On Sale Today: “All I Really Want to Do” by the Byrds

June 14, 1965 - On sale today is “All I Really Want to Do,” a recording by the Byrds of a Bob Dylan song. The B-side is “I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better.” It is the Byrds’ third single after “Please Let Me Love You,” and “Mr. Tambourine Man,” another Dylan composition.

The Byrds’ version of the song is noticeably different in structure to Dylan’s. It begins with Jim McGuinn’s jangling guitar introduction (played on a 12-string Rickenbacker guitar) and features a substantially changed, ascending melody progression in the chorus, made more attractive by the band’s angelic harmonies. In addition, the band completely changed the melody to one of the song’s verses, in order to turn it into a Beatlesque, minor-key bridge.

The single was rush-released by the band’s record label, Columbia Records, when it transpired that Cher was about to issue a rival cover version of the song on the Imperial label.

“All I Really Want to Do” was first released on Dylan’s 1964 album “Another Side of Bob Dylan.” It was recorded by Dylan in one take on June 9 of last year.

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