‘I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ is a song written and performed by Scottish duo the Proclaimers, and first released in August 1988 by Chrysalis as the lead single from their second album, Sunshine on Leith (1988). The song reached number 11 in the UK Singles Chart on its initial release and topped the charts of Australia, Iceland, and New Zealand. It became a U.S. hit when the song was used in the 1993 movie Benny And Joon, starring Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in August 1993 as well as number eight on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, number 25 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart; and number four in Canada. In 2007, the Proclaimers re-recorded the song with English comedians Peter Kay and Matt Lucas for the UK's Comic Relief charity telethon, scoring a number one hit in the UK and outperforming their original UK chart run.
The song was mainly written by the duo in 1988 while they were sitting in a flat in Edinburgh waiting to play a gig in Aberdeen. Craig Reid has said that the band's earnings from the song are about five times more than the rest of their catalogue combined.
The Stud Brothers from Melody Maker said, "The Proclaimers are a real pick-up, the sonic equivalent of a warm and welcome blanketbath. [...] Jolly good show chaps." Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "We have to get used to this, the acoustic Scottish duo being supported by a full line-up of instruments. Produced by Pete Wingfield, this highly rhythmic pop song is a taster to the forthcoming LP, Sunshine On Leith." Jane Solanas from NME commented, "This is a rousing, romantic ditty that is slightly less brain-torturing than 'Letter from America', but only just. It's real fairisle jumper, bushy beards, and beer in a tankard time. Acid House has not touched The Proclaimers."
In March 2007, The Proclaimers teamed up with British comedians Peter Kay and Matt Lucas to release a new version for the charity Comic Relief, which topped the UK charts. Peter Kay stars as his wheelchair bound character the Phoenix Club boss Brian Potter and Matt Lucas in turn appears as his similarly wheelchair bound Little Britain character Andy Pipkin. The comedians duet on the first 2 verses of the song before the Proclaimers take over.
The original version returned to the British chart at #37 the same week the Comic Relief version entered the chart at #3 making The Proclaimers become the first act in over 20 years to chart simultaneously with two different recordings of the same song. The last person to achieve this was Lulu, who in the last week of July 1986 had both her original 1964 recording of ‘Shout’ in the Top 75 alongside a brand new "86" version.
Label – Chrysalis
Songwriters – Charlie Reid, Craig Reid
Producer – Pete Wingfield
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]When I wake up, well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who wakes up next to you
When I go out, yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you
If I get drunk, well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you
And if I haver, yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's haverin' to you
[Chorus]
But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand
Miles to fall down at your door
[Verse 2]
When I'm workin', yes, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's workin' hard for you
And when the money comes in for the work I do
I'll pass almost every penny on to you
When I come home (When I come home), oh, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who comes back home to you
And if I grow old, well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's growin' old with you
[Chorus]
But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand
Miles to fall down at your door
[Post-Chorus]
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da dum diddy dum diddy dum diddy da da da
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da dum diddy dum diddy dum diddy da da da
[Verse 3]
When I'm lonely, well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's lonely without you
And when I'm dreamin', well, I know I'm gonna dream
I'm gonna dream about the time when I'm with you
When I go out (When I go out), well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you
And when I come home (when I come home), yes, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who comes back home with you
I'm gonna be the man who's comin' home with you
[Chorus]
But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand
Miles to fall down at your door
[Post-Chorus]
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da dum diddy dum diddy dum diddy da da da
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da dum diddy dum diddy dum diddy da da da
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da dum diddy dum diddy dum diddy da da da
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da da da (Da-da da da)
Da-da dum diddy dum diddy dum diddy da da da
[Chorus]
And I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand
Miles to fall down at your door