2000 Miles

"2000 Miles"
Single by Pretenders
from the album Learning to Crawl
B-side "Fast or Slow (The Law's the Law)"
Released November 1983
Format 7-inch
Recorded 1983
Genre Soft rock[1]
Length 3:40
Label Real Records (UK)
Sire Records (US)
Songwriter(s) Chrissie Hynde
Producer(s) Chris Thomas
Pretenders singles chronology
"My City Was Gone"
(1982)		 "2000 Miles"
(1983)		 "Middle of the Road"
(1983)

"My City Was Gone"
(1982)		 "2000 Miles"
(1983)		 "Middle of the Road"
(1983)
Gatefold image
Cover image of gatefold single release (Real ARE 20F)

"2000 Miles" is a song by The Pretenders that was released in 1983 as the preceding single to their 1984 album, Learning to Crawl. It was most popular in the UK, where it peaked at No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1983. In the US, it was released as the B-side of both the 7-inch single and 12-inch single remix of the band's hit, "Middle of the Road".

Considered a Christmas song, it has been released on various Christmas compilation albums. While many people believe the song's title and lyrics refer to two long-distance lovers who miss each other over the holidays, it was actually written for James Honeyman-Scott, the group's original guitar player, who died the year before the song was released.

"Robbie McIntosh plays beautifully on '2000 Miles'," singer Chrissie Hynde recalled. "Anything to avoid listening to my voice and my stupid words."[2]

The official video features Hynde dressed as a member of the Salvation Army in a snowy location.

In December 2014 Hynde released a remake of the song.

Cover versions

Many artists have covered the song, including Coldplay in 2003, with proceeds donated to various causes, and KT Tunstall, who performed the song at the televised Radio 2 Music Club event on December 5, 2007, at the O2 arena. This was made available as a download only charity single. Adalita performed the song on the RockWiz 2009 Christmas Special. In 2010 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones released a cover version of the song on a 7-inch vinyl single. A music video for the track was also released. Also in 2010, Australian singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia released a cover version as a free download on her website. Merrie Amsterburg recorded a version in 1999 on Viva Noel, a Q Division Christmas, a compilation recording with proceeds donated to the Mark Sandman Music Education Fund. Kylie Minogue covered the song for her 2015 Christmas album, Kylie Christmas.

American singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek also covered the song for his 2014 Christmas album, Sings Christmas Carols.[3]

English folk musicians the Unthanks released their version of 2000 Miles as a Christmas single in December 2015.[4]

English singer-songwriter Tom Chaplin, the lead singer of alternative rock band Keane, recorded a version of the song for his 2017 solo Christmas album Twelve Tales of Christmas.[5] Chaplin's version was released as a single on 11 November 2017.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "How far would you travel for love? 14 songs that go the distance". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  2. ↑ Select, July 1990
  3. ↑ Richardson, Mark (November 6, 2014). "Mark Kozelek - Sings Christmas Carols". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
  4. ↑ Best, Al (20 November 2015). "The Unthanks mark 10 years". Folk Roots List UK. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  5. ↑ http://www.islandrecords.co.uk/tom-chaplin-announces-twelve-days-christmas/
  6. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/TomChaplinMusic/posts/1879437739038329
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