So Far Away
Mark Knopfler / Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you're so far away from me
And where are you when the sun goes down
You're so far away from me
[Chorus:]
So far away from me
So far i just can't see
You're so far away from me
I'm tired of being in love and being all alone
When you're so far away from me
I'm tired of making out on the telephone
And you're so far away from me
[Chorus]
I get so tired of having to explain
When you're so far away from me
See you've been in the sun and I've been in the rain
And you're so far away from me
[Chorus]
"So Far Away" is a song about the sadness and loneliness of a long-distance relationship. The opening verse sets the tone for the rest of the song, as the singer finds himself in a "mean old town," feeling the absence of his significant other who is far away from him. He misses her presence and wonders where she is when the sun goes down. The verse is imbued with a sense of longing and separation, with the lyrics highlighting the physical and emotional distance between the lovers.
The chorus encapsulates the theme of the song – the lament of being apart from someone you love. The repetition of "so far away from me" emphasizes the desolation of the singer's feelings, as though he is unable to connect with his lover. The second verse continues with more of the same melancholy, as the singer declares his exhaustion at being alone and his frustration at only being able to communicate with his love through the telephone. He longs for physical touch and intimate connection, but the distance between them makes it difficult.
The final verse brings a twist, with the singer acknowledging that they've both had different experiences while apart. He's been in the rain, and she's been in the sun, suggesting divergent paths taken while physically apart, but ultimately, they remain emotionally distant. The song ends as it began, with the chorus serving as an anguished refrain to convey the isolation and pain of a love separated by distance.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I am again in this mean old town
I find myself in this unpleasant place once again
And you're so far away from me
You are not physically close to me
And where are you when the sun goes down
I wonder where you are during the nighttime
You're so far away from me
You are still far away from me
So far away from me
You are extremely distant from me
So far i just can't see
Your location is so far that I cannot even visualize it
So far away from me
You are still very far away from me
You're so far away from me
Your presence is greatly missed as you are far away
I'm tired of being in love and being all alone
Being in love makes me feel lonely and frustrated
When you're so far away from me
Our distance contributes to my feelings of isolation
I'm tired of making out on the telephone
Physical distance causes me to resort to communicating solely through technology
And you're so far away from me
Your distance makes it difficult for us to connect
So far away from me
Your location has you extremely removed from me
I get so tired of having to explain
I am exhausted from continuously elaborating on our distant situation
When you're so far away from me
I often find myself justifying how we could be so far apart
See you've been in the sun and I've been in the rain
Our separation has caused us to experience different climates and weather conditions
And you're so far away from me
Your distance is still affecting us and our experiences
So far away from me
The remoteness between us remains
You're so far away from me
I still yearn for your physical proximity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Mark Knopfler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@markc9690
This is a masterclass on harmony.
@rosemarygranat
Yes it is
@bennettnovack7909
You said it!
@thesunreport
I think perhaps the beauty of Mark and his music and the musicians he plays with...is that it is both a refuge and a stimulation. It is quite a mix and I feel very lucky to have had it in my life. 🙂
@Patrick_0n
Mark knopfler makes anything
@martincampbell1461
When God made a man to play guitar, he put mark knophler on the top of the tree
@canalettoDD
Thank You very much ... "now this" ;-)
@tomberry5517
What a song, not only for the separation of distance between lovers, but by extension (without one or two lines!) the separation of time and brokenness. The longing for what once was and is no more, or what could have been and can never be. Stuff of the heart and soul.
@amanzalocos
U made me shed a tear😢😊
@anthonypirtle5687
She is one of the greatest female singers of all time!