King was born to an international jazz duo, Marion Cowings and Kim Kalesti. King and her brother were always exposed to music, especially jazz and classical sounds during their childhood. "It was an amazing experience," she says. "It was very challenging. We went from the fanciest hotels one day, to the dirtiest motels the next day -- you know, just living off a musicians paycheck. Also, being around so much incredible music. We were in the jazz world so I was with Dizzy Gillespie one day to Clark Terry the next day. It was my education."
As the daughter of two singers - one Italian, one African American - who performed internationally as a Jazz duo, King has always been exposed to music, its challenges and its rewards, from an early age. She always knew she would follow in her parents' footsteps. "I had a hard time in school," she says, "because I already knew what I wanted to do, so I was like, let me just get started." At age 16, King took two giant steps: She got her GED, and she started writing songs.
The music on her J Records debut, East Side Story, reveals roots that are both deep & ambitious. Kings words are packed with references to the wide range of great artists that inspired her - the Beatles, Nas, Sarah Vaughn, Radiohead & Michael Jackson. "Every record that I’ve ever heard has been an influence on me", she says.
The very first song that she completed, "Business Man" - a commentary on heartless capitalists - is a central moment on East Side Story. "I always thought if I write a song, it's not going to be about relationships," she says. "There are so many things in this world to talk about." She quickly advanced from banging around on a guitar in her apartment to performing on the local folk club circuit at such noted venues as the Bitter End and CBGB's Gallery.
In the meantime, King had discovered hip-hop and immersed herself in a culture that would add yet another ingredient to her musical mix. She met Sony Music publisher Bill Brown who introduced her to Sony writer/producer Chucky Thompson, a member of Bad Boy Entertainment's famed Hitman studio team who had recorded smashes with the likes of the Notorious BIG and Mary J. Blige. Thompson signed her to his production company, and together they began searching for the right sound to capture King's eclectic tastes and styles. After taking her demos to various labels, they signed with J Records.
In 2012, King was awarded the Holly Prize (a tribute to the legacy of Buddy Holly) from The Songwriters Hall of Fame for recognition of the "all-in songwriter" whose work exhibits the qualities of Holly’s music.
King's second studio album, The Switch, was self-released by her own label, Making Music Records, on 26 June 2015.
She signed with the independent label ATO Records in 2017 and with them released her third studio album, Scenery, on 1 February 2019.
King released her fourth studio album, Sides, on January 17, 2020.
More information can be found at www.emilykingfans.com or www.emilykingonline.com
Distance
Emily King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think you've been sleeping too long
My day started when you were still yawning
One room just ain't enough
When it's two folks trying to get along
But it's hard to leave you alone
Oh, love is always better
When we take time to get back to who we are
When we are apart
Distance makes the heart grow
Even when I'm lonely
Happy knowing that your love is never far
When we are apart
Distance makes the --
It makes the leaves on the trees fall
It makes the hours in the day long
It makes me want to clear my head
Find a little gap there and write the words to a song
And I know that I'm still free
Be anywhere that I wanna be
Maybe get dressed up
Wear something real pretty that you ain't never seen
Oh, love is always better
When we take time to get back to who we are
When we are apart
Distance makes the -- grow
Even when I'm lonely
Happy knowing that your love is never far
When we are apart
Distance makes the --
When you love it makes a heart
When you trust it makes a heart
When you call it makes a heart
We're alone, we're apart
In the middle of a fight
Walk away to make it right
Where we go, we're never far
In the light or in the dark
On a plane up in the stars
In a movie or at the bar
Home alone or out to (tea?)
Look to your heart and think of me
I wanna love you, don't want to try
To change the pace of your life
We get together, we make it good
Get together, ooh
Hey love, time to get up
I think you've been sleeping too long
My day started when you were still yawning
The beginning of “Distance” features Emily King urging her love to wake up from what she perceives as oversleeping. The reason for her concern about the time he wakes up is not about schedules, but rather the difference in their routines and the need for alone time.
Emily King then dives into exploring the positive effects of distance on relationships, explaining how solitude and separation give us a chance to focus on ourselves and prioritize self-love. She emphasizes how being away from someone can elevate the appreciation and anticipation of their reunion. Rather than feeling lonely, Emily is happy to know that her lover's love is never far, regardless of the distance between them.
The chorus highlights that “distance makes the heart grow,” a phrase that speaks to the power of longing and temporarily being without someone to strengthen emotions and resolve. The verses encourage individuality, reflection, and creativity, echoing the saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder. The latter verses are more celebratory, encapsulating the duo's possibilities and potential for joy, including the ordinary like going to the bar or being at home alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey love, time to get up
Emily King is waking up her partner and asking them to start their day
I think you've been sleeping too long
Emily feels her partner has slept enough and it's time to get up
My day started when you were still yawning
Emily has already started her day while her partner is still sleeping
One room just ain't enough
Emily feels that a single room is not enough for two people in a relationship
When it's two folks trying to get along
Emily implies that living together and getting along is not always easy
But it's hard to leave you alone
Emily still finds it difficult to be separated from her partner, despite the challenges of living together
Oh, love is always better
Emily believes that love is improved by taking time for oneself
When we take time to get back to who we are
Taking time away from one's partner can help rediscover one's own identity
When we are apart
Distance helps one reconnect with oneself
Distance makes the heart grow
Being apart from one's partner can lead to a stronger emotional connection
Even when I'm lonely
Even when Emily is alone, she can still feel the emotional connection to her partner
Happy knowing that your love is never far
Emily finds happiness in knowing that her partner's love is always present, even when they are apart
It makes the leaves on the trees fall
The distance Emily feels from her partner creates a sense of change in the world around her
It makes the hours in the day long
Emily feels that time moves more slowly when she is away from her partner
It makes me want to clear my head
Being apart from her partner inspires Emily to clear her mind and find inspiration
Find a little gap there and write the words to a song
Emily finds the inspiration to write music when she is away from her partner
And I know that I'm still free
Emily recognizes that she is still her own person, even when in a relationship
Be anywhere that I wanna be
Emily can go anywhere she wants without having to consider her partner's needs or schedule
Maybe get dressed up
Emily can dress up and try new things without her partner's input or approval
Wear something real pretty that you ain't never seen
Emily can wear new outfits and try new styles that her partner has not yet seen
When you love it makes a heart
Love can create strong emotional bonds between people
When you trust it makes a heart
Trust can strengthen emotional connections between people
When you call it makes a heart
Calling or reaching out to someone can create a feeling of closeness and connection
We're alone, we're apart
Emily feels alone and distant from her partner at times
In the middle of a fight
Even in the middle of an argument with her partner
Walk away to make it right
Emily believes that taking some distance in a disagreement can help both parties see things more clearly
Where we go, we're never far
Emily believes that distance is only physical and has no effect on the emotional connection between people
In the light or in the dark
Emily believes that her connection to her partner is present in all situations, good or bad
On a plane up in the stars
Even when they are physically far apart, Emily feels the emotional connection with her partner
In a movie or at the bar
Emily feels the connection with her partner in all social situations
Home alone or out to (tea?)
Emily feels the connection with her partner at all times, whether she is alone or with friends
Look to your heart and think of me
Emily wants her partner to feel her emotional presence even when they are not physically together
I wanna love you, don't want to try
Emily wants to love and be loved without having to make an effort or change who she is
To change the pace of your life
Emily does not want to disrupt her partner's life or routine
We get together, we make it good
Emily wants to make the most of the time she spends with her partner
Get together, ooh
Emily is looking forward to spending time with her partner
Contributed by Austin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.