About The Song
“500 Miles” is a folk song popularized during the 1960s folk revival, credited to Hedy West, with a 1961 copyright held by Atzal Music, Inc. Peter, Paul and Mary, an American folk trio formed in 1961, included it on their debut album, Peter, Paul and Mary, released in May 1962 by Warner Bros. Records.
The album reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, staying in the Top 10 for 10 months and selling over two million copies, earning double platinum certification. While their version was not released as a single, it became one of their signature songs, known for its simple, repetitive lyrics about a traveler far from home, out of money, and too ashamed to return.
The song’s origins may trace to older folk tunes like “900 Miles” or Southern fiddle songs such as “Reuben’s Train” and “Train 45.” The Journeymen recorded it in 1961, possibly the first release, and The Kingston Trio featured it on their 1962 live album College Concert (No. 3 in the US). Bobby Bare’s 1963 version, with altered lyrics, was the most commercially successful, hitting No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Top 5 on Country and Adult Contemporary charts. Peter, Paul and Mary’s rendition, backed by their tight harmonies and acoustic guitars, helped cement its place in the folk revival.
The song was also covered by artists like The Hooters (1989, with Peter, Paul and Mary on backing vocals), Joan Baez, Glen Campbell, and Justin Timberlake for the Inside Llewyn Davis soundtrack. It appeared in media, including the 2011 film Rocky Mountain Express and the Australian TV series Mr Inbetween (2018-2021). The trio’s performance of the song reflected their role in popularizing folk music, alongside their covers of Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger, and their activism in civil rights and anti-war movements.
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Lyric
If you miss the train I’m on, you will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred milesLord I’m one, Lord I’m two, Lord I’m three, Lord I’m four
Lord I’m five hundred miles from my home
Five hundred miles, five hundred miles, five hundred miles, five hundred miles
Lord I’m five hundred miles from my homeNot a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name
Lord I can’t go a-home this a-way
This a-way, this a-way, this a-way, this a-way
Lord I can’t go a-home this a-wayIf you miss the train I’m on, you will know that I am gone
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles
A hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles, a hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles