Eight Miles High is a song interpreted by The Byrds, released on. Music video by The Byrds performing Eight Miles High (Audio). The failure of "Eight Miles High" to reach the Billboard Top 10 is usually attributed to the broadcasting ban, but some commentators have suggested the song's complexity and uncommercial nature were greater factors. Views210 Reading1 Released 1966 AuthorGene Clark, Jim McGuinn, David Crosby Information. It has displays a masterful combination of minor note chords playing. It is considered an important song in music history because it is considered the first psychedelic rock song and became a mainstay of the counterculture movement. This is the band where David Crosby started out. The band strenuously denied these allegations at the time, but in later years both Clark and Crosby admitted that the song was at least partly inspired by their own drug use. Eight Miles High was one of the three greatest hits of The Byrds. radio ban shortly after its release, following allegations published in the broadcasting trade journal the Gavin Report regarding perceived drug connotations in its lyrics. Accordingly, critics often cite "Eight Miles High" as being the first bona fide psychedelic rock song, as well as a classic of the counterculture era. But if you listen to his playing, the essence of the sitar is definitely there and Eight Miles High played its part in popularising that style of playing.
Musically influenced by Ravi Shankar and John Coltrane, the song was influential in developing the musical styles of psychedelic rock, raga rock, and psychedelic pop. It was first released as a single on March 14, 1966.
All rights reserved by Columbia Records, a division of S. "Eight Miles High" is a song by the American rock band the Byrds, written by Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn (a.k.a. Music video by The Byrds performing Eight Miles High (Audio/RCA Version).