byrdsongs, xxxii

Along with this, this and this, the Byrds' rendition of Lay Lady Lay, recorded shortly after the release of Dr. Byrds and Mr. Hyde, is my favorite of the band's Dylan covers. But the original version of the single features horrible choir backing vocals, inserted into the song by Bob Johnston without the band's consent.  I think you'll agree that the song's a billion times better without the choir. The good thing about this is that Johnston, who had also done a poor job producing Dr Byrds, was fired for his poor judgement/treachery, and the band brought Terry Melcher back into the fold for The Ballad of Easy Rider... It's interesting that the Byrds version of Lay Lady Lay was released more or less contemporaneously with Dylan's.  Both versions sound sleepy, some might say fatigued, though not in a bad way, and certainly in keeping with a more general languid vibe in rock at the time. This wasn't, as is often assumed, simply a case of things getting more laid back.  The emerging mellowness reflected a sense of being worn down and weary.  And to think that in the spring of '69, some of the freakiest shit hadn't even happened yet...