Although the Byrds' Fifth Dimension was wildly uneven, its high points were as innovative as any rock music being recorded in 1966.
Immaculate folk-rock was still present in their superb arrangements of the traditional songs "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "John Riley." For the originals, they devised some of the first and best psychedelic rock, often drawing from the influence of Indian raga in the guitar arrangements.
"Eight Miles High," with its astral lyrics, pumping bassline, and fractured guitar solo, was a Top 20 hit, and one of the greatest singles of the '60s.
The minor hit title track and the country-rock-tinged "Mr.
Spaceman" are among their best songs; "I See You" has great 12-string psychedelic guitar solos; and "I Come and Stand at Every Door" is an unusual and moving update of a traditional rock tune, with new lyrics pleading for peace in the nuclear age.
At the same time, the R&B instrumental "Captain Soul" was a throwaway, "Hey Joe" not nearly as good as the versions by the Leaves or Jimi Hendrix, and "What's Happening?!?!" the earliest example of David Crosby's disagreeably vapid hippie ethos.
These weak spots keep Fifth Dimension from attaining truly classic status.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5D (Fifth Dimension)Roger McGuinn | The Byrds | Play | 02:36 | 5 MB | 16 MB |
| 2 | Wild Mountain ThymeFrancis McPeake, Traditional | The Byrds | Play | 02:33 | 5 MB | 15 MB |
| 3 | Mr. SpacemanRoger McGuinn | The Byrds | Play | 02:12 | 5 MB | 13 MB |
| 4 | I See YouDavid Crosby, Roger McGuinn | The Byrds | Play | 02:41 | 6 MB | 16 MB |
| 5 | What's Happening?!?!David Crosby | The Byrds | Play | 02:38 | 6 MB | 16 MB |
| 6 | I Come and Stand at Every Door | The Byrds | Play | 03:06 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 7 | Eight Miles HighGene Clark, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn | The Byrds | Play | 03:37 | 8 MB | 22 MB |
| 8 | Captain SoulMichael Clarke, David Crosby, Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn | The Byrds | Play | 02:56 | 6 MB | 18 MB |
| 9 | John RileyJoan Baez, Bob Gibson, Traditional | The Byrds | Play | 02:20 | 5 MB | 14 MB |
| 10 | 2-4-2 Fox Trot (The Lear Jet Song)Roger McGuinn | The Byrds | Play | 02:21 | 5 MB | 13 MB |
| 11 | Eight Miles HighGene Clark, David Crosby, Roger McGuinn | The Byrds | Play | 03:37 | 8 MB | 22 MB |
| 12 | John RileyJoan Baez, Bob Gibson, Traditional | The Byrds | Play | 02:20 | 5 MB | 14 MB |
| 13 | Hey Joe (Where You Gonna Go) | The Byrds | Play | 02:20 | 5 MB | 14 MB |
| 35 mins | 81 MB | |||||
| 35 mins | 217 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vic Anesini | Mastering, Mixing |
| 2 | Joan Baez | Composer |
| 3 | Adam Block | Project Director |
| 4 | The Byrds | Primary Artist |
| 5 | Hope Chasin | Packaging Manager |
| 6 | Gene Clark | Composer, Guest Artist, Harmonica, Tambourine, Vocals |
| 7 | Michael Clarke | Composer, Drums |
| 8 | David Crosby | Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Rhythm), Vocals |
| 9 | Jim Dickson | Producer |
| 10 | David Fricke | Liner Notes |
| 11 | Bob Gibson | Composer |
| 12 | Chris Hillman | Bass, Composer, Guitar (Bass), Mandolin, Vocals, Vocals (Background) |
| 13 | Bob Irwin | Memorabilia, Photo Courtesy, Photography, Producer |
| 14 | Roger McGuinn | Banjo, Composer, Guitar, Guitar (12 String), Vocals |
| 15 | Francis McPeake | Composer |
| 16 | Van Dyke Parks | Guest Artist, Keyboards |
| 17 | Billy Roberts | Composer |
| 18 | Johnny Rogan | Liner Notes, Song Notes |
| 19 | Allen Stanton | Producer |
| 20 | Traditional | Composer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |