The Flying Burrito Brothers' The Gilded Palace of Sin (1969) contains two consecutive oddly-named tracks ("Hot Burrito #1" and "Hot Burrito #2") written by Gram Parsons and the bassist, Chris Ethridge, that were probably one of the high points of Parsons' short, great career. The two songs are different in almost every way despite the titles, and they still strike me as the kind of work that widens the conceptual possibilities of a style of music. As Dylan had done for both folk and rock, Parsons did for the combination of rock and country.

I was hoping to be able to provide links to both tunes, but it seems like full versions are not available at the moment, due to copyright issues or something. This video, apparently part of a documentary that I haven't seen yet, is the best that I can do at the moment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-od3vmRaLHE, but really, the whole album is a must-listen.

After his work on the Byrds' classic, Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Gram Parsons left the group and took Chris Hillman with him. Together they formed the songwriting team that was at the center of one of my favourite groups of all time, The Flying Burrito Brothers. Their first album, the sublimely-named, The Gilded Palace of Sin (1969) is a perfectly proportioned blend of country, rock, soul and fun. Because Parsons' singing, writing and performing is based on a kind of naive exuberance, the listener can't help but feel a part of things and root for him. This song and video, "Christine's Tune" with Hillman and then Parsons alternating lead vocal duties and then combining to provide an Everly Brothers-influenced harmony, is a good example. It's the album's first track and features some psychedelic pedal steel from the virtuosic Sneaky Pete Kleinow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BITiY8M_oDo. More on this record tomorrow.