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, yeah, I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's haverin' to you

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

Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da-da dun, da-da-lun, da-da-lun, da-da-la da-da
Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da-da dun, da-da-lun, da-da-lun, da-da-la 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 walks a thousand miles
To fall down at your door

Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da-da dun, da-da-lun, da-da-lun, da-da-la da-da (yeah)
Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da-da dun, da-da-lun, da-da-lun, da-da-la da-da

Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da-da dun, da-da-lun, da-da-lun, da-da-la da-da
Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da, da da (da-da, da da)
Da-da-da dun, da-da-lun, da-da-lun, da-da-la 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


Lyrics submitted by bambi3k, edited by [delete me], halloire, aaron01

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) Lyrics as written by Craig M. Reid Charles S. Reid

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) song meanings
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63 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    i don't think the meaning of this song is quite as obvious as people are making it out to be. this isn't a ''I WOULD DO ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING FOR YOU'' type of love song to me. i'm reading it as like "i would walk you home at night, i would party with you, i would even grow old with you, but i can't say i would do everything for you - i'm not completely self-sacrificing." that's why leading into the chorus he says i would do this and that BUT i would walk 500 miles and i would walk 500 more JUST TO BE THE MAN WHO WOULD walk 1000 miles to fall down at your door. the ''but'' and ''would'' in that chorus implies that he's NOT that man, and he can't be, but he can try his best. it could be that he can't satisfy her every emotional need or he's not romantic enough, but he wishes he was.

    sweetcoron87on July 17, 2008   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    lol i love the fact that they wrote out all the 'da da da"s.

    this song makes me happy and is wonderfully self-explanatory

    fearandloathinginLVon March 14, 2008   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    haha, I know what haver means, haha. I guess I'll tell everyone. It means to maunder, talk foolishly, or to chatter basicly. HAHA!!!!!!!

    theflyingfriggeron April 15, 2003   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song makes me SO PROUD to be SCOTISH!!! whenever it comes on at our shite school parties everybody in the whole hall dives out of their seats and jumps up and down screaming it shamelessly. Its always the highlight of the night!!!

    sOCS479on November 01, 2004   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    well ive just realised the ultimate fantasy- David Tennant singing this to me... BOOYAH! hahaha great song

    ggabyon March 05, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    what the hell are you people talking about in here. What does blink 182 have to do with anything.

    theflyingfriggeron April 15, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    If your still interested, haver is a Scottish word for lying. Its not big lies, just wee lies. I'm pretty sure it is anyway (its the way I've heard it used) Oh, and good song!

    Cheesebeauon September 30, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I love this so much! My favorite of all time. It's just the sweetest thing, without being cheesey or corny, and it's got an awesome beat. And what's even better! It's like the athem to Benny and Joon which is my favorite movie of all time! Great job on this one.

    Dawnie-7on October 13, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    The new Scottish National Anthem, great band with some good up beat songs, this one should get the crowds going at the Scotland games :)

    Scottish_Lionon August 08, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    well, I think this song is about guy who's totally desperate for this girl that he would "walk 500 miles" for her. And he would "walk 500 more, just to be the man who walked a 1000 miles to fall down at your door".

    So overall, it's a pretty cool, and damn catchy, song.

    PrEsLeYsBiGsIsTaon June 18, 2007   Link

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