View source for Preflyte

{{Infobox album
| name       = Preflyte
| type       = compilation
| artist     = [[the Byrds]]
| cover      = TheByrdsPreflyte.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = July 29, 1969
| recorded   = {{circa}}{{thin space}}{{nowrap|September 1964}}{{snd}}{{nowrap|January 1965}}<ref>{{harvnb|Hjort|2008|pp=19–20}}: "Of the many tapes Jim Dickson records with The Jet Set, five demo recordings will survive by the transitional unplugged quartet.{{nbsp}}... As with all their sessions done at World Pacific, no documentation will survive to precisely date the sessions, but September{{nbsp}}1964 is a good guess.{{nbsp}}... They continue to record at World Pacific whenever opportunities arise, and more than a dozen songs in various states of completion will later be collected on the ''Preflyte Sessions'' two-CD set in 2002. A rough estimate suggests these songs are recorded during the last two–three months of 1964 (and certainly continuing into the first weeks of 1965){{nbsp}}..."</ref>
| venue      =
| studio     = [[Pacific Jazz Records|World Pacific]], Los Angeles
| genre      = [[Folk rock]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Unterberger |first1=Richie |author1-link=Richie Unterberger |title=Great Moments in Folk Rock: Lists of Author Favorites |url=http://www.richieunterberger.com/turnlists.html |via=www.richieunterberger.com |access-date=7 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021112550/http://www.richieunterberger.com/turnlists.html |archive-date=21 October 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| length     = 25:38
| label      = [[Together Records|Together]]
| producer   = Jim Dickson
| prev_title = [[Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde]]
| prev_year  = 1969
| next_title = [[Ballad of Easy Rider (album)|Ballad of Easy Rider]]
| next_year  = 1969
| misc       = {{Extra album cover
| header  = Alternative cover
| type    = compilation
| cover   = TheByrdsPreflyteAlternate.jpg
| border  =
| alt     =
| caption = Cover of the 1973 Columbia Records reissue.  Art by Barry Windsor-Smith
}}
}}
'''''Preflyte''''' is a [[compilation album]] by the American [[folk rock]] [[Musical ensemble|band]] [[the Byrds]] and was released in July 1969 on Together Records.<ref name="timeless">{{cite book|author=Rogan, Johnny.|pages=548–549|year=1998|title=The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited|edition=2nd|publisher=Rogan House|isbn=0-9529540-1-X}}</ref> The album is a collection of [[Demo (music)|demos]] recorded by the Byrds (then named the Jet Set) at [[Pacific Jazz Records|World Pacific Studios]] in Los Angeles during late 1964, before the band had signed to [[Columbia Records]] and become famous.<ref name="fricke">{{cite book|author=Fricke, David.|year=2001|title=The Preflyte Sessions (2001 CD liner notes)}}</ref>  It includes early demo versions of the songs "Here Without You", "You Won't Have to Cry", "I Knew I'd Want You", and "Mr. Tambourine Man", all of which appeared in re-recorded form on the band's 1965 debut album.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|title=Preflyte review|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r32040|pure_url=yes}}|access-date=2009-09-19}}</ref>
The album peaked at number 84 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' Top LPs]] chart upon its initial release, but failed to chart in the UK when it was issued there in 1973.<ref name="allmusic3">{{cite web|title=Preflyte - Billboard Albums Data|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r32040/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}}|access-date=2010-01-01}}</ref><ref name="timeless"/><ref name="brown">{{cite book|author=Brown, Tony.|page=130|year=2000|title=The Complete Book of the British Charts|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=0-7119-7670-8}}</ref> The album's title is a deliberate misspelling of "pre-flight", meant to emulate the misspelling of "birds" that the band had used for their name.
