The Byrds - Eight Miles High (1966)

One of my favorite songs by The Byrds, and one I get rather obsessive about, tending to many repeated, focused listenings. It eventually does become a fixed subject that is hard to shake free from.

I originally wanted to use plane liftoffs and landings, mixed with documentary footage of the band on different tours, or at least one tour, as this is what the song is really about: their first tour, the plane trip, and the jet lag and surreal sense of things having changed. That at least was the story although many have always thought it was about tripping on acid or getting high. Unfortunately, I could not find much documentary footage of The Byrds on tour, oddly enough, except their second video of "Eight Miles High" where they play up the plane and tour story bit. I didn't want to use that ... what would be the point? Boring. Been there, done that would be the reaction.

Then I uncovered the original 1966 promo video, which I remembered seeing. Not in the best shape. That one did not avoid any pretensions concerning "getting high." But concentrated viewings showed some very delicate images, ghost images if you will, that at times became material. My first three color experiments wiped those out completely, made for some interesting scenes here and there, but not consistently engaging to watch throughout the performance. Then I finally worked between two different color filters, one where I had to boost brightness, the other I had to dim. Although I initially worked with the idea of converting to 16:9, I felt more satisfied with 4:3 ratio. Sometimes the old ratio works best, plus digitally these days there is a bonus with 4:3, some slight magnification.

So, the final product is a product of an obsessed and probably by now deranged mind. But I'm still glad I did it. Love the song ... which reached #12 on Cash Box and #14 on Billboard on May 14, 1966.

[CTMG]

I could get lost in this sound for hours🎸

[rosshutch]

This is a classic work of music from the early psychedelic era. Many thanks for helping to keep this extraordinary song alive. I think that Syd Barrett and the boys over at Pink Floyd must have been influenced by the guitar work in this song as there are some striking similarities.