 Clark began writing the song 's lyrics on November 24 , 1965 , when he scribbled down some rough ideas for later development , following a discussion with guitarist Brian Jones , before the Byrds made a concert appearance supporting the Rolling Stones . Over the following days , Clark expanded this fragment into a full poem , eventually setting the words to music and giving them a melody . Clark then showed the song to McGuinn and Crosby , with the former suggesting that the song be arranged to incorporate Coltrane 's influence . Since Clark 's death , however , McGuinn has contended that it was he who conceived the initial idea of writing a song about an airplane ride and that he and Crosby both contributed lyrics to Clark 's unfinished draft . In his book , Mr. Tambourine Man : The Life and Legacy of the Byrds ' Gene Clark , author John Einarson disputes this claim and ponders whether McGuinn 's story would be the same were Clark still alive . 
