Pictured above: The Yardbirds, 1964
Following the release of The Yardbirds’ single For Your Love, Eric Clapton, a blues purist, abruptly left the band frustrated by the commercial approach the single took. Before leaving, however, he recommended session guitarist Jimmy Page to replace him. After rejecting the offer to join the band, Page, in turn, recommended his friend Jeff Beck.
Despite Clapton’s sudden leave, The Yardbirds’ record label in America, Epic Records, rush-released an album consisting of singles, B-sides and some demos only a month after the single’s release. Despite the custom of not releasing singles on albums in the UK, the album was later released after a notable demand for a Yardbirds album overseas.
“It’s a serviceable album, but I dunno if it’s something to be proud of.”
- Keith Relf, 1970
For Your Love
Side A:
01. For Your Love (2:30) [1]
02. Baby What’s Wrong (2:38) [1]
03. Putty (In Your Hands) (2:18) [1]
04. I Ain’t Got You (2:00) [1]
05. Got to Hurry (2:33) [1]
06. Boom Boom (2:26) [1]
Side B:
07. I Wish You Would (4:17) [1]
08. A Certain Girl (2:19) [1]
09. Sweet Music (2:30) [1]
10. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (2:46) [1]
11. Honey in Your Hips (2:20) [1]
12. Talkin’ ’Bout You (1:56) [1]
Released: April 25th, 1965 (US) / July 5th, 1965 (UK)
Track sources:
Pictured above: The Yardbirds, 1965
With their new guitarist, the band embarked on their first US tour in 1965, during which they recorded the songs Mr. You’re a Better Man Than I and Train Kept A-Rollin’ with legendary producer Sam Phillips at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. By the time The Yardbirds returned from their second American tour, a new album was released assembled in similar form to their previous, released internationally in late 1965.
Having a Rave Up with The Yardbirds
Side A:
01. Shape of Things (2:26) [1]
02. Mr. You’re a Better Man Than I (3:18) [1]
03. Evil Hearted You (2:25) [1]
04. I’m a Man (2:38) [1]
05. Still I’m Sad (2:59) [1]
06. Heart Full of Soul (2:29) [1]
07. Train Kept A-Rollin’ (3:26) [1]
Side B:
08. I’m Not Talking (2:32) [1]
09. New York City Blues (4:19) [1]
10. I Ain’t Done Nothing Wrong (3:39) [1]
11. My Girl Sloopy (5:37) [1]
12. Steeled Blues (2:38) [1]
Released: November 15th, 1965
Track sources:
Pictured above: The Yardbirds, 1966
“I think it was around 1966 where we said, ya know what, let’s actually make an album this time, and see how it turns out”
- Jeff Beck, 1985
Recording for The Yardbirds’ third studio album (although the first recorded with intent to be a studio album) occurred between April and June of 1966, produced by Simon Napier-Bell and Paul Samwell-Smith. Albeit originally titled Yardbirds, the album’s name was changed to Over, Under, Sideways, Down following the success of the single by the same name.
Over, Under, Sideways, Down
Side A:
01. Lost Woman (3:15) [1]
02. Over, Under, Sideways, Down (2:22) [1]
03. The Nazz Are Blue (3:06) [1]
04. I Can’t Make Your Way (2:27) [1]
05. Rack My Mind (3:14) [1]
06. Farewell (1:31) [1]
Side B
07. Hot House of Omagarashid (2:48) [1]
08. Jeff’s Boogie (2:24) [1]
09. He’s Always There (2:31) [1]
10. Turn Into Earth (3:16) [1]
11. What Do You Want (3:25) [1]
12. Ever Since The World Began (2:07) [1]
Released: July 15th, 1966
Track sources:
[1] - Roger the Engineer, 1966
Pictured above: The Yardbirds, 1966
Soon after the release of Over, Under, Sideways, Down, bassist Paul Samwell-Smith quit the band at a drunken gig in Queen’s College in Oxford and took on a career as a record producer. Jimmy Page, who was at the show, agreed to play bass that night until rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja could rehearse on the instrument. The band toured in this configuration in Paris, the UK, and the US. Beck fell ill following the latter tour and was hospitalized in San Francisco. Page took over lead guitar duties with Deja switching to bass. After they returned to London, Dreja remained on bass and the band’s double lead-guitar lineup was officially born.
