Roxy Music — Eight Miles High
Album: Flesh and BloodAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 291
Length: 4:49
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Eight miles high
And when you touch down
You find you're
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
Just those afraid
Of losing their ground
Rain grey town
Known for its sound
In places
Small faces around
Round the squares
Huddled in storms
Some laughing
Some just shapeless forms
Sidewalk scenes
And black limousines
Some living
Some standing
Alone
And when you touch down
You find you're
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
Just those afraid
Of losing their ground
Rain grey town
Known for its sound
In places
Small faces around
Round the squares
Huddled in storms
Some laughing
Some just shapeless forms
Sidewalk scenes
And black limousines
Some living
Some standing
Alone
Comments (79)add comment
IDK. I will have to listen a few times before I decide.
Nope.
I don't think I'd ever heard this version before. Not one of the best versions.
The Byrds of course. Golden Earring had a nice version too.
The Byrds of course. Golden Earring had a nice version too.
LPCity wrote:
Bryan Ferry doesn't care what you like, just like a honey badger.
I like the original and I like Bryan Ferry but this is just a bad match up of artist and song choice. Not to mention the disco arrangement. Nothing good here.
Bryan Ferry doesn't care what you like, just like a honey badger.
I so wanted to like this song. I love the Byrds version, of course, and I like RM, but it just wouldn't work for me. 4
jmsmy wrote:
The Byrds original lyrics said 7 miles high, but 8 was thought to be a smoother lyric. I'm a very old school Byrds fan, but actually like this version, unlike many of the comments below.
Yep they do get that high - I looked it up - Cruising altitude for a jet airliner is around 30,000 to 40,000ft
5.6 miles to 7.6 miles
5.6 miles to 7.6 miles
The Byrds original lyrics said 7 miles high, but 8 was thought to be a smoother lyric. I'm a very old school Byrds fan, but actually like this version, unlike many of the comments below.
Ugh.
Not the best version around .... by a long shot!
jmsmy wrote:
Disco Talking Heads McGuinn.
Uhh, no.
Yep they do get that high - I looked it up - Cruising altitude for a jet airliner is around 30,000 to 40,000ft
5.6 miles to 7.6 miles
5.6 miles to 7.6 miles
Disco Talking Heads McGuinn.
Uhh, no.
Not funny.
Yep they do get that high - I looked it up - Cruising altitude for a jet airliner is around 30,000 to 40,000ft
5.6 miles to 7.6 miles
5.6 miles to 7.6 miles
I like the original and I like Bryan Ferry but this is just a bad match up of artist and song choice. Not to mention the disco arrangement. Nothing good here.
scraig wrote:
Your forgetting Yoko and Tori.....
Let's not sugarcoat this one folks. Arguably the worst song ever played on RP.
Your forgetting Yoko and Tori.....
Wow, hard to believe this is over 35 years old—it totally moves along. Disco ain't all bad, ya know!
As a teen, I totally fell in love with the cover (especially the gal holding the third javelin!). As an adult, I love every song on this album—one of Roxy's finest.
As a teen, I totally fell in love with the cover (especially the gal holding the third javelin!). As an adult, I love every song on this album—one of Roxy's finest.
That didn't need to be remade....
kcar wrote:
Yeah but no but yeah but no...
Does Bryan hire someone to squeeze his balls for that tremolo effect?
Never heard this until just now. I gotta say, this is a STRANGE juxtaposition. But not as bad as so many have purported in the comments.
Yeah but no but yeah but no...
Does Bryan hire someone to squeeze his balls for that tremolo effect?
Never heard this until just now. I gotta say, this is a STRANGE juxtaposition. But not as bad as so many have purported in the comments.
Does sign carry more water running side by side?
This is just kinda weird, but so was Roxy Music~ kinda like it.
This is like taking a shower with your socks on. 
Proclivities wrote:
Funny thing is. . .my original score for Witchi-tai-to would have agreed with you. But I couldn't remember the song, so I found it on Youtube, and my reaction was "Oh yeah! This song!" as my foot tapped along. So I guess somewhere along the line it grew on me!
Funny thing is. . .my original score for Witchi-tai-to would have agreed with you. But I couldn't remember the song, so I found it on Youtube, and my reaction was "Oh yeah! This song!" as my foot tapped along. So I guess somewhere along the line it grew on me!
Covers done right. Reminiscent of the original, but if you had never heard the original you could be forgiven for thinking this was a Roxy Music song!
I'm going to have to let this one grow on me a bit, though I do like the instrumental section near the end.
This is the most 80's cover ever
asfa wrote:
Yes. Hard to reconcile with inter-continental flight but the song stands well on its own.
Great song. Love the tempo change.
Yes. Hard to reconcile with inter-continental flight but the song stands well on its own.
I think this is a terrific cover.
scraig wrote:
No, there are many far worse tunes. Like this one, or this one, for example.
Let's not sugarcoat this one folks. Arguably the worst song ever played on RP.
No, there are many far worse tunes. Like this one, or this one, for example.
