When released in 1967, Love’s third album, Forever Changes, slipped through all the cracks. Maybe it wasn’t easily pigeon-holed (folk-rock? psych-rock? Baroque-rock?)? Maybe any momentum got bulldozed by the overwhelming success of labelmates The Doors? Or maybe the stubborn refusal to promote and tour the album by bandleader Arthur Lee coupled with too many drugs ruining the scene killed the album before it had a chance to grip the public’s attention? Regardless, Forever Changes was a commercial disappointment for Elektra Records and for a band that was a mere thread away from hanging on a thread.
Of course, time has proven the album to be in a class by itself. Forever Changes is not only Love’s quietus, a free-love-era masterpiece (despite being quite dark and paranoia-filled, lyrically), but it consistently ranks near the top of those all-time greatest album lists that mags and sites like to do from time to time, right next to Exile on Main Street, Astral Weeks, and of course, Man of the Woods.
In all seriousness, I am not a man of the woods; but I AM a man who has been on The Earth a long time, and EVERYONE I have ever known who has heard Forever Changes simply adores it. Heck, even “the industry” came around to it too, inducting it into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 and adding it to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2012. Forever Changes is completely of its time AND timeless; and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that timelessness, Rhino will release a special edition at a very, very specific time: April 6, 2018.
The snazzy anniversary package consists of four CDs, a DVD, and a LP and will be furnished in a beautifully constructed 12 x 12 hardbound book that features a newly written essay and track-by-track notes by music historian Ted Olsen. As with most reissues, this has its fair share of both filler and killer. Rarities of note include:
• a rare mono mix which hasn’t seen the light of day in years
• a newly remastered version by original co-producer and engineer Bruce Botnick
• various mixes and outtakes, a nice vinyl copy
• a DVD with a 24/96 stereo mix and a rare promotional video for “Your Mind and We Belong Together.”
Are you in love with all of those gratuitous deets? If so, the box is available for pre-order here. And remember, as the timeless lyric goes: “all you need is Love, even if it is…forever changing.”
Forever Changes tracklisting:
CD 1 - Original Album:
01. Alone Again Or
02. A House Is Not a Motel
03. Andmoreagain
04. The Daily Planet
05. Old Man
06. The Red Telephone
07. Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale
08. Live and Let Live
09. The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This
10. Bummer in The Summer
11. You Set the Scene
CD 2 - Mono Mix:
01. Alone Again Or
02. A House Is Not a Motel
03. Andmoreagain
04. The Daily Planet
05. Old Man
06. The Red Telephone
07. Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale
08. Live and Let Live
09. The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This
10. Bummer in The Summer
11. You Set the Scene
CD 3 - Alternate Mix:
01. Alone Again Or
02. A House Is Not a Motel
03. Andmoreagain
04. The Daily Planet
05. Old Man
06. The Red Telephone
07. Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale
08. Live and Let Live
09. The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This
10. Bummer in The Summer
11. You Set the Scene
12. Wonder People (I Do Wonder) [Outtake - Alternate Mix]
CD 4 - Singles and Outtakes:
01. Wonder People (I Do Wonder) [Outtake - Original Mix]
02. Alone Again Or (Single Version)
03. A House Is Not A Motel (Single Version)
04. Hummingbirds (Demo)
05. A House Is Not A Motel (Backing Track)
06. Andmoreagain (Alternate Electric Backing Track)
07. The Red Telephone (Tracking Sessions Highlights)
08. Wooly Bully (Outtake)
09. Live and Let Live (Backing Track)
10. Wonder People (I Do Wonder) [Outtake - Backing Track]
11. Your Mind and We Belong Together (Tracking Sessions Highlights)
12. Your Mind and We Belong Together
13. Laughing Stock
14. Alone Again Or (Mono Single Remix)
DVD - 24/96 Stereo Mix:
01. Alone Again Or
02. A House Is Not A Motel
03. Andmoreagain
04. The Daily Planet
05. Old Man
06. The Red Telephone
07. Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark And Hilldale
08. Live and Let Live
09. The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This
10. Bummer in The Summer
11. You Set the Scene
12. Your Mind and We Belong Together (Video)
LP - Original Album:
Side One:
01. Alone Again Or
02. A House Is Not A Motel
03. Andmoreagain
04. The Daily Planet
05. Old Man
06. The Red Telephone
Side Two:
01. Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark And Hilldale
02. Live and Let Live
03. The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This
04. Bummer in The Summer
05. You Set the Scene
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