Some popular tracks that are considered to have defined eras of music weren't always a hit upon their release. The rock band The Byrds was among one of the most influential groups in the late 1960s, with a track that wasn't well received by radio stations and still became a bona fide classic.
"Eight Miles High" was a track by the Byrds, released in March 1966, written primarily by founding member Gene Clark. The lyrics themselves are what led the track to be banned by multiple radio stations shortly after its release. In a publication by the Gavin Report, commentators believed the rock track was alluding to drug use, with the track's title serving as a main part of its chorus.
According to LoudSound, the report read that, "We have dropped Eight Miles High from our recommended playlist. In our opinion, this record implies encouragement and/or approval of the use of marijuana or LSD." At the time, the band denied allegations that the song's lyrics were referring to getting high, with "Eight Miles High" facing a major setback because of the U.S. radio ban in Houston, Baltimore, and Washington.
The track received little to no radio airplay and was believed to have prevented it from entering the Billboard Top 10 list despite its popularity. On the Billboard Hot 100 charts, it landed at No. 14, with the band also performing the track on multiple TV programs after its release.
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Bassist Chris Hillman attested that "everybody was getting crazy about marijuana use, so we were immediately branded," and the lyrics never referred to illegal substances. In reality, the song's lyrics were written during a flight with the band to London as part of their tour. Guitarist Roger McGuinn explained it was originally titled "Six Miles High," referring to the altitude commercial airlines fly, but was changed by Clark to "Eight" because it sounded more "poetic" and the Beatles had released "Eight Days a Week."
"Eight Miles High" gained traction among fans as it deviated from the band's sound and was influential in developing the musical styles of psychedelic rock, raga rock, and folk rock. The track also became known as a classic of the counterculture era. A song that should have been a hit for the Byrds was swindled by the radio ban, as well as Clark leaving the band shortly after its release. David Crosby also left the band a year later.
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