==History==
Initially inspired by the success of [[the Beatles]], [[Folk music|folk singers]] [[Roger McGuinn|Jim McGuinn]] and [[Gene Clark]] began playing as a duo in Los Angeles [[folk club]]s in early 1964 and were soon joined by fellow folkie, [[David Crosby]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Byrds Biography|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p3810/biography|pure_url=yes}}|access-date=2009-09-19}}</ref>  The trio named themselves the Jet Set, a name chosen by McGuinn and inspired by his love of aeronautics.<ref name="timeless2">{{cite book|author=Rogan, Johnny.|pages=33–36|year=1998|title=The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited|edition=2nd|publisher=Rogan House|isbn=0-9529540-1-X}}</ref>  Crosby introduced McGuinn and Clark to his associate Jim Dickson who had access to World Pacific Studios, where he had been recording demos of Crosby.<ref name="timeless2"/>  Dickson was impressed enough by the trio to take on management duties for the group and to utilize World Pacific as a rehearsal studio, where he recorded the band as they honed their craft and perfected their blend of Beatles [[Pop music|pop]] and [[Bob Dylan]]-style folk.<ref name="fricke"/><ref>{{cite web|title=In The Beginning|publisher=ByrdWatcher: A Field Guide to the Byrds of Los Angeles|url=http://ebni.com/byrds/lpitb.html|access-date=2009-09-19|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090524044624/http://ebni.com/byrds/lpitb.html|archive-date=2009-05-24}}</ref>
Dickson arranged a one-off deal with [[Elektra Records]]' founder, [[Jac Holzman]], for two songs from the World Pacific [[Studio recording|sessions]], "Please Let Me Love You" and "[[It Won't Be Wrong|Don't Be Long]]", to be released as a [[Single (music)|single]] on Elektra in October 1964.<ref>{{cite book|author=Rogan, Johnny.|pages=40–41|year=1998|title=The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited|edition=2nd|publisher=Rogan House|isbn=0-9529540-1-X}}</ref>  In an attempt to cash in on the [[British Invasion]] that was then dominating the U.S. music scene, the single was issued under the suitably British sounding pseudonym of the Beefeaters, but it failed to chart.<ref name="hjort">{{cite book|author=Hjort, Christopher.|pages=17–20|year=2008|title=So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star: The Byrds Day-By-Day (1965-1973)|publisher=Jawbone Press|isbn=1-906002-15-0}}</ref>  Both songs on the Beefeaters' single featured McGuinn, Clark and Crosby, along with "[[The Wrecking Crew (music)|Wrecking Crew]]" [[session musician]]s Ray Pohlman on [[bass guitar|bass]] and [[Earl Palmer]] on [[Drum kit|drums]].<ref name="hjort"/>
Soon after, the Jet Set expanded their ranks to include [[drummer]] [[Michael Clarke (musician)|Michael Clarke]] and [[Bassist|bass player]] [[Chris Hillman]].<ref name="hjort"/>  The rehearsal and recording sessions at World Pacific studios came to a close when the Jet Set (soon to be renamed the Byrds) signed a recording contract with Columbia Records on November 10, 1964.<ref name="fricke"/>
==Album origin==
In 1969, the manager of [[rock music]] for [[RCA Records]] on the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]], Dick Moreland, heard about the existence of these early Byrds' demo recordings from Jim Dickson and immediately told [[Record producer|producer]] [[Gary Usher]] about them.<ref name="foster">{{cite book|author=Foster, Joe.|year=2001|title=Preflyte (2001 CD liner notes)}}</ref>  Usher, who had produced the Byrds' ''[[Younger Than Yesterday]]'', ''[[The Notorious Byrd Brothers]]'' and ''[[Sweetheart of the Rodeo]]'' albums, had recently formed Together Records with colleagues [[Curt Boettcher]] and [[Keith Olsen]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Gary Usher Discography|publisher=The Original Gary Usher Web Page|url=http://www.garyusher.com/disc.html#LPs|access-date=2009-09-19|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222132812/http://www.garyusher.com/disc.html#LPs|archive-date=2009-02-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Byrds/Curt Boettcher/Gary Usher|publisher=[[Come With A Smile]]|url=http://cwas.hinah.com/review/?id=229|access-date=2009-09-19}}</ref>  Prior to the formation of Together, Usher had been involved with the Columbia Records' release of ''[[Conspicuous Only in its Absence]]'', a collection of previously unheard live recordings by the [[Psychedelic rock|psychedelic]] band [[The Great Society (band)|the Great Society]] (featuring [[Grace Slick]] of [[Jefferson Airplane]]).<ref name="foster"/>  The album had enjoyed moderate success and Usher was keen to continue issuing previously unreleased, historically significant material on his new record label.<ref name="foster"/>  Usher met with Dickson and was able to acquire all of the Byrds' World Pacific tapes that still existed for a reasonable sum.<ref name="foster"/>  The tapes were then edited and compiled into an eleven track running order, before being [[remix]]ed and [[Audio mastering|mastered]] by Keith Olsen.<ref name="foster"/>
