Stranger in a Strange Land - The Byrds (25-07-2024)

Stranger in a Strange Land - The Byrds (1965)
I've long been frustrated that the Byrds never properly recorded the David Crosby song "Stranger in a Strange Land." It's a bonus track on the 1965 "Turn! Turn! Turn!" album, but it's only a rough instrumental version. "Stranger in a Strange Land" has been said to have been written by David Crosby of The Byrds, although it was credited to the fictitious "Samuel F. Omar." The title and lyrics are based on the Robert A. Heinlein science fiction novel that was widely popular among the San Francisco youth culture in the mid-1960s. It was released as a single in late December 1966.
The recording of the "Turn! Turn! Turn!" album in 1965 was not without its tensions, with several members of the band expressing feelings of resentment towards the close working relationship that was beginning to form between Roger McGuinn and producer Terry Melcher. Rhythm guitarist David Crosby was particularly vocal in his disapproval, since he felt that McGuinn and Melcher (along with the band's manager Jim Dickson) were conspiring to keep his songs off of the album. Crosby had brought the self-penned "Stranger In a Strange Land" (later released by Blackburn and Snow) and "The Flower Bomb Song", along with Dino Valenti's "I Don't Ever Want to Spoil Your Party" (later released by Quicksilver Messenger Service as "Dino's Song") to the recording sessions but all three songs were rejected and remained unreleased at the time.
In my opinion Crosby had a very good point, because this is an excellent song that would have sounded wonderful if done by the Byrds.