock musicians, they couldn't help but make it sound more "rock" than "folk". This was acknowledged by McGuinn, who said that it sounded more like rock 'n' roll because that's what he was "programmed to do like a computer". He said that he couldn't do the song as it had traditionally sounded. Supposedly, the song was a heavy grind for the group, as it took them 78 total takes over the span of five days to finally complete the song. Since it was a successful song, making it to #1, I'd say it was worth it.
Taken from the bible, the lyrics explain how there is a time for everything. The only lyrics that aren't from the bible are the title of the song, and the final two lines which are: "A time for peace, I swear it's not too late". Along with the Byrds' rock 'n' roll twist on the song, and those final lines that young people interpreted as "war protest" lyrics, the song really struck a chord with young America at that time, as it was everything they were wanting to hear. They still wanted the British Invasion sound that was slowly starting to leave the charts, and with the steady rise of the Vietnam War, it acted as a song that seemed to be against the war and violence; pleading with the listeners that it's not too late to turn your back on the war, and live in a time of peace.
The song isn't as good as the masterful "Mr. Tambourine Man" that we heard from the Byrds earlier in 1965, but they still bring a lot of the good qualities that song had to "Turn! Turn! Turn!". You still get that great Rickenbacker guitar sound that the Byrds were heavily noted for, as well as their harmonies, that blend together as well as caramel and chocolate. Something you get on "Turn! Turn! Turn!" that "Mr. Tambourine Man" didn't have, is an instrument solo after the third verse that shows the group could rock out as good as anyone. It also keeps the song from being too repetitive, and gives the listener a "breath of fresh air" leading into the final verse and chorus. It's nothing incredible for sure, but judging by that great '65 sound, and the lyrics resonating strongly with America, it's one of the easier songs to understand how it became a #1 hit. It all might have happened on accident for the Byrds, but it was an accident that they would still do again.
GRADE: 8/10
SONG REFERENCED:
The Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man" - https://rmparis12.wixsite.com/website/post/the-hit-hammer-the-byrds-mr-tambourine-man
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