THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,605) The Byrds — “I Knew I’d Want You”
This ineffable B-side to ‘65’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” “gave many listeners their first taste of Gene Clark’s [see #655] songwriting talent. A classic in [his] early canon, the mid-tempo folk-rocker is a great example of Clark’s ability to convey the feelings of both love and alienation”. (Matthew Greenwald, https://www.allmusic.com/song/i-knew-id-want-you-mt0006201358) Some say the Moody Blues ripped off the song for “Nights in White Satin”, but I think it just inspired them.
Wikipedia tells us:
It was recorded on January 20, 1965, at the same session that produced ‘Mr. Tambourine Man.’ As with that song, 12-string guitarist Roger McGuinn was the only member of the Byrds to play his instrument on the song. The other musicians credited are members of the Wrecking Crew, including Larry Knechtel (bass guitar), Leon Russell (electric piano), Hal Blaine (drums), and Jerry Cole (guitar).
As to Clark, No Depression tells us that he “infused the [Byrds] with much of its soul and vision, establishing himself as a pivotal folk-rock innovator . . . . [but o]verwhelmed by demands of fame and tired of clashing with the contentious Crosby, Clark left the band in 1966”. (https://www.nodepression.com/album-reviews/gene-clark-with-the-gosdin-brothers-self-titled/)
And Mark Deming writes that:
[He] will always be best-known for his short stint as lead singer for the Byrds from 1964 to 1966 . . . . [He] helped invent country-rock with 1968’s Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers album, then teamed with Doug Dillard in the late ’60s to make two records that served as a blueprint for Americana. . . . Clark’s clear and true vocals, his poetic turns of phrase, and his skill at weaving melancholy melodies never wavered. . . . [L]ong after his passing in 1991, has remained influential to each new generation of jangle pop artists . . . . Clark . . . [was in] the New Christy Minstrels, a well-scrubbed folk-pop ensemble . . . . However, [he] longed to perform his own songs and didn’t care for life on the road; after hearing the Beatles for the first time, Clark decided he wanted to form a rock band and he quit . . . and moved to Los Angeles. There, he met . . . [Roger] McGuinn . . . . Clark quickly became the Byrds’ dominant songwriter, penning most of their best-known originals . . . . [But] the combination of [his] dislike of traveling (including a fear of flying) and resentment that his songwriting income made him the best-paid member of the group led to tensions . . . and in 1966 Clark opted to leave . . . . [I]n 1967 he released his first solo set, Gene Clark with the Gosdin Brothers, a pioneering fusion of country and rock.
Here is Clark’s ‘67 solo version:
Here is the ’64 acoustic demo:
Here are the Moody Blues:
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