 The master recording of " Eight Miles High " was recorded on January 24 and 25 , 1966 , at Columbia Studios in Hollywood , with record producer Allen Stanton guiding the band through the recording process . John Einarson has noted that the influence of Coltrane 's saxophone playing and , in particular , his song " India " from the Impressions album , can be clearly heard in " Eight Miles High " — most noticeably in McGuinn 's recurring twelve @-@ string guitar solo . In addition to this striking guitar motif , the song is also highlighted by Chris Hillman 's driving and hypnotic bass line , Crosby 's chunky rhythm guitar playing and the band 's ethereal harmonies . 
