The initial concept for this album was a journey through the history of American music. It would traverse genres from Bluegrass to Appalachian music to Country and Western, Jazz, R&B and rock music before finally settling on an early type of electronic music played on a Moog Synth. David Crosby and Michael Clarke had been fired. Chris Hillman’s cousin had been hired to play drums but the band found they struggled to replicate their recorded sound live as a 3-piece. A young 21-year-old Gram Parsons was recommended.

Officially known the world’s first Folk Rock album (or at least, the first album to be described by this new phrase). The album took its name from the lead single, a song that Bob Dylan had written and recorded just one month before the release of this one. The harmonies on that single, and the album in general are stunning. The blending of Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark and David Crosby’s vocals is magical.