Weekend Music

Former Byrds, CSN and CSNY founder David Crosby is 79 today.  Given his life history and fragile current circumstances, we try to note that remarkable occasion every year with a song or two from his catalogue.  We've featured both of today's songs in the past simply because we grew up with them and, of course, we like them.  The first, "What's Happening," from the "Fifth Dimension" album (1966), is one of the first compositions Crosby made for the Byrds catalog (his vocals nicely complemented by Roger McGuinn's 12- string Rickenbacker riffing and majestic coda).  Sometimes considered the "great lost Byrds hit," the second is  1967's "Lady Friend," the only Crosby composition to appear as an A-side Byrds single.  It likely would have appeared on the Byrds' "The Notorious Byrd Brothers" album (1968) but for bad vibes from the recording session, its disappointing sales and the fact that by then Crosby had been fired from the group.  (If you listen closely, Crosby says "Can't even talk, how can I sing" as the tape starts to roll.)  Happy birthday, Croz!  Hang in there.