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Rating: The Byrds, historically, are the inventors of folk rock, the genre that was trendy in the 60s, drawing inspiration a bit from electric Dylan and a bit from traditional American music.
A pleasant, carefree music, particularly in line with the pacifist ideas of American youth, who were gearing up for the hippie movement. In a nutshell, when people think of the Byrds, they think of "Mr. Tambourine Man", "Turn Turn Turn (To Everything There's A Season)", and the "Jingle Jangle" of Roger McGuinn's 12-string Rickenbacker.
It was only in 1966, when psychedelia began to gain significant influence in American rock, that Gene Clark left the group, and Chris Hillman on bass, Mike Clark on drums, McGuinn, and the legendary Dave Crosby on guitars decided to record something beyond three simple chords.
"Eight Miles High" is the beginning of the metamorphosis: beyond being a hit single, it's an ode, an ode to psychedelia that marks the maturity of the four both musically and intellectually.
Just a year before, McGuinn & company were topping the charts with some folk ballads and a couple of simple harmonies; with "5 D", all of that finally becomes history, and the Byrds manage to create something magical, surreal, something eight miles high!
"Fifth Dimension", the track that lends its name to the entire album, is the first chapter of this lysergic tour; followed by the traditional "Wild Mountain Thyme" and "John Riley", the spacey atmospheres of "Mr. Spaceman" (which relatively recall "Space Oddity" by David Bowie), the guitars of "I See You" and "Hey Joe", famous thanks to Jimi Hendrix's version.
"5 D" is the first major contribution from the Byrds to lysergic music. The album, as I've already mentioned, marks the evolution of the four's compositional genius, but the compositions are not yet entirely psychedelic: their music is still naive, in some respects uncertain.
The metamorphosis will be completed with the subsequent "So You Want To Be A Rock & Roll Star" from "Younger Than Yesterday" and "Artificial Energy" from "The Notorious Bird Brothers".
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 5D (Fifth Dimension) (02:36)
Oh how is it
That I could come out to you
And be still floatin'
And never hit bottom
But keep falling through
Just relaxing and paying attention
All my two-dimensional
Boundaries were gone
I had lost to them badly
I saw that world crumble
And thought I was dead
But I found my senses still working
And as I continued
To drop through the hole
I found all surrounding
To show me that joy innocently is
Just be quiet and feel it around you
And I opened my heart
To the whole universe
And I found it was loving
And I saw the great blunder
My teachers had made
Scientific delerium madness
I will keep falling as long as I live
Ah, without ending
And I will remember
The place that is now
That has ended
Before the beginning
{Repeat 1st verse}
02 Wild Mountain Thyme (02:32)
Oh, the summer time is coming
And the leaves are sweetly turning
And the wild mountain thyme
Blooms across the purple heather
Will you go, lassie, go
If you will not go with me
I will surely find another
To pull wild mountain thyme
All across the purple heather
Will you go, lassie, go
And we'll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
All across the purple heather
Will you go, lassie, go
And we'll all go together
To pull wild mountain thyme
All across the purple heather
Will you go, lassie, go
06 I Come and Stand at Every Door (03:05)
Written by N.Hikmet
I come and stand at every door
But no one hears my silent prayer
I knock and yet remain unseen
For I am dead, for I am dead
I'm only seven although I died
In Hiroshima long ago
I'm seven now as I was then
When children die they do not grow
My hair was scorched by swirling flame
My eyes grew dim my eyes grew blind
Death came and turned my bones to dust
And that was scattered by the wind
I need no fruit I need no rice
I need no sweets nor even bread
I ask for nothing for myself
For I am dead, for I am dead
All that I ask for is for peace
You fight today, you fight today
So that the children of this world
May live and grow and laugh and play
07 Eight Miles High (03:37)
Eight miles high and when you touch down
You'll find that it's stranger than known
Signs in the street that say where you're going
Are somewhere just being their own
Nowhere is there warmth to be found
among those afraid of losing their ground
Rain gray town known for its sound
In places small faces unbound
Round the squares huddled in storms
Some laughing some just shapeless forms
Sidewalk scenes and black limousines
Some living some standing alone
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