"500 Miles Away From Home" | ||||
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Single by Bobby Bare | ||||
from the album 500 Miles Away From Home | ||||
B-side | "It All Depends on Linda" | |||
Released | September 1963 | |||
Format | 7" single | |||
Genre | Country, Easy Listening | |||
Label | RCA Victor | |||
Songwriter(s) | Hedy West | |||
Bobby Bare singles chronology | ||||
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"500 Miles" (also known as "500 Miles Away from Home" or "Railroaders' Lament") is a song made popular in the United States and Europe during the 1960s folk revival. The simple repetitive lyrics offer a lament by a traveller who is far from home, out of money and too ashamed to return.
The song is generally credited as being written by Hedy West, and a 1961 copyright is held by Atzal Music, Inc. "500 Miles" is West's "most anthologized song." Some recordings have also credited Curly Williams, or John Phillips as co-writers. David Neale writes that "500 Miles" may be related to the older folk song "900 Miles", which may itself have origins in the southern American fiddle tunes "Reuben's Train" and "Train 45".
The most commercially successful version of the song was Bobby Bare's in 1963. His version became a Top 10 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, as well as a Top 5 hit on both the Country and Adult Contemporary charts.