To me this sounds like a cover from a Brian Ferry solo disc - interesting but I can't appreciate it as RM. Would have fit nicely on Ferry's These Foolish Things - alog with his covers of Sympathy for the Devil and Tracks of my Tears.
Wobbly! very Wobbly. Not helping my vertigo. Tremelo effect on keyboard, guitar and Brians voice.
I still like this disk but always, without fail, skip this track.
This version grows with subsequent listens.
I would call this just.....odd? Weird? I would have guessed it was Weird Al Yankovic until I looked it up.
An ode to all the LRC tunes that never made it to RP.
An ode to all the LRC tunes that never made it to RP.
Don't understand the mixed feelings on his RM classic. Bryan and the boys at their best, IMO.
scraig wrote:
Darn close if not a winner.
Let's not sugarcoat this one folks. Arguably the worst song ever played on RP.
Darn close if not a winner.
Let's not sugarcoat this one folks. Arguably the worst song ever played on RP.
I am in the camp of I like RM but this blows. Sounds way to forced and choppy.
how is it that i've never heard this? kinda wish i had kept it that way. seems forced. i normally like roxy music.
This is...... weird
Well.....I find it amusing at least.
Too weird for me
Put it out of its' misery.
Love this version.
Oh this is cool. How did I make it to 42 and not know about this version?
k-man wrote:
Properly stated!
Ho man, I can't believe the panning of this totally cool tune. The rhythm guitar, the kickin' tempo, that rockin' base, etc. I love this track! Check out that solo!
Get out of your mudholes and shake your booties!!
Get out of your mudholes and shake your booties!!
Properly stated!
Yeah but no but yeah but no...
Brexit!
Does Bryan hire someone to squeeze his balls for that tremolo effect?
Maybe a "little" overproduced to get a 3, and I am a big fan of RM.
I gave this a7, and I see that the average rating is 5 something, but I can't see the distribution on the mobile app. Often there's a bump around 1 which I can discount.
Ho man, I can't believe the panning of this totally cool tune. The rhythm guitar, the kickin' tempo, that rockin' base, etc. I love this track! Check out that solo!
Get out of your mudholes and shake your booties!!
Get out of your mudholes and shake your booties!!
budsterz wrote:
Good idea!
This or pretty awful. How about Husker Du's version instead?
Good idea!
The first time I've ever heard this.
A classic Byrds track set to disco? ... I don't think so.
But at least Ferry wasn't taken to task by the boneheads' stupid reference to McGuinn's purportedly stoner lyrics.
I was going to say that the chief merit of this cover is that you can understand the words ... but then BF started mumbling. OK, so you can understand *more* of the words.
This or pretty awful. How about Husker Du's version instead?
Great song. Love the tempo change.
leafmold wrote:
zactly
Love Brian Ferry, but this cover is not doing it for me.
zactly
Never heard this before and I think I'd like not to hear it again.
Hard to think of anyone that can make a song his own better than Bryan Ferry.
Love Brian Ferry, but this cover is not doing it for me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Ferry#Flight_disturbance
Ferry is a cool customer even 8 miles high
Wow, I have this album somewhere...haven't listened to it in a long long time (I'd totally forgotten about this song)..
Give me the Byrds' version, please.
Some interesting musical elements, and a good effort, but I don't think it hangs together very well at all. Calling it a 5.
Al_Koholic wrote:
Ditto!
Horrible? First time hearing this,and me likie
Ditto!
slick dj'ing, following up donovan with this. 
problem is, both songs suck!
problem is, both songs suck!
Al_Koholic wrote:
I'm with you Al_Koholic, now pass me that gin and tonic will you old pal.
Horrible? First time hearing this,and me likie
I'm with you Al_Koholic, now pass me that gin and tonic will you old pal.
YIKES!
This blows!
This blows!
jhorton wrote:
Horrible? First time hearing this,and me likie
I was a Roxy fan in the day, but isn't this just a horrible cover?
Horrible? First time hearing this,and me likie
I was a Roxy fan in the day, but isn't this just a horrible cover?
In the day I was a Roxy fan but time has not been kind to them.
And man, did they ever butcher this song.
And man, did they ever butcher this song.
This entire album takes me back to a climb near Annapurna in the Himalayas.
I had this pumping thru the headphones and had to wait for everyone to catch up with me.
Something about the beat, the lyrics, the scenery....pure buzz and inspiration....perfect combo.
Loved Roxy
I had this pumping thru the headphones and had to wait for everyone to catch up with me.
Something about the beat, the lyrics, the scenery....pure buzz and inspiration....perfect combo.
Loved Roxy
Is the synth line at the end quoting from Duran Duran's "Save a Prayer", or is it the other way around?
not a big fan of tearing things down, but this almost sounds like a parody of the Byrds....to each their own..4
I like the original and I like this version. But, then again, I've always liked this album, while most Roxy fans are not so fond of it.
Never Again!..............Please! 
I love the original and I love Roxy. This, however, I'm not so sure about....