Set You Free This Time

The Byrds

About Set You Free This Time

"Set You Free This Time" is a song by the American folk rock band The Byrds, written by band member Gene Clark and first released in December 1965 on the group's Turn! Turn! Turn! album. According to Clark, the song was written in just a few hours during The Byrds' 1965 British tour, after a night spent carousing with Paul McCartney at the Scotch of St James club in London. The song's lead vocal is performed by Clark, who also plays acoustic guitar and harmonica on the track. "Set You Free This Time" concerns the breakup of a relationship and Clark's vocal inflections and densely worded lyrics suggest the influence of Bob Dylan. The song also has a vague country rock feel to it, largely due to the song's melody and Clark's harmonica solo. The chord progression and rhythm of the song, however, are atypical of country music. Following its appearance on the Turn! Turn! Turn! album, the song was issued as the A-side of a single on January 10, 1966. However, initial sales were relatively poor, with the single only managing to reach #79 on the Billboard Hot 100. As a result, Columbia Records in America began promoting the single's B-side "It Won't Be Wrong" instead, which resulted in the single eventually climbing to #63. In the UK, after a review in the NME stated that the B-side was better than "Set You Free This Time", CBS Records went a step further and actually re-released the single with "It Won't Be Wrong" as the A-side. This re-issuing of essentially the same single twice within two weeks caused confusion among British radio DJs over which of the two songs they should play and contributed to the single's failure to chart. To accompany its UK release as a single, the BBC commissioned a short promotional film from The Byrds. However, on the day of filming a physical altercation occurred between the band's manager Jim Dickson and rhythm guitarist David Crosby and although some footage was shot, the clip was never aired. Despite its lack of commercial success, the single release of "Set You Free This Time" gained mostly positive reviews in the music press. The first edition of Crawdaddy! magazine described it as "a lovely, moving song with Dylan-like 20-syllabal lines deckful of well chosen words." In the UK, Penny Valentine was complimentary in her review of the song for Disc magazine, commenting "On first play, I didn't like it – but now I do. It's rather unByrd-like and very, very Dylan-like. It's slow and gentle and rather sad about never being a person who had much, and though she laughed at him and has now come for help, he doesn't hold a grudge. Ahh!" The Beatles' drummer, Ringo Starr, reviewing the single for Melody Maker, commented "I only heard it the other day. They can do no wrong in my book. Great record, man, I love the voices."During February 1966, The Byrds performed "Set You Free This Time" on the U. S. television programs Hollywood A Go-Go, Where The Action Is, The Lloyd Thaxton Show, and Shivaree. However, the song disappeared from the band's live concert repertoire following Clark's departure from the group in March 1966. During his solo career, Clark would often return to the song in live concerts and consequently, it appears on his live albums In Concert and Silverado '75: Live & Unreleased. The Byrds' recording of "Set You Free This Time" is included on several of the band's compilation albums, including The Original Singles: 1965–1967, Volume 1, The Essential Byrds, There Is a Season, and the expanded and remastered edition of The Byrds' Greatest Hits. It has also been included on the Gene Clark compilations, Echoes, American Dreamer 1964–1974, Flying High, and Set You Free: Gene Clark in The Byrds 1964–1973. 


Year:
1995
2:50
53 
#1

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The first thing that I heard you say
When you were standing there sad in your way
Was that you were not blind
You were sure to make a fool of me
'Cause there was nothing there was that you could see
That could go beyond your mind
Now who's standing at the door
Remembering the days before
And asking please be kind
It isn't how it was set up to be
But I set you free this time
I have never been so far out in front
That I could never ask for what I want
And have it anytime

Knowing this you found the thought for me
That told you just what I should be
And there I stood behind.
With all the ones that were before
And memories that always seem to tear me from my mind
In front of what it is you see me to be
And I've set you free this time

I could never find a chance to choose
Between a way to to wear or a thing to loose
Because there was your stand
On top of all the love you took
That was always something you could look at
Lying in your hand
Now who's wondering what has changed
And why it cannot be arranged to have each thing work fine
It isn't how it was set up to be
But I've set you free this time

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The Byrds

The Byrds ( /ˈbɜrdz/) were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (aka Jim McGuinn) remaining the sole consistent member, until the group disbanded in 1973. Although they only managed to attain the huge commercial success of contemporaries like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, and The Rolling Stones for a short period of time (1965–66), The Byrds are today considered by critics to be one of the most influential bands of the 1960s. Initially, they pioneered the musical genre of folk rock, melding the influence of The Beatles and other British Invasion bands with contemporary and traditional folk music. As the 1960s progressed, the band was a… more »

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Written by: GENE CLARK

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Songwriter and Recording
"Set You Free This Time" was written by Gene Clark, the founding member of The Byrds.
Album Inclusion
The song is included in the band's second album "Turn! Turn! Turn!" which was released in 1965.
Genre
"Set You Free This Time" is considered a country-rock song and features folk-pop harmonies, showcasing the band's signature sound.
Second Single
The song was released as the second single from the album on January 10, 1966, in the U.S. However, despite its high quality, it wasn't a big hit.
Clark's Vocal
This track is one of the few Byrds' songs in which Gene Clark took the lead vocal. Founding members Jim McGuinn and David Crosby usually sang lead.
Songwriting Skills
"Set You Free This Time" reflected Gene Clark's proficient songwriting skills as it did not just feature typical verse-chorus-verse structure, but also included wordy, sophisticated lyrics.
Detailed Lyrics
Clark is celebrated for the harrowing honesty in his lyrics. In "Set You Free This Time", he laid bare his vulnerability in the face of a failing relationship.
Song's Theme
The song's lyrics depict a person in conflict with their feelings, longing for freedom from a suffocating relationship yet afraid of the loneliness that would come after.
Length
Compared with other songs of that era, "Set You Free This Time" is a bit longer, clocking in at over 2 and a half minutes.
Live Performances
The Byrds rarely performed the song live, however, Clark continued to perform the song in his solo concerts.
Cover Versions
The song has been covered by numerous artists, demonstrating its enduring appeal and influence.
GI Clark's Departure
Not long after the release of "Set You Free This Time," Gene Clark left The Byrds in early 1966 due to his fear of flying and simmering tensions within the band.

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    Set You Free This Time

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 1966

    Billboard #79


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