La chanson"500 miles away from home" aussi connue sous le nom "les Cheminots Se lamentent" est une chanson folklorique populaire aux États-Unis durant les années 1960.
Les paroles, simples, expriment le lamento d'un voyageur désargenté, qui est loin de sa maison, et trop honteux pour oser y retourner.
Les paroles de la chanson sont généralement attribuées à Hedy West, mais aussi à Williams Bouclé, et John Phillips, qui en seraient les co-auteurs.
Selon David Neale, "500 Miles" serait inspirée d'une chanson folklorique plus ancienne, ayant pour origine les airs de violon du sud des Etats Unis.
I'm five hundred miles away from home.
Teardrops fell on mama's note when I read the things she wrote
She said, "We miss you son, we love you come on home."
Well, I didn't have to pack, I had it all right on my back
Now I'm five hundred miles away from home.
Away from home, away from home
Cold and tired and all alone
Yes, I'm five hundred miles
Away from home.
I know this is the same road I took the day I left home
But it sure looks different now
Well, I guess I look different too cause time changes everything
I wonder what they'll say when they see their boy looking this way
Oh, I wonder what they'll say when I get home.
Can't remember when I ate it's just thumb and walk and wait
And I'm still five hundred miles away from home
If my luck had been just right I'd be with them all tonight
But I'm still five hundred miles away from home.
Away from home, away from home
Cold and tired and all alone
Yes, I'm five hundred miles
Away from home...