Following this, they recorded a handful of singles, including Happenings Ten Years Time Ago, and participated in the Michelangelo Antonioni film Blowup. After which they kept up a frenetic touring schedule, including opening for The Rolling Stones’ 1966 UK tour, and then heading back to the US for a show in San Francisco, and a slot on Dick Clark’s “Caravan of Stars” tour, which they joined in Texas. After a few shows with the Caravan, Beck stormed out and headed back to San Francisco with his girlfriend Mary Hughes. The band carried on as a quartet, with Jimmy Page as the sole lead guitarist.
They eventually caught up with Beck in late November, at which point he officially left the band. His departure was officially announced on November 30th, the same day a new Yardbirds album, assembled similarly to their first two, albeit with more unreleased content, notably the experimental piece De Lane Lea Lee, was released.
Roger the Engineer
Side A:
01. Happenings Ten Years Ago (2:56) [1]
02. Stroll On (2:46) [1]
03. Shapes in My Mind (2:17) [1]
04. Pounds and Stomps (2:38) [1]
05. Knowing (1:53) [1]
06. Psycho Daisies (1:47) [1]
07. Here ‘Tis (4:03) [1]
08. Chris’ Number (2:39) [1]
Side B:
09. Mr. Zero (2:45) [1]
10. Blue Sands (2:10) [1]
11. Never Mind (2:47) [1]
12. Like Jimmy Reed Again (3:02) [1]
13. Crimson Curtain (2:42) [1]
14. De Lane Lea Lee (10:08) [1]
Released: November 30th, 1966
Track sources:
[1] - Happenings - bootleg
Pictured above: The Yardbirds, 1967
Beck’s leave from the band also correlated with a decline in their commercial success. The single Happenings Ten Years Time Ago only charted at number 30 in the US and did even worse in the UK. The band dropped Simon Napier-Bell as their manager and entered a partnership with Columbia Records’ hit-making producer, Mickie Most, yet this failed to reignite their chart success. After the poor sales of Happenings, the single Little Games did even worse in the UK, resulting in EMI not releasing any further of the band’s singles or album that year.
Recording of their fourth album, Little Games, was incredibly rushed, with Most focusing mostly on recordings of singles. Sessions took place between March and May of 1967, with the album being released later that year in June.
“It was just so bloody rushed. Everything was done in one take because Mickie Most was basically interested in singles and didn't believe it was worth the time to do the tracks right on the album.”
- Jimmy Page, 1992
Pictured above: The Yardbirds, 1968
The Yardbirds spent much of 1967 touring in the US with their new manager, Peter Grant, with their live shows becoming heavier and more experimental. The band rarely played their 1967 Most-produced singles, preferring to mix Beck-era hits with blues standards and experimental psychedelia such as "Glimpses", a Page-written piece from Little Games featuring bowed guitars, pre-recorded noise loops, and a hypnotic wah-wah guitar groove. They also covered various artists and bands including The Velvet Underground, Bob Dylan, and Jake Holmes.
By 1968, the psychedelic blues rock of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience was enormously popular, yet Keith Relf and Jim McCarty wished to pursue a style influenced by folk and classical music. Page wanted to continue with the kind of "heavy" music they were playing on stage. Dreja was developing an interest in photography. By March, Relf and McCarty had decided to leave but were persuaded by the other two to stay at least for one more American tour and one more album.
“The title of The Yardbirds’ last album is actually a bit ironic, considering how at the time we were anything but together. We were almost breaking up, in fact after the end of our American tour, Keith and Jim left the band. Afterward, me and Dreja were faced with the task of coming up with a new lineup for The Yardbirds.”
- Jimmy Page, 1992
Together Now
Side A:
01. You Stole My Love (2:57)
02. Think About It (3:45)
03. Together Now (3:06)
04. Avron Knows (3:45)
05. Henry’s Coming Home (3:00)
06. Goodnight Sweet Josephine (2:44)
07. Puzzles (2:10)
Side B:
08. Spanish Blood (3:15)
09. My Baby (2:56)
10. Shining Where The Sun Has Been (2:54)
11. Taking a Hold on Me (3:05)
12. Love Mum and Dad (3:51)
13. L.S.D. (1:01)
14. I Remember The Night (3:03)
Released: June 7th, 1968
Track sources:
[1] - Goodnight - bootleg
Author’s comments:
Happy Halloween folks! Hope your day is going well. Sorry for the wait on this post, but I hope you enjoy our take on The Yardbirds’ discography, trying to make it more concise and all.
Once again, Happy Halloween everyone and I shall see you later.
