Eight Miles High

Widely recognized as one of the first true psychedelic rock singles, taking massive inspiration from the free jazz of John Coltrane and the classical ragas of Ravi Shankar. Roger McGuinn's dizzying, 12-string Rickenbacker guitar solos simulate the chaotic, disorienting experience of a transatlantic flight, which was immediately interpreted by radio stations as a drug reference. The resulting radio ban severely hampered its commercial success but solidified its countercultural legacy.