Billboard Beatdown: The Byrds - “Airport Song”
There are some people you’ve heard, and some you’ve heard of. One of the unanticipated joys of discovering The Byrds has been discovering David Crosby. Mostly due to my age, David Crosby has been more famous for his drug troubles, his walrus-like appearance, his sperm donation, and his willingness to be outspoken on any topic any time someone will put a microphone in front of his walrus-like face. In other words, he was famous for everything but actually making any music.
Yes, of course I had heard of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young but for some reason in my mind, I assigned Neil Young the credit for that. That may seem silly, and I guess it was because there are albums with and without Young. The truth is, I wasn’t familiar with the discography, just the names. I knew he was an artist, but those days had seemingly passed him by. I never thought of him as a “has-been,†but his career didn’t seem to have a north-bound trajectory.
As I’ve listened to The Byrds these past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to find something to appreciate about Crosby, because none of those things I associated him with are particularly endearing. I still have not done enough research to make judgments about Crosby the songwriter, but I have heard enough of his body of work to declare him one of the finest male vocalists I’ve ever heard.
In bands like The Byrds and CSNY, bands where there are several great voices, it can be hard to focus on one. The Byrds recorded some of the most amazing harmonies I’ve ever heard and Crosby is a huge part of that equation. With songs like “The Airport Song,†he stepped far enough out front that I was able to appreciate his voice as a lead instrument.
“The Airport Song†is beautifully breezy and melancholy, and all of that can be traced mainly to a Crosby lead vocal that is both aching and unaffected. It’s really an amazing vocal, and this is a song that technically pre-dates The Byrds. In other words, he was that good that early in his and the band’s development. Amazing. This is sunny, California, folk-jazz-pop at its absolute best and yet there are a few clouds hanging overhead.
Crosby and Roger McGuinn co-wrote this song at LAX, but for some reason it didn’t make it on to Mr. Tambourine Man. That is a shame. Tambourine is a great, great debut album as originally conceived. “The Airport Song†would not likely have been a radio hit, but it would have given a great album even more depth. The song finally saw light of day on a rarities collection, and now appears on the There is a Season box set, which was released last year.
David Crosby, I never knew thee.
Filed under: Billboard Beatdown, The Byrds
Crosby is indeed a freak of nature with that voice. incredible harmonies. you got the first CSN record? you should. Deja Vu also.
and while i’m at it, i’d add Daylight Again (came out in the 80’s).
I’ve heard most of the hits but don’t have much in the way of deep album cut knowledge.
Have you heard this song? Incredible.
I just dusted this song off again this afternoon. It is every bit as brilliant as I suggested last month.