Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
The “tasteless” 1967 song that pushed David Crosby towards his exit from The Byrds
Tensions between David Crosby and Roger McGuinn over The Byrds’ musical direction came to a head in 1967 when the band chose not to record Crosby’s song ‘Triad’. McGuinn reportedly called the song “tasteless”, and Crosby’s refusal to take part in recording the selected alternative contributed to his dismissal from the group.
The article describes ‘Triad’ as a song in which Crosby’s narrator tries to persuade two women to enter a threesome, and notes that one character expresses fear and embarrassment. The band instead chose to record Dusty Springfield’s ‘Goin’ Back’; road manager Jim Seiter said Crosby sat out for three days. Crosby later joined Crosby, Stills & Nash and, in a 2018 documentary, joked that he had been fired because he was “an asshole”.
In short
- The Byrds rejected Crosby’s song ‘Triad’ for their 1967 album.
- Crosby refused to perform on ‘Goin’ Back’ after the decision.
- McGuinn and Chris Hillman fired him; Crosby later joined Crosby, Stills & Nash.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
McGuinn and the other Byrds could reasonably have judged ‘Triad’ a poor fit for the band’s direction or public image, particularly given its sexual subject matter and the unease voiced by one character. Choosing ‘Goin’ Back’ may have reflected a legitimate artistic preference, while Crosby’s refusal to join the recording could have made an already strained working relationship harder to sustain.
The case against
Crosby could reasonably have seen ‘Triad’ as an artistically serious exploration of unconventional relationships, rather than a song to reject as tasteless. Being excluded from the band’s creative decision and then dismissed after refusing to record the alternative may have seemed unfair, especially if disagreement over one song was part of a wider conflict about the group’s musical direction.
Explained simply
The Byrds were an American band formed in the 1960s, known for combining folk music with rock. David Crosby sang and played guitar, while Roger McGuinn was the group’s lead singer and a central figure in shaping its sound.
By 1967, disagreements had grown over what music the band should record. Crosby favoured his own song ‘Triad’, while the other members chose ‘Goin’ Back’, written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and first recorded by Dusty Springfield. The dispute reflected a wider question facing many bands: how to balance one member’s ideas with decisions made by the group.
Crosby later became part of the trio Crosby, Stills & Nash. The episode matters as part of the Byrds’ changing line-up and of Crosby’s move into a new phase of his career.