Ballad of Easy Rider

Ballad of Easy Rider came out on Columbia in the US as CS 9942 on November 10, 1969, and in the UK as CBS S 63795 on January 16, 1970. Terry Melcher, who had produced the band's first albums, was brought back after the band's dissatisfaction with Bob Johnston on Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde. The working title was Captain America, changed to tie the record to the film; Peter Fonda wrote the back-cover notes. It reached number 36 on the Billboard album chart and number 41 in the UK, and it was the first Byrds album issued only in stereo in the US and UK. John York was fired in September 1969 and replaced by Skip Battin.

The playing is Roger McGuinn on guitar and vocals, Clarence White on lead guitar and vocals, York on bass and vocals, and Parsons on drums, guitar, banjo and vocals, with Byron Berline on fiddle on Tulsa County Blue and Glen D. Hardin on organ on Gunga Din. Melcher sang a backing vocal on It's All Over Now, Baby Blue, and uncredited strings are on the title track and on Jesus Is Just Alright. The record mixes McGuinn's title song with songs by Dylan, Woody Guthrie and Hoffman, and band members Parsons and York.

Reception has been mixed. Rolling Stone's Ed Leimbacher in December 1969 called it favorable but only intermittently successful; Robert Christgau gave it a B+ and later called it the poorest Byrds album that improves with listening; AllMusic's Mark Deming gave it four of five and found the band confident and committed. A 1997 Columbia/Legacy CD, CK 65114, added seven bonus tracks.