So Far Away
Caroline Burns Lyrics
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Doesn′t anybody stay in one place anymore
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Doesn't help to know
You′re just time away
Long ago I reached for you and there you stood
Holding you again could only do me good
How I wish I could
One more song about moving along the highway
I can't say much of anything that′s new
If I could only work this life out my way
I′d rather spend it being close to you
But you're so far away
Doesn′t anybody stay in one place anymore
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
And it doesn't help to know
You′re so far away
Yeah, you're so far away
So far away
Traveling around sure gets me down and lonely
(Traveling around sure gets me down and lonely)
Nothing else to do but
Close my mind
I sure hope the road don′t come to own me
There's so many dreams
(There are so many dreams)
I've yet to find (I′ve yet to find)
But you′re so far away
Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore (Anymore)
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
And it doesn′t help to know
You're so far away
Yeah, you′re so far away
Oooh yeah
You're so far
Caroline Burns's "So Far Away" depicts the longing of the singer for someone they love who is geographically far away. The first two lines mentioned how people do not seem to stay in one place anymore, implying a transient lifestyle for some individuals. The singer expresses the desire to see the person they love at their doorstep, an intimate location, and notes that knowing they are only a distant memory does not ease the void. The singer reminisces about when they held the person they love and longs to feel that comfort and affection again. However, this person is too far away to reach, and the singer is left with songs that only talk about moving forward.
The singer's hope is to find a way to work out their life to be close to the person they love instead of traveling around and feeling lonely. The singer worries that the constant state of traveling can affect their sanity, and they do not want the road to "own" them. Although the singer has many dreams, they are unable to pursue them fully because the person they love is not around. The song concludes with a reiteration of the fact that the person they love is so far away, emphasizing the loneliness and longing of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
So far away
The distance between the singer and the one they long to be close to.
Doesn′t anybody stay in one place anymore
A lament about how people are always on the move, never staying in one location.
It would be so fine to see your face at my door
Expressing the desire to be face-to-face with the person the singer misses.
Doesn't help to know You′re just time away
Although the person is away, knowing the length of time until they return provides little comfort.
Long ago I reached for you and there you stood Holding you again could only do me good How I wish I could But you're so far away
The memory of being near the person is bittersweet because they are currently unreachable.
One more song about moving along the highway I can't say much of anything that′s new
The repetition of songs about travel reflects the mundaneness of constantly being on the move.
If I could only work this life out my way I′d rather spend it being close to you
The singer longs for stability and being close to the person they miss.
Traveling around sure gets me down and lonely (Traveling around sure gets me down and lonely) Nothing else to do but Close my mind
The singer is feeling isolated while on the road, with no other option but to retreat into their thoughts.
I sure hope the road don′t come to own me There's so many dreams (There are so many dreams) I've yet to find (I′ve yet to find) But you′re so far away
The singer fears the road will take over their life, despite the dreams they have yet to achieve. But ultimately, distance from the one they love is still the hardest obstacle.
Yeah, you′re so far away
Reiterating the main theme of the song, emphasizing the distance between the singer and the person they long to be with.
Writer(s): Carole King
Contributed by Alexis J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.