My Gen X Playlist: 2,000 Miles – The Pretenders

Another Gen X Christmas song I remember from ages ago. I know the inspiration behind 2,000 Miles is a little sad, but I always think of Christmas when I hear it.

The Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde wrote “2000 Miles.” In an interview, Hynde said she took inspiration from the feeling of distance that she experienced after Honeyman-Scott’s death, and that it was important for her to continue making music in his memory.”

One of the things that kept the band alive, ironically, was the death of Jimmy Scott,” she said. “I felt I couldn’t let the music die when he died. We’d worked too hard to get it where it was… I had to finish what we’d started.

Songfacts

Although I love Christmas, I recognize sometimes not every one is a happy one. We all go through life and many times life just gets in the way. We can’t avoid it. But I do like Hynde’s message of perseverance and moving forward, even when we feel that we can’t. I hadn’t given this much thought until now. I’ll remind myself of this whenever I hear this song.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

He's gone two thousand miles
Is very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

The children were singing
He'll be back at Christmas time

In these frozen and silent nights
Sometimes in a dream, you appear
Outside under the purple sky
Diamonds in the snow sparkle

Our hearts were singing
It felt like Christmastime

Two thousand miles
Is very far through the snow
I'll think of you
Wherever you go

He's gone two thousand miles
Is very far
The snow is falling down
Gets colder day by day
I miss you

I can hear people singing
It must be Christmastime
I hear people singing
It must be Christmastime