Chimes Of Freedom - The Byrds, 1965

 
 

Far between sundown's finish and midnight's broken toll
We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing
As majestic bells of bolts, struck shadows in the sounds
Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing

Flashing for the warriors, whose strength is not to fight
Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight
And for each and every underdog soldier in the night
We gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing

Even though a cloud's white curtain in a far off corner flashed
And the hypnotic splattered mist was slowly lifting
Electric light still struck like arrows, fired but for the ones
Condemned to drift or else be kept from drifting

Tolling for the searching ones, on their speechless seeking trail,
For the lonesome hearted lovers, with too personal a tale
And for each unharmful gentle soul misplaced inside a jail
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing

Starry eyed and laughing, as I recall when we were caught
Trapped by no track of hours for they hanged suspended
And we listened one last time, and we watched with one last look
Spellbound and swallowed till the tolling ended

Tolling for the aching ones whose wounds cannot be nursed
For the countless confused, accused, misused, strung-out ones and worse
And for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe
We gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing

 
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Roger McGuinn played with various folk groups in the early '60s, but when he heard the Beatles for the first time, he decided there was a market for a mixture of John Lennon and Bob Dylan. In November of 1964, he formed The Byrds.
 
Their early music consisted of Folk Rock, but soon moved into early Psychedelic experimentation. Harmony was provided by David Crosby, and hits such as Mr. Tambourine Man, Turn, Turn, Turn and the reputed drug song Eight Miles High all climbed the charts. Of note - style and philosophy differences lead to Crosby leaving the band in 1967, and forming his own super group, Crosby, Stills and Nash.
 
The Byrds debut album contained an often recorded song by Bob Dylan entitled Chimes of Freedom. It's a near perfect protest song that seems to sum up the almost giddy optimism of a generation desperate to change the world.
 
Today, most of this generation owns 2-3 cars, snowmobiles, boats; eats pre-packaged junk-food, and pays taxes that fund wars all around the world......