500 Miles

Why 500 Miles?  We like the song – and the distance from where we are (Summit, New Jersey) to where we’re going (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) is just about 500 miles.  It’s about longing – a Zeno’s Paradox for wanderers – where home is a state of mind as much as a place.

The lyrics are attributed to a female folk singer named Hedy West (if Wikipedia is to be believed), who was born in Georgia and went to college at Western Carolina in Cullowhee. It’s been performed by everyone from Joan Baez and Judy Collins to Peter, Paul & Mary and the Kingston Trio.  Our favorite version is by Rosanne Cash, with these haunting verses:

Teardrops fell on mama’s note
When I read the things she wrote
She said, “We miss you, hon, we love you, come on home.”

Well, I didn’t have to pack
I had it all right on my back
Now I’m 500 miles away from home

All these years and all these roads
Never lead me back to you
I’m always 500 miles away from home.