Dickson approached the five original members of the Byrds in order to have them sign a letter of permission to authorize the release of these early recordings.<ref name="hjort2">{{cite book|author=Hjort, Christopher.|pages=218–219|year=2008|title=So You Want To Be A Rock 'n' Roll Star: The Byrds Day-By-Day (1965-1973)|publisher=Jawbone Press|isbn=1-906002-15-0}}</ref><ref name="timeless3">{{cite book|author=Rogan, Johnny.|page=290|year=1998|title=The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited|edition=2nd|publisher=Rogan House|isbn=0-9529540-1-X}}</ref>  Crosby was initially reluctant to sanction the release, but he was eventually persuaded by his friend and singing partner, [[Graham Nash]], who convinced Crosby of the musical worth and historical value of the recordings.<ref name="timeless3"/>  Dickson later recalled Nash's involvement during a 1977 interview: "Graham Nash said that the songs were charming baby pictures. You have to get a little older before you can tolerate seeing your baby pictures out there. We were all babies once! Graham just charmed David's socks off."<ref name="timeless3"/>  With the permission of all five original members of the band secured, Together Records released the album in July 1969 with a great deal of publicity.<ref name="foster"/>  As a collection of previously unreleased demo recordings, ''Preflyte'' can be seen as one of the earliest examples of issuing [[outtake]]s by popular artists, a practice that is now commonplace in the [[reissue]] market.<ref name="foster"/>
==Music==
All of the music on ''Preflyte'' predates the release of the Byrds' debut [[Single (music)|single]] for Columbia, a [[cover version]] of [[Bob Dylan]]'s "[[Mr. Tambourine Man]]", which topped the charts in America and the United Kingdom during 1965.<ref name="fricke"/> Of the album's eleven songs, seven had never before been released by the Byrds.  These previously unreleased songs included five written solely by Gene Clark: "The Reason Why", "She Has a Way", "For Me Again", "Boston", and "You Movin'".  Of these, "She Has a Way" had been re-recorded by the Byrds during sessions for their debut album, ''[[Mr. Tambourine Man (album)|Mr. Tambourine Man]]''.<ref name="timeless4">{{cite book|author=Rogan, Johnny.|pages=49–52|year=1998|title=The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited|edition=2nd|publisher=Rogan House|isbn=0-9529540-1-X}}</ref>  However, this Columbia recording of the song was discarded at the eleventh hour and remained unreleased until its appearance on the Byrds' archival album, ''[[Never Before (The Byrds album)|Never Before]]'', in 1987.<ref name="timeless4"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Never Before|publisher=ByrdWatcher: A Field Guide to the Byrds of Los Angeles|url=http://ebni.com/byrds/lpnb.html|access-date=2010-01-30|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028075426/http://ebni.com/byrds/lpnb.html|archive-date=2010-10-28}}</ref>
"The Reason Why", a brooding, Beatles and [[The Everly Brothers|Everly Brothers]] influenced ballad, and the melancholy "For Me Again", would both be jettisoned from the band's repertoire by early 1965 to make way for higher quality material.<ref name="timeless4"/>  The [[uptempo]] "Boston" and "You Movin'" were never seriously intended for release by the band and had been written purely to give fans something to dance to during the Byrds' early [[Rock concert|concert]] performances.<ref name="timeless4"/>
A further two Clark compositions included on ''Preflyte'', "Here Without You" and "I Knew I'd Want You", had appeared in re-recorded versions on the band's debut album, with the latter also appearing on the [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] of the "Mr. Tambourine Man" single.<ref name="timeless5">{{cite book|author=Rogan, Johnny.|pages=543–545|year=1998|title=The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited|edition=2nd|publisher=Rogan House|isbn=0-9529540-1-X}}</ref>  In total, there were nine songs included on ''Preflyte'' that were either written or co-written by Clark, highlighting his early songwriting dominance over the group.<ref name="allmusic"/>
