Music

The Proclaimers Get 5 Million Miles Out of “500 Miles”

Alan Cross 0 Comments

Craig and Charlie Reid first released “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” as track one on their 1988 album, Sunshine on Leith.  Few acts have been able to get this much mileage out of one song.

It’s been used in film, television, commercials, for charity projects (cf. Terry Fox Marathon of Hope), video games and sporting events.  Plus it’s been covered and parodied countless times. 

There’s also a musical entitled Sunshine on Leith that became a rather sizeable hit in Scotland starting in about 2007 by the Dundee Prepertory Theatre.  And now there’s a movie based on the stage production that was just screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.  (Read a glowing review from the Hollywood Reporter here.)

This goes to show that all you need for a long and profitable career is one really, really, really great song.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 38035 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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