THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

598-Proclaimers-I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)

1988-Number 11 single.

Best Bit-At 1.34. To ‘haver’ is to talk foolishly. Some American radio stations initially banned the song, thinking that to ‘haver’ was something rude.

The Proclaimers are the duo Craig Reid, and Charlie Reid, they are twin brothers, who were born on March 5th, 1962, in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, their music has been described as ‘Alternative Folk,’ ‘Celtic Rock,’ ‘Post Rock,’ and ‘Rhythm and Blues.’ The brothers have been officially active since 1983, starting out as an acoustic duo, before recruiting a backing band, and becoming more ‘Rock’ orientated, their sound is recognisable by their strong Scottish accents, which they intentionally play up. Craig Reid has said,’It was a conscious thing, because we were singing about where we live, our experiences, and it just felt stupid to sing in an English or American accent.’ Craig Reid has acknowledged 1970’s ‘Punk Rock’ as a major influence, citing the Clash, the Jam, the Damned and the Sex Pistols as inspirational.

The discography of the Proclaimers, who have sold in excess of five million records worldwide, includes, 11 studio Albums released between 1987-2022, and 25 singles that have been released between 1987-2019, there are also six official compilation Albums available. On the Scottish Album chart, two of their Albums have reached Number 1, while on the UK Album chart, their second release ‘Sunshine on Leith,’ is their most successful, reaching Number 6 in 1988. On the UK top 40 singles chart, the Proclaimers have had six chart entries, with the 2007 re-make of (‘I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles,’ featuring Brian Potter, and Andy Pipkin, making the Number 1 spot. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, they are recognised as ‘one hit wonders,’ as ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles’) remains their only chart entry to date. In 1993 (five years after it had been a hit in the UK) ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles’) was chosen for the American romantic comedy ‘Benny & Joon,’ starring Johnny Depp, and due to this exposure the song became a hit, peaking at Number 3.

‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles’) was the first of four singles released from the Proclaimers second studio Album ‘Sunshine on Leith,’ from August 1988, the song was co-written by Charlie Reid, and Craig Reid, with the production being by Pete Wingfield, who also produced the Album. Pete Wingfield (see also best songs 104) was born William Peter Wingfield, on May 7th, 1948, in Liphook, Hampshire, England, he is a music producer, songwriter, a vocalist, and plays the keyboards. In the 1970’s, he was a specialist in ‘Soul Music,’ and regularly contributed articles and reviews to the monthly journals, he also was a member of the British Soul band ‘Olympic Runners.’ Pete Wingfield is perhaps best remembered for his 1975 UK Number 7 & Billboard Number 15 hit single ‘Eighteen with a Bullet,’ which in 1998 featured on the soundtrack to the British black comedy crime film, ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.’ As a music producer Pete Wingfield produced the debut Albums for Dexys Midnight Runners, (‘Searching for the Young Soul Rebels,’ 1980) and the Kane Gang (‘Bad and Lowdown World of the Kane Gang,’ 1985.)

In 2007 the Proclaimers re-recorded ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles,’) with the slight change of title to ‘(I’m Gonna Be) 500 Miles,’ along with the British comedians Peter Kay, and Matt Lucas, for that years charity ‘Comic Relief’ single, it went to Number 1 in the UK, and ended as the eighth best selling single of the year. The popularity of the song led to a renewed interest in the original, and it re-entered the UK top 40 at Number 37. The Proclaimers become the first act in over 20 years to chart simultaneously with two different recordings of the same song on the UK chart. The last artist to achieve this was the Scottish singer Lulu, who in the last week of July 1986 had both her original 1964 recording of ‘Shout’ (see also best songs 508) in the Top 75, alongside a brand new ’86’ version.

Craig Reid and Charlie Reid wrote the bulk of ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles,’) while they were sitting in a flat in Edinburgh waiting for a lift to a gig in Aberdeen. Craig Reid has recalled, ‘I can remember sitting at the piano, and the chords just came to me. I reckon I just wrote the whole thing in 45 minutes. I knew that it was a good song, maybe even a single, but I had no idea how popular it would become.’

‘But I would walk five hundred miles, and I would walk five hundred more, just to be the man who walks a thousand miles, to fall down at your door.’