Chords + Lyrics | I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)
Intro
||: E | E :||
Verse 1
| E | E |
When I wake up, well I know I’m gonna be,
| A5 B5 | E |
I’m gonna be the man who wakes up next to you.
When I go out, yeah I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be the man who goes along with you.
If I get drunk, well I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you.
And if I haver, hey I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be the man who’s havering to you.
Chorus 1
||: E | E | A5 | B5 :||
But I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more.
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles to fall down at your door.
Verse 2
When I’m working, yes I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be the man who’s working hard for you.
And when the money, comes in for the work I do,
I’ll pass almost every penny on to you.
When I come home (when I come home), oh I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be the man who comes back home to you.
And if I grow old, well I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be the man who’s growing old with you.
Chorus 2
But I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more.
Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles to fall down at your door.
Chorus tag 1
||: E | E |
||: Da-da da da (da-da da da). Da-da da da (da-da da da).
| A B | E :||
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle un da-da :||
Instrumental (re-intro)
| E | E |
Verse 3
When I’m lonely, well I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be the man who’s lonely without you.
And when I’m dreaming, well I know I’m gonna dream,
I’m gonna dream about the time when I’m with you.
When I go out (when I go out), well I know I’m gonna be,
I’m gonna be the man who goes along with you.
And when I come home (when I come home), yes I know I’m gonna be,
| A5 B5 | C#m |
I’m gonna be the man who comes back home with you.
| A B | 2/4 B | 4/4 E | E |
I’m gonna be the man who’s coming home, with you.
Chorus 3
But I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more.
Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles to fall down at your door.
Chorus tag 2
||: Da-da da da (da-da da da). Da-da da da (da-da da da).
Da-da-da dun-diddle un-diddle un-diddle un da-da :|| x4
Chorus 4
| E | E | A5 | B5 |
And I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more.
| E | E | A5 | B5 | E | E |
Just to be the man who walked a thousand miles to fall down at your door.
500 Miles Chords: Mastering Simplicity with Subtle Variations
500 Miles is often dismissed as just a simple I – IV – V song in E, but I believe there’s an important lesson here. It serves as a great introduction to the concept of playing simple things well, grounded in attention to detail and subtle variation.
For instance, when do you play power chords, and when do you opt for the triad? How do you break up the strumming for the E chord to make it powerful without sounding repetitive?
A full analysis is available here: I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Verse
Once you’ve grasped the concept, just seeing the verse chords—I – IV – V – I, with the IV – V sharing a bar—should be enough, like this:
||: E (I) | E | A5 (IV) B5 (V) | E :||
Chorus
The chorus chords have a slight variation, with each chord getting its own bar, enough to jog your memory (members get TAB).
||: E (I) | E | A5 (IV) | B5 (V) :||
Verse 3
In addition to these two sections, keep in mind that in verse 3, we go:
| A5 (IV) B5 (V) | C#m (VI) |
| A B | 2/4 B | 4/4 E (I) | E |
The C#m is the relative minor of E, or as I like to call it, the “sad cousin”. The 2/4 bar over the B helps to build intensity for the next chorus.
Here’s a chord chart I made for you.
500 Miles Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Even though it’s primarily a I – IV – V song, the chart above became somewhat more complicated. Have a listen to the original recording and see if you can follow along.
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: 500 Miles chord chart PDF.
This chart was created using iReal Pro. Here’s a link to that file: 500 Miles iReal Pro.
Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key and alter the layout of the arrangement.
500 Miles TAB | Course Preview
In the course, you get plenty of TAB to guide you through a part that works whether you’re playing 500 Miles solo, backing a singer, or as the only guitarist in a band.
Here’s a preview — one way you could play the chorus.
The parody became a bigger hit than the original
Initially released as a single from the album Sunshine On Leith (1988), I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) only reached #11 on the U.K. charts.
It actually had more success in Australia, New Zealand, and Iceland(!), where it topped the charts. Five years later, after being featured in the movie Benny & Joon, it reached #3 in the U.S.
In 2007, English comedian Peter Kay recorded a parody version for the annual charity event Comic Relief, which then reached #1 in the U.K. Total worldwide sales now exceed 2 million.
Apparently, The Proclaimers’ royalty earnings from 500 Miles are five times those of the rest of their catalogue combined. If that’s not a signature song, I don’t know what is!
With all this chart success, I still believe it’s the working bands all over the world playing it every Saturday that has truly cemented its longevity.
And the reason it’s so beloved by bands is the audience participation section, when everyone can scream: Da-da-da da!
500 Miles Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: I’m Gonna Be (500) Miles (The Proclaimers) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
