Glen's is not a household name, but his impact on the music world is considerable. He co-wrote the number one hit "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" with Patty Smyth, and also wrote "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man," a number one country hit performed by Randy Travis.
Glen might also be recognized through his work in advertising. As one example, his song "The Man Inside" was used in the UK Phillishave advert back in the 90s.
Many fans outside of the New Jersey area discovered Glen through his two short stints with the rock band Styx. He first joined the band in the early 90s as a replacement for singer / guitarist Tommy Shaw, and later returned in the late 90s / early 2000s as a replacement for bassist Chuck Panozzo.
Glen has now returned to a solo career but remains active in the music world. Along with teaching music and performing solo shows, he is also an occasional member of a Beatles tribute band or two.
Check out Glen's website:
http://www.glenburtnik.com
Not So Far Away
Glen Burtnick Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You might feel like a stranger,
You've been lost in a strange land.
You might be on a distant shore,
Don't know what they're having planned.
You might feel you're a million miles,
In nothing you can be sure.
You might feel you don't have a prayer,
That you're not so far, you're not so far away.
You might feel you're in danger,
Hope you don't fade away.
Sometimes you try to reach so high,
You think that your back might break.
The signal's out, someone's in doubt,
When something inside you says,
That you're not so far, you're not so far away.
No, you're not so far, you're not so far away.
Lay it in those hands,
You might not know where you stand.
You walk that line, will somebody tell ya,
This is where it starts and ends?
When history repeats itself,
They'll sell you their worn out plan,
When you're not so far, you're not so far away.
No, you're not so far, you're not so far away,
A million miles, not so far away.
Maybe you're not so far away.
You're not so far, you're not so far away,
Not so far.
In Glen Burtnick's song 'Not So Far Away', the lyrics explore the challenges one may face as they navigate through the uncertainties of life. The song begins by highlighting the feeling of being lost and disconnected from one's surroundings. As the lyrics progress, they delve into the idea of pride and determination, and how holding onto those traits can get us through challenging times.
The first few lines set an uneasy tone, emphasizing that one may feel like a stranger in a strange land. The line "Don't know what they're having planned" could be interpreted as an uncomfortable sense of foreboding or paranoia. Despite feeling lost and uncertain, the chorus reminds us that we're "not so far away". It's an uplifting sentiment that encourages us to keep going, even when things feel hopeless.
The second verse adds another layer of complexity to the song. It warns against blindly following authority, admonishing that "when history repeats itself, they'll sell you their worn out plan". The song urges us to trust ourselves and not give in to fear or the manipulative tendencies of others. Overall, 'Not So Far Away' is a song that encourages resilience and personal strength, even during difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey!
The song is starting with an exclamation to grab the listener's attention.
You might feel like a stranger,
There are times when we feel alienated and disconnected from our surroundings.
You've been lost in a strange land.
We feel lost and confused in unfamiliar territories.
You might be on a distant shore,
We might be far away from our loved ones and in an unknown location.
Don't know what they're having planned.
We feel unaware of the intentions and motivations of the people around us.
You might feel you're a million miles,
We feel like we are very distant from something or someone we desire.
In nothing you can be sure.
We feel uncertain and unsure of our current situation and the future.
You might feel you don't have a prayer,
We feel like we have no hope or chance of achieving something.
When the signal it comes in clear,
Sometimes, we receive a clear message or sign that changes our perception of a situation.
That you're not so far, you're not so far away.
Despite feeling lost and uncertain, we are actually not as far away as we think from what we desire.
Hope you don't fade away.
The singer wishes that the listener does not lose their focus, determination, and sense of self.
Sometimes you try to reach so high,
We have high expectations and goals that we try to achieve.
You think that your back might break.
We feel like we are pushing ourselves too hard and might end up causing damage to ourselves.
The signal's out, someone's in doubt,
The source of guidance and assurance is not available or not believed by someone around us.
When something inside you says,
We have an inner voice or intuition that guides us and tells us something important.
That you're not so far, you're not so far away.
Our intuition reminds us that we are closer than we think to achieving what we desire.
Lay it in those hands,
We need to trust someone or something to guide us and support us.
You might not know where you stand.
We feel unsure of our position and status in a certain situation.
You walk that line, will somebody tell ya,
We are walking on a fine line and need someone to guide us and tell us what to do.
This is where it starts and ends?
We question if the current situation is the beginning and end of something.
When history repeats itself,
We feel like we are stuck in a cycle or pattern that we have experienced in the past.
They'll sell you their worn out plan,
People might try to convince us to follow their outdated and ineffective strategy or solution.
No, you're not so far, you're not so far away.
The singer reminds us that we are closer than we think to what we desire and need to stay hopeful and determined.
A million miles, not so far away.
Despite feeling we are far away, we are actually closer than a million miles from what we desire.
Maybe you're not so far away.
The singer suggests that the listener is actually closer than they think to achieving their goal or desire.
Not so far.
The song ends with a reassuring statement that we are not as far away from our goals as we think.
Contributed by Aaliyah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@PopCrusher
my comfort movie
@LaraLeeCupcake
I had no idea Glen did a song for Bill and Ted! So cool. Thanks!
@salvasirignano
I've never watched the film, but I love this song!
@michaelrussell3890
Do yourself a favour and watch it. It's a classic
@love.lies.bleedang
Its been 4 years,I hope you watched the movie.
@tammie1078
Nice, I like it
@joeshmoe452
The intro sounds like you steped into the future.
@MonkKenan
Vanguard, This is during their history report in the auditorium with all the historical dudes.
@moving-spaces
That version sounded more like an instrumental and this version doesn't even have one solo in it. Would you know where to hear the version used in the movie?
@MonkKenan
Maybe the soundtrack has it on there. I've never heard the version on the soundtrack..