My Gen X Playlist: I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – The Proclaimers

I typically turn quiet as I trudge along. When I’m quiet, my friends know I’m hurting a bit. Each step is more painful and I wonder how long I can keep going. I look down at my feet and sync my breathing to my pace. I still march on. I’m usually at the back of the group and I can see them at the top waiting for me. When I reach the summit, I collapse and stare at the sky. The joke is I tend to fall asleep instead of enjoying the view. It’s true, I take a nap sometimes. The view is always secondary. Making it is all that counts.

In the past, I never trained before a big hike or backpacking trip. I always relied on mental toughness to make it through. And it worked. I can’t think of a time I didn’t make it to the end. My friends always wondered why I would continue to subject myself to the pain. I did it for that feeling of accomplishment, despite wanting to quit a million times. Reaching the peak or final destination drained my body physically, but energized me spiritually. If I can make it to the top, I can do anything.

Now that I’ve reached my 50s, I’ve changed a bit. I’m healthier and train a little prior to these trips. As a result, our recent hikes have not been as strenuous and I no longer collapse and catch a few moments of sleep when I reach the end. It’s nice that I don’t have to rely solely on mental toughness. I’m still glad for the blood, sweat and tears from earlier hikes, though. With each painful step, I’ve added a little more grit to the pile and that’s something you can never have too much of. You never know when you’ll need reach back grab a handful from the pile to help make it through a tough spot.

The Proclaimers released I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) in 1988. This is the only song I’ve heard from these twin brothers, so I’m guessing it’s a one hit wonder. The song has appeared in a number of movie soundtracks and TV shows. The origin of the song is actually kind of sweet.

The Proclaimers’ Charlie Reid stated that the song was based on the love story of his friend, who walked from London to Edinburgh to profess his love to his girlfriend.

– OldTimeMusic

Two truths come to mind. I’ve never walked that far before and you can’t deny this is a wonderful testament of love. A fun related story: Upon hearing the song, a woman joked to her boyfriend that she would marry him if he did this for her. The boyfriend took her seriously and walked a thousand miles. Man, that’s love. I really hope she said yes.

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For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

When I wake up, well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who wakes up next to you
When I go out, yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you
If I get drunk, well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you
And if I haver, hey, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's havering to you

But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door

When I'm working, yes, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's working hard for you
And when the money comes in for the work I do
I'll pass almost every penny on to you
When I come home (When I come home), oh, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who comes back home to you
And if I grow old, well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's growing old with you

But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door

Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da
Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da

When I'm lonely, well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's lonely without you
And when I'm dreaming, well, I know I'm gonna dream
I'm gonna dream about the time when I'm with you
When I go out (When I go out), well, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you
And when I come home (When I come home), yes, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who comes back home with you
I'm gonna be the man who's coming home with you

But I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door

Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da
Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da
Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da
Da lat da (Da lat da), da lat da (Da lat da)
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle uh da-da

And I would walk five hundred miles
And I would walk five hundred more
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles
To fall down at your door