Younger Than Yesterday Songs Ranked

Younger Than Yesterday is the fourth album by the American rock band the Byrds and was released on February 6, 1967 on Columbia Records. It saw the band continuing to integrate elements of psychedelia and jazz into their music, a process they had begun on their previous album, Fifth Dimension.[2][4] In addition, the album captured the band and record, producer Gary Usher, experimenting with new musical textures, including brass instruments, reverse tape effects and an electronic oscillator. The album also marked the emergence of the band’s bass player Chris Hillman as a talented songwriter and vocalist. Prior to Younger Than Yesterday, Hillman had only received one shared writing credit with the Byrds, but this album saw him credited as the sole composer of four songs and a co-writer of “So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star”. Byrds expert Tim Connors has remarked that two of Hillman’s compositions on Younger Than Yesterday exhibited country and western influences and thus can be seen as early indicators of the country-rock experimentation that would feature—to a greater or lesser degree—on all of the Byrds’ subsequent albums. Here are all of Younger Than Yesterday’s songs ranked.

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10. Mind Gardens

“Crosby’s other contribution, “Mind Gardens”, is definitely not going to please everyone. It’s an utterly bizarre song and possibly this album’s only real mis-step.”

9. The Girl With No Name

“Chris Hillman wrote it after meeting a lady named Girl Frieberg, who was married to one of the members of Quicksilver Message Service. It’s very similar to Time Between, and it also includes Clarence White on guitar.”

8. Renaissance Fair

“Renaissance Fair” is wonderful. The Byrds played it at Monterey. It’s lyrics contain the phrase “I think that maybe I’m dreaming”. And later, Eric Burdon & the Animals recorded their tribute to the artists and atmosphere of the Monterey Pop Festival in the song “Monterey” featuring the same line. Great track!”

See more: The Byrds Albums Ranked

7. Time Between

“The first song that Chris Hillman wrote by himself. It’s a country-style shuffle about being away from home for long periods of time. Clarence White (a prominent session musician at the time) played lead guitar. He would join the Byrds a couple years later.”

6. Everybody’s Been Burned

“Everybody’s Been Burned” is my no-further-thought-needed pick of the litter, but no great album’s reputation is staked on one song, irrespective of how much I like that song.”

5. Have You Seen Her Face

“So the album got off to a bad start. It quickly redeems itself with “Have You Seen Her Face”. I believe this is the best track on the album. It’s harmonies are absolutely perfect as well as the lyrics, music and arragement. I especially like the solos that Roger McGuinn layed down for this track – Perfect track!”

See more: The Byrds Songs Ranked

4. Why

“The album’s closer, “Why”, is a song with great beat and great melody, but probably some of the most misunderstood lyrics in the Byrds’ catalog. The song deals with viewing life from two different angles. The way that the adults were viewing the world, and the way the kids and hippies were viewing the world.”

3. Thoughts and Words

“Thoughts And Words” reveal a deftness of touch and feel mixing sparkling jangle pop with countrified arrangements. There’s a tentative, almost naïve, charm as if Hillman was slightly wary of revealing his talent, fearing the reaction of Crosby and McGuinn.”

2. My Back Pages

“What Byrds record would be complete without a great Bob Dylan cover? Some perhaps, but not this one. The Byrds cover “My Back Pages” here, and in doing so created the definitive version of the song. Everything that the Byrds were famous for doing to Dylan’s songs, they did here. Great harmonies, a great rock beat, nice guitar, etc”

1. So You Want To Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star

“Dig under the skin of “So You Want To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” and the petulant resentment felt against the success of manufactured bands comes to the surface. It’s an established fact The Byrds took umbrage to the popularity of The Monkees but, for all the track was a hit, it’s never made for pleasant listening.”