The album also featured the Crosby and McGuinn penned "The Airport Song", a hauntingly romantic composition with subtle [[jazz]] overtones, highlighted by Crosby's clear [[Lead vocalist|lead vocal]] and Clark's wistful [[harmonica]] playing.<ref name="timeless4"/>  The song was inspired by the time that Crosby and McGuinn had spent hanging out at [[Los Angeles International Airport]], watching planes come in to land.<ref name="timeless4"/>
The album also included two McGuinn and Clark compositions, "[[You Showed Me]]" and "You Won't Have to Cry", the latter of which had already appeared in a different version on the band's debut album.<ref name="allmusic"/><ref name="timeless5"/>  "You Showed Me" had not been released by the Byrds, but a [[Cover version|cover]] of it had been a [[hit single]] for [[the Turtles]] in early 1969 and had peaked at number 6 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref name="timeless4"/><ref>{{cite web|title=The Turtles Billboard Singles|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5716/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}}|access-date=2010-01-29}}</ref>
The embryonic version of "Mr. Tambourine Man" included on ''Preflyte'' illustrated how the song sounded prior to its recording as the band's debut single for Columbia Records.<ref name="timeless4"/> The Byrds' biographer [[Johnny Rogan]] has stated that McGuinn's distinctive [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]]-inspired guitar [[Introduction (music)|intro]] is already present in this early version, but Crosby's [[Vocal harmony|harmony singing]] displays signs of uncertainty.<ref name="timeless4"/>  Rogan has also remarked that perhaps the most striking difference between the version of the song found on ''Preflyte'' and the more famous Columbia recording is Michael Clarke's use of a militaristic drumming style.<ref name="timeless4"/>  This [[military band]] style of drumming was abandoned when the song was recorded for the Columbia single on January 20, 1965, with session drummer [[Hal Blaine]] adopting a standard rock beat instead.
==Release and reception==
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="allmusic"/>
|rev2 = ''[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]''
|rev2score = {{Rating|7|10}}<ref name="classic" >{{cite journal |title=The Byrds - Preflyte |journal=[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]] |date=March 2012 |last=Hughes |first=Rob|issue=168 |page=108 }}</ref>
| rev3 = [[entertainment.ie]]
|rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="entertainment">{{cite web|title=Preflyte review|publisher=[[entertainment.ie]]|url=http://entertainment.ie/album-review/The-Byrds---Preflyte/1485.htm|access-date=2010-01-29}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
|rev4Score = ''(favorable)'' <ref>{{cite journal |last=Bangs |first=Lester |date=18 October 1969 |title=Records |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/preflyte-19691018 |journal=[[Rolling Stone]] |issue=44 |pages=37–38 |location=San Francisco |publisher=Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. |access-date=25 April 2016 }}</ref>
}}
''Preflyte'' was released on July 29, 1969 in the United States on Together Records (catalogue item ST-T-1001), but it was not issued in the United Kingdom until January 1973, when it was released by [[Kim Fowley]]'s Bumble record label (catalogue item GEXP 8001).<ref name="timeless"/>  It was then reissued in the U.S. in April 1973 by Columbia Records (catalogue item C 32183),<ref name="timeless"/><ref>{{cite book|author=Umphred, Neal.|year=1990|title=The Byrds (1990 CD box set liner notes)}}</ref> with alternative cover artwork by British [[Comic book creator|comic book artist]] [[Barry Windsor-Smith]], depicting the five original members of the Byrds as futuristic [[astronaut]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Record Covers Drawn By Comic Artists - W|publisher=Platenhoezen Ontworpen Door Striptekenaars|url=http://www.xs4all.nl/~ronaldk/W.html|access-date=2009-10-11}}</ref>
Upon initial release, sales of ''Preflyte'' were fairly good in the U.S., resulting in the album outperforming the Byrds' most recent studio offering, ''[[Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde]]''.<ref name="hjort2"/>  The album managed to climb to number 84 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' Top LPs]] chart in 1969, and again charted in America at number 183 when it was reissued by Columbia in 1973.<ref name="allmusic3"/> It was less successful in the United Kingdom, however, where it failed to enter the [[UK Albums Chart]] when it was issued there in 1973.<ref name="timeless"/><ref name="brown"/>
