Born to two neuroscientists, Ritter bought his first guitar from the local K-MART after hearing the Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash classic Girl From The North Country. He started at Oberlin College with the intent to follow in his parents' scientist footsteps, but instead discovered songwriting, and the music of artists like Gillian Welch, Townes Van Zandt, and Leonard Cohen. He graduated and then moved east, favoring its close proximity to historic folk clubs such as "Club Passim" in Boston. On a shoestring budget he recorded his critically acclaimed breakthrough album Golden Age of Radio in 2002 at various tiny, one-room studios on the East Coast. He has continued to grow from there, further developing his sound on subsequent albums.
Josh has recorded several records and E.P.s. In chronological order, they are:
Josh Ritter (Self Titled) (2000)
Golden Age of Radio (2001)
Come and Find Me EP (2003)
Hello Starling (2003)
4 Songs Live E.P. (2005)
The Animal Years (2006)
Girl In The War E.P. (2006)
Good Man E.P. (2006)
In The Dark: Live At Vicar Street (2006)
The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter (2007)
Live at the Record Exchange EP (2008)
So Runs the World Away (2010)
To the Yet Unknowing World (2011)
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band, Live at The Iveagh Gardens (April 2011)
The Beast In Its Tracks (2013)
Acoustic Live, Vol.1 (2015)
Sermon on the Rocks (2015)
Miles Away
Josh Ritter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It did not hold me in its arms like it holds me now
So i dreamed myself a bird who could cross the waves
And i woke up just a man who was miles away
Miles away, miles away, miles away, miles away
So i went to cape canaveral and i went to the moon
Famous picture of me above the blue parade
A man a million miles up, still miles away
Miles away, miles away, miles away, miles away
So i went back to kansas, it was summertime
Brought flowers to my family by the riverside
At the end of his life, they said my father had changed
I suppose we could have been friends, but i was miles away
Miles away, miles away, miles away, miles away
Honey, you don′t belong in a place like this
With your long yellow hair and your hips
But the look in your eye is like the world from sp-ce
The way the sun hits off the water from miles away
Miles away, miles away, miles away, miles away
Honey, can you leave your light on?
Honey, can you leave your light on?
Honey, can you leave your light on?
Honey, can you leave your light on?
I'm miles away, miles away
Miles away, miles away
The lyrics of Josh Ritter's song Miles Away describe the theme of escapism and longing for something more in life. The singer begins by stating that they were lost when they were born and did not feel welcomed by the world at that time. They then describe dreaming of being a bird that could cross the waves and waking up to find themselves still a man, but now one who was miles away from where they wanted to be.
The singer continues by mentioning that they went to Cape Canaveral and even to the moon, yet they still felt miles away from where they truly belonged. They then mention going back to Kansas during summertime and bringing flowers to their family by the riverside. At the end of their father's life, they reflect that they could have been friends with him, but they were too far apart emotionally and mentally.
In the final stanza of the song, the singer addresses someone they care for, suggesting that they don't belong in the place they are currently in, but their beauty reminds them of the world from space. The repetition of the phrase "miles away" throughout the song conveys the sense of yearning and distance that the singer feels.
Line by Line Meaning
Ame into this world, i was lost not found
From birth, I felt confused and aimless
It did not hold me in its arms like it holds me now
Life did not initially offer me comfort but it does now
So i dreamed myself a bird who could cross the waves
I imagined being able to overcome life's obstacles with ease
And i woke up just a man who was miles away
But when I came back to reality, I was still lost and far from where I wanted to be
So i went to cape canaveral and i went to the moon
I attempted great feats to find purpose and meaning
And i stayed up there for a year or two
I tried to escape reality for an extended period of time
Famous picture of me above the blue parade
I achieved some level of success and recognition for my accomplishments
A man a million miles up, still miles away
But even with all of my success, I still felt emotionally distant and lost
So i went back to kansas, it was summertime
I returned to my roots hoping to find some sense of connection and grounding
Brought flowers to my family by the riverside
I tried to show love and affection to my loved ones
At the end of his life, they said my father had changed
But even with my attempts to reconnect, it was too late to rebuild certain relationships
I suppose we could have been friends, but i was miles away
There was a missed opportunity to connect with my father due to my emotional distance
Honey, you don′t belong in a place like this
Addressing a romantic partner, expressing that they are too good for their current location/situation
With your long yellow hair and your hips
Providing a visual image of their partner's beauty
But the look in your eye is like the world from sp-ce
Seeing wonder and potential in their partner's eyes
The way the sun hits off the water from miles away
Comparing their partner's radiance and beauty to that of nature seen from a distance
Honey, can you leave your light on?
Making a request to their partner to stay true to themselves and not let the world dim their light
I'm miles away, miles away
Admitting to their own distance and emotional detachment
Miles away, miles away, miles away, miles away
Reiterating how far they feel from where they want to be and who they want to be with
Writer(s): Joshua Ritter
Contributed by Skyler A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.