I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

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"I'm Gonna Be" redirects here. For other uses, see I'm Gonna Be (disambiguation).

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"
Single by the Proclaimers
from the album Sunshine on Leith
Written1988
ReleasedAugust 1988
StudioChipping Norton (Oxfordshire, England)
Genre
Length3:37
LabelChrysalis
Songwriter(s)
  • Charlie Reid
  • Craig Reid
Producer(s)Pete Wingfield
The Proclaimers singles chronology
"Make My Heart Fly"
(1987) 		"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"
(1988) 		"Sunshine on Leith"
(1988)

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" is a song written and performed by Scottish duo

UK Singles Chart
on its initial release and topped the charts of Australia, Iceland, and New Zealand.

In 1993, following its appearance in the American film

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.

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" has become a live staple at the Proclaimers' concerts. The duo played it at Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push at Murrayfield Stadium on 6 July 2005, the final concert of Live 8, to symbolise the conclusion of "The Long Walk to Justice".

Background

The song was mainly written by the duo in 1988 while they were sitting in a flat in Edinburgh waiting to go up and 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.[3]

Critical reception

The Stud Brothers from

Acid House has not touched The Proclaimers."[6]

Later success

Originally recorded and released in 1988, the song's success was initially limited mostly to the United Kingdom and Australia. Later in 1993, it was included as one of the main themes of the 1993 American romantic comedy film Benny & Joon starring Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson; subsequently, due to the exposure it received through the film, "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" reached the top three on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart during the summer of that year.[7][8]

Track listings

All tracks were written and composed by Charlie and Craig Reid, except where noted.

  • 7-inch single
  1. "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" – 3:37
  2. "Better Days" – 3:14
  • 12-inch single
  1. "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" – 3:37
  2. "Better Days" – 3:14
  3. "Teardrops" – 2:33
  • CD single
  1. "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" – 3:37
  2. "Better Days" – 3:14
  3. "Teardrops" – 2:33
  4. "I Can't Be Myself" (Merle Haggard) – 2:30

Personnel

  • Craig Reid
    – lead vocals, tambourine
  • Charlie Reid
    – backing vocals, acoustic guitar

Additional personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[30] Platinum 70,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[31] Platinum 90,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[32] Gold 25,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] 2× Platinum 1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[35] Gold 800,000[34]

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Comic Relief version

"(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles"
Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin
Released17 March 2007
Recorded1988, 2007
Genre
Length3:41
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)
  • Charlie Reid
  • Craig Reid
The Proclaimers singles chronology
"Restless Soul"
(2005) 		"(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles"
(2007) 		"Life with You"
(2007)
Peter Kay singles chronology
"
(Is This The Way To) Amarillo
"
(2005) 		"(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles"
(2007) 		"The Winner's Song"
(2008)
Comic Relief
singles chronology
"Walk This Way"
(2007) 		"(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles"
(2007) 		"Just Can't Get Enough"
(2009)

In 2007, the Proclaimers re-recorded the song with

UK Singles Chart on download sales alone, and one week later reached number 1, where it remained for three weeks. It sold 126,000 copies in its first week, making it the biggest-selling number one of the year up to that point.[37] Its sales were double that of the official Comic Relief single by Girls Aloud vs. Sugababes, and their cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way". The song ended 2007 as the year's 8th biggest-selling single in the UK.[38] The song was popular in Ireland as well and peaked at #7 in Irish Singles Chart
.

Kay also directed a video clip of the song featuring himself as Brian Potter, Lucas as Andy,

Frank Sidebottom, Sonia, Kathy Staff, Dennis Taylor, David Tennant, Willie Thorne, Kate Thornton, Dave Lee Travis, Roy Walker, Louis Walsh, Pete Waterman, Lizzie Webb, June Whitfield and Gary Wilmot
. Osama bin Laden (then still a fugitive terrorist), Lord Lucan (missing since 1974) and Shergar (a kidnapped racehorse) are also falsely credited as appearing in the video.

Track listing

  • CD single
  1. "(I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles" – 3:41
  2. "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" (1988 Original Version) – 3:37

The enhanced CD and DVD also featured the promotional video for the song and a photo gallery.

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Silver 200,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Ygelsias, Matthew (21 May 2007). "The Ultimate Nineties Alt-Rock Playlist". The Atlantic.
  2. ^ a b Leeson, Josh (20 April 2019). "The Proclaimers on how songs can carry you 500 miles and beyond". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  3. ^ Simpson, Dave (10 August 2015). "The Proclaimers: how we made I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  4. ^ The Stud Brothers (20 August 1988). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 32. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Previews: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 3 September 1988. p. 13. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  6. NME
    . p. 16. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  7. ^ "Benny & Joon (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Rachel Portman". itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  8. ^ "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers". toponehitwonders.com. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  9. ^ "The Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  10. ^ "The Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  11. ^ "The Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2221." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2217." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  14. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 5, no. 41. 8 October 1988. p. 26. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  15. ^ "Tonlist Top 10". DV. Retrieved 17 August 2017.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I'm Gonna Be". Irish Singles Chart.
  17. ^ "The Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". Top 40 Singles.
  18. ^ "The Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". Swiss Singles Chart.
  19. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  20. ^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 21 August 1993. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Adult Contemporary". Billboard. 7 August 1993. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. 3 July 1993. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  23. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  24. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles for 1989". ARIA.
  25. ^ "End of Year Charts 1989". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  26. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  27. ^ "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  28. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  29. ^ "2006 UK Singles Chart" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  30. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 225.
  31. ^ "Danish single certifications – The Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  32. ^ "Italian single certifications – The Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 23 September 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
  33. ^ "British single certifications – Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  34. ISSN 0006-2510
    . Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  35. ^ "American single certifications – Proclaimers – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". Recording Industry Association of America.
  36. ^ "Stars unite for Comic Relief show". BBC News. 17 March 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  37. ^ "Singles – 31.03.07: The Proclaimers". Music Week. London, England: UBM. 31 March 2007.
  38. ^ a b "The 2007 Official Singles Chart". Music Week. London, England: UBM: 11. 12 January 2008.
  39. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 16. 21 April 2007. p. 63. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  40. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". Irish Singles Chart.
  41. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  42. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  43. ^ "British single certifications – Proclaimers ft Brian Potter & Andy Pipkin – I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)". British Phonographic Industry.

External links

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