"2000 Miles" is a song by British-American rock band Pretenders. Written by lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde and produced by Chris Thomas, it was released on 18 November 1983 as the second single from their third studio album, Learning to Crawl (1984). It was most popular in the UK, where it peaked at No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1983. In the US, it was released as the B-side of both the 7-inch single and 12-inch single remix of the band's hit "Middle of the Road". Considered a Christmas song, it has been released on various Christmas compilation albums.

Background

The song is about two long-distance lovers who miss each other at Christmastime. "Robbie McIntosh plays beautifully on '2000 Miles'," Hynde recalled. "Anything to avoid listening to my voice and my stupid words." The song frequently reappears on the UK Singles Chart around Christmastime, staying in the charts for a few weeks over the Christmas period.

Critical reception

Dave Marsh, in his 1989 book The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made, ranked "2000 Miles"' as the 630th best rock or soul single to that date. It is one of four songs by Pretenders listed in the book. Ultimate Classic Rock critic Matt Wardlaw rated it the Pretenders’ 9th greatest song, calling it "one of the season's most beloved Christmas songs."

Music video

The official video features Hynde dressed as a member of The Salvation Army in a snowy location. Chrissie Hynde also recorded a version of the song in 1995 with violins and other stringed instruments.

Covers

British rock band Coldplay released a piano cover of the song as a charity single. The track's digital download was available for £1.50 between 16 December 2003 and 1 January 2004, with all royalties being donated to Stop Handgun Violence and Future Forests. KT Tunstall covered the song for her Christmas EP Sounds of the Season: The KT Tunstall Holiday Collection (2007). American pop rock band Train covered the song for their Christmas album Christmas in Tahoe (2015). The same year, Australian singer Kylie Minogue covered the song for her first Christmas album Kylie Christmas. American rock band Smash Mouth covered the song on the 2012 reissue of their 2005 album, The Gift of Rock.

Charts

Certifications