The album was met with mixed reviews, with [[Lester Bangs]] in ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine criticizing the sub-standard sound quality of the recordings, but also noting that the songs on the album "still overflow with that unique unschmaltzy beauty and lyricism that has been the Byrds' trademark."<ref name="hjort2"/>  [[Lenny Kaye]], writing in ''Jazz & Pop'' magazine, praised the album, noting that "One of the more interesting things about ''Preflyte'' is the consistency of the Byrds sound, especially when compared with their later post-Tambourine Man days."<ref name="hjort2"/>
In more recent years, ''[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]'' reviewer Rob Hughes praised "the purring harmonies, the extraordinary songcraft of frontman Gene Clark and the smooth exhalations of what became the California folk-rock sound", despite the fact that the Byrds had "yet to become competent musicians".<ref name="classic" /> Andrew Lynch, writing for the [[entertainment.ie]] website, described the album as "a fascinating slice of pop history and a pretty good album in its own right too."<ref name="entertainment"/>
In 1988 [[Rhino Entertainment|Rhino Records]] released another compilation of recordings from the Byrds' 1964 World Pacific sessions, entitled ''[[In the Beginning (The Byrds album)|In the Beginning]]'', which consisted largely of previously unreleased recordings.<ref name="timeless"/><ref>{{cite web|title=In The Beginning review|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r78145|pure_url=yes}}|access-date=2010-01-29}}</ref>  The first [[Compact Disc|CD]] release of ''Preflyte'' came in 2001 from [[Alan McGee]]'s [[Poptones]] record label.<ref name="allmusic"/>  Later that year [[Sundazed Records]] released a [[Double album|2 CD]] compilation of tracks from the World Pacific era titled ''The Preflyte Sessions''.<ref name="allmusic2">{{cite web|title=The Preflyte Sessions review|publisher=[[Allmusic]]|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r561532|pure_url=yes}}|access-date=2009-09-19}}</ref>  This double CD compilation included all of the tracks originally released on ''Preflyte'', along with other tracks that had first appeared on ''In the Beginning'' and fourteen previously unreleased recordings.<ref name="allmusic2"/>  ''The Preflyte Sessions'' also included four recordings made by David Crosby at World Pacific studios in 1963 and 1964, before the formation of the Jet Set.<ref name="allmusic2"/>  In tandem with the release of ''The Preflyte Sessions'', Sundazed also issued a [[vinyl record|7"]] single featuring previously unreleased 1964 recordings of "You Movin'" and "Boston", neither of which were included on ''The Preflyte Sessions'' album.<ref>{{cite web|title=You Movin'/Boston 7" Vinyl Single|publisher=[[Sundazed Records]]|url=http://sundazed.com/kcs_01.html|access-date=2009-09-19|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714151458/http://sundazed.com/kcs_01.html|archive-date=2012-07-14|url-status=dead}}</ref>  As of 2010, the two World Pacific recordings of "You Movin'" and "Boston" found on this single have not been released on CD.
In 2006, Sundazed Records reissued the original ''Preflyte'' album in a [[remaster]]ed edition.<ref>{{cite web|title=Preflyte CD Reissue|publisher=[[Sundazed Records]]|url=http://www.sundazed.com/product_info.php?products_id=778|access-date=2009-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227042025/http://www.sundazed.com/product_info.php?products_id=778|archive-date=2008-12-27|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 2012, Floating World Records issued another compilation of the Byrds' World Pacific recordings titled ''Preflyte Plus''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Preflyte Plus catalogue listing|publisher=Floating World Records|url=http://www.floatingworldrecords.co.uk/albums/preflyte-plus2/|access-date=2012-07-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102101349/http://www.floatingworldrecords.co.uk/albums/preflyte-plus2/|archive-date=2013-11-02|url-status=dead}}</ref>  This compilation was essentially a re-release of the earlier Sundazed 2 CD compilation, but with an additional eight previously unreleased tracks.
==Track listing==
All tracks written by [[Gene Clark]] except noted.
