133. The Byrds | Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
2. I Am a Pilgrim
3. The Christian Life
4. You Don't Miss Your Water
5. You're Still on My Mind
6. Pretty Boy Floyd
7. Hickory Wind
8. One Hundred Years from Now
9. Blue Canadian Rockies
10. Life in Prison
11. Nothing Was Delivered

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Sweetheart of the Rodeo is n superb album. On this album, and with the addition of Gram Parsons who wanted to blend rock and roll and country, the Byrds decided to go country. Most of the songs are written by folk and country musicians like Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, the Louvin Brothers and Merle Haggard. However, Gram Parsons contributed two songs and Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman co-wrote one.

I don't have an ear for country music and I don't have a deep sense of the culture, but to me it's impressive that a folk rock/psychedelic rock band was able to pull this off as well as they did. To me, it's the real deal. In fact, I think of the five albums that the Byrds have on the 1001 Albums list, this is the best one by far. (Roger McGuinn snotty, smarmy singing is at a minimum.)

This album certainly deserves to be on the list and would be a great addition to any collection. The only negative thing I have is that, with this album, the Byrds probably helped usher in the easy-listening country rock music that emerged in the 1970s and continues to plague radio stations to this day.

All of the songs are excellent, but the stand outs are: You Ain't Goin' Nowhere, I Am a Pilgrim, The Christian Life, You Don't Miss Your Water, Pretty Boy Floyd, Hickory Wind, Blue Canadian Rockies and Life in Prison.

★★★★★★★★★★