===Side one===
{{track listing
| title1 = [[You Showed Me]]
| writer1 = [[Roger McGuinn|Jim McGuinn]], [[Gene Clark]]
| length1 = 2:05
| title2 = [[Here Without You (The Byrds song)|Here Without You]]
| length2 = 2:30
| title3 = She Has a Way
| length3 = 2:34
| title4 = The Reason Why
| length4 = 2:34
| title5 = For Me Again
| length5 = 2:32
| title6 = Boston
| length6 = 2:07
}}
===Side two===
{{track listing
| title1 = You Movin'
| length1 = 2:10
| title2 = The Airport Song
| writer2 = Jim McGuinn, [[David Crosby]]
| length2 = 2:03
| title3 = You Won't Have to Cry
| writer3 = Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark
| length3 = 2:17
| title4 = [[I Knew I'd Want You]]
| length4 = 2:19
| title5 = [[Mr. Tambourine Man]]
| writer5 = [[Bob Dylan]]
| length5 = 2:20
}}
==''The Preflyte Sessions'' track listing==
===Disc one===
#"The Reason Why" [Version #2] ([[Gene Clark]]) – 2:38
#"You Won't Have to Cry" [Electric Version] ([[Roger McGuinn|Jim McGuinn]], Gene Clark) – 2:17
#"She Has a Way" [Version #4] (Gene Clark) – 2:29
#"[[You Showed Me]]" [Electric Version] (Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark) – 1:53
#"Here Without You" [Version #2] (Gene Clark) – 2:28
#"[[It Won't Be Wrong|Don't Be Long]]" (Jim McGuinn, Harvey Gerst) – 1:58
#"I Knew I'd Want You" [Electric Version #2] (Gene Clark) – 2:14
#"Boston" [Version #2] (Gene Clark) – 2:15
#"Tomorrow Is a Long Ways Away" [Electric Version] (Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark, [[David Crosby]]) – 1:59
#"For Me Again" [Version #2] (Gene Clark) – 2:39
#"It's No Use" [Version #2] (Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark) – 2:20
#"You Movin'" [Version #3] (Gene Clark) – 2:08
#"Please Let Me Love You" (Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn, Harvey Gerst) – 2:25
#"The Airport Song" (Jim McGuinn, [[David Crosby]]) – 2:03
#"[[Mr. Tambourine Man]]" [Electric Version] ([[Bob Dylan]]) – 2:25
#"She Has a Way" [Version #3] (Gene Clark) – 2:33
#"I Knew I'd Want You" [Electric Version #1] (Gene Clark) – 2:31
#"Boston" [Instrumental Track] (Gene Clark) – 2:15
#"You Showed Me" [Instrumental Track] (Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark) – 2:06
#"[[The Times They Are a-Changin' (song)|The Times They Are a-Changin']]" [Instrumental Track] (Bob Dylan) – 2:26
===Disc two===
#"The Only Girl I Adore" (Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark) – 2:26
#"Tomorrow Is a Long Ways Away" [Acoustic Version] (Gene Clark) – 2:01
#"You Showed Me" [Acoustic Version] (Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark) – 2:04
#"I Knew I'd Want You" [Acoustic Version] (Gene Clark) – 2:18
#"You Won't Have to Cry" [Acoustic Version] (Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark) – 2:21
#"Mr. Tambourine Man" [Acoustic Version] (Bob Dylan) – 2:14
#"Willie Jean" ([[Hoyt Axton]]) – 2:08
#"[[Come Back Baby]]" ([[Ray Charles]]) – 2:26
#"[[Jack of Diamonds (song)|Jack of Diamonds]]" ([[traditional music|traditional]], arranged David Crosby) – 1:46
#"[[Get Together (Chet Powers song)|Get Together]]" ([[Chet Powers|Dino Valenti]]) – 2:34
#"She Has a Way" [Version #1] (Gene Clark) – 2:23
#"Here Without You" [Version #1] (Gene Clark) – 2:29
#"For Me Again" [Version #1] (Gene Clark) – 2:32
#"It's No Use" [Version #1] (Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark) – 2:17
#"You Movin'" [Version #1] (Gene Clark) – 2:10
#"Boston" [Version #1] (Gene Clark) – 2:09
#"She Has a Way" [Version #2] (Gene Clark) – 2:32
#"You Movin'" [Version #2] (Gene Clark) – 2:12
#"The Reason Why" [Version #1] ([[Gene Clark]]) – 2:31
#"It's No Use" [Version #3] (Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark) – 3:38
#*NOTE: this song ends at 2:09; at 2:18 begins "Studio Chat"
*NOTE:  Tracks 7-10 were recorded prior to the formation of the Byrds and are performed by David Crosby with backing musicians [[Tommy Tedesco]] (electric guitar), Ray Pohlman (electric bass) and Earl Palmer (drums).<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Sixties Transition|others=Various Artists|year=2007|chapter=Sixties Transition|first=Jim|last=Dickson|type=CD booklet|publisher=Sierra Records}}</ref>  The initial release of "The Only Girl I Adore" erroneously credited the song to Jim McGuinn and David Crosby.<ref name="timeless"/>
===The ''Preflyte Plus'' track listing===
The 2012 CD reissue titled ''Preflyte Plus'' is essentially the same compilation as ''The Preflyte Session'' 2-disc set, with the following songs added to the end of disc 2:
{{Track listing
| headline        = 2012 bonus tracks
| extra_column    =
| total_length    =
| all_writing     =
| all_lyrics      =
| all_music       =
| title21          = Tomorrow Is a Long Ways Away
| note21           =
| writer21         = Gene Clark
| extra21          =
| length21         = 2:02
| title22          = You Won't Have to Cry
| note22           =
| writer22         = Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark
| extra22          =
| length22         = 2:22
| title23          = You Showed Me
| note23           =
| writer23         = Jim McGuinn, Gene Clark
| extra23          =
| length23         = 2:06
| title24          = I Knew I'd Want You
| note24           = Acoustic
| writer24         = Gene Clark
| extra24          =
| length24         = 2:19
| title25          = Mr. Tambourine Man
| note25           =
| writer25         = Bob Dylan
| extra25          =
| length25         = 2:15
| title26          = She's the Kind of Girl
| note26           =
| writer26         = Gene Clark
| extra26          =
| length26         = 3:06
| title27          = I'm Just a Young Man
| note27           =
| writer27         = David Crosby
| extra27          =
| length27         = 2:08
| title28          = Everybody's Been Burned
| note28           =
| writer28         = David Crosby
| extra28          =
| length28         = 3:05
}}
==Personnel==
Sources for this section are as follows:<ref name="hjort"/><ref name="timeless4"/>
* [[Roger McGuinn|Jim McGuinn]]{{snd}}lead guitar, vocals
* [[Gene Clark]]{{snd}}percussion, [[harmonica]], guitar, vocals
* [[David Crosby]]{{snd}}guitar, vocals
* [[Chris Hillman]]{{snd}}bass guitar
* [[Michael Clarke (musician)|Michael Clarke]]{{snd}}drums, percussion
==Release history==
{|class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!Date
!Label
!Format
!Country
!Catalog #
!Notes
|-
|July 29, 1969
|[[Together Records|Together]]
|align="center"|[[LP album|LP]]
|align="center"|US
|ST-1-1001
|original release.
|-
|January 1973
|Bumble
|align="center"|LP
|align="center"|UK
|GEXP 8001
|
|-
|April 27, 1973
|[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
|align="center"|LP
|align="center"|US
|C 32183
|
|-
|1973
|[[Ariola Records|Ariola]]
|align="center"|LP
|align="center"|Holland
|86 468 IT
|
|-
|July 9, 2001
|[[Poptones]]
|align="center"|[[Compact Disc|CD]]
|align="center"|UK
|MC5044CD
|
|-
|December 3, 2001
|Poptones
|align="center"|LP
|align="center"|UK
|MC33150441LP
|
|-
|December 17, 2001
|[[Sundazed Records|Sundazed]]
|align="center"|CD
|align="center"|US
|SC 11116
|''The Preflyte Sessions'' expanded release.
|-
|December 18, 2001
|Sundazed
|align="center"|LP
|align="center"|US
|LP 5114
|''The Preflyte Sessions'' expanded release.
|-
|February 21, 2006
|Sundazed
|align="center"|CD
|align="center"|US
|SC 6234
|
|-
|February 27, 2012
|Floating World
|align="center"|CD
|align="center"|UK
|FLOATD6122
|''Preflyte Plus'': reissue of the earlier Sundazed compilation with extra tracks.
|-
|June 14, 2012
|Air Mail Archive
|align="center"|CD
|align="center"|JPN
|AIRAC 1659/61
|''Preflyte – Complete Edition'': [[Blu-spec CD]] reissue of the Together, Bumble and Columbia releases of ''Preflyte'' in miniature replica LP sleeves.
|-
|}
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
==Bibliography==
*Rogan, Johnny, ''The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited'', Rogan House, 1998, {{ISBN|0-9529540-1-X}}
*{{cite book |last1=Hjort |first1=Christopher |title=So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star: The Byrds Day-by-Day 1965-1973 |date=2008 |publisher=Jawbone Press |location=London |isbn=978-1-906002-15-2}}
{{The Byrds}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:The Byrds compilation albums]]
[[Category:1969 compilation albums]]
[[Category:Sundazed Records compilation albums]]
[[Category:Columbia Records compilation albums]]
[[Category:Ariola Records compilation albums]]
[[Category:Poptones compilation albums]]