The Scottish Twins!
Formed in 1983 by Craig and Charlie Reid, The Proclaimers had their debut album, This Is the Story by 1987.
Recorded at famed Air Studios in London, the twins managed to craft a single in Letters from America that caught the public’s attention and climbed to #2 in Ireland and #3 in the U.K.
The follow-up, Sunshine On Leith came in 1988 ad with it, the duo’s signature tune, I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles). It only went to #1 in Australia, New Zeeland, and Iceland, but it’s not so much of a charting success as it is a long-lasting legacy.
Any covers band that has added this one to their set knows that it’s a banger, guaranteed to get people up.
Over time, it did sell over a million copies in the U.K. but only reached #11 in the charts.
Funnily enough, in 2007 when Peter Kay and Matt Lucas did a comedy version, it actually hit the top spot in both Scotland and the U.K.
This was a charity single for Comic Relief and the word “walk” was replaced with “roll” as the characters performed in wheelchairs. Search for 500 Miles lyrics and this often brings up the latter.
Following the enormous success with 500 Miles, the twins have kept releasing albums, their latest came in 2022, although no tunes have hit the heights of their first two big singles.
When it comes to covers, they recorded Otis Redding‘s These Arms Of Mine and The Temptations Get Ready, which featured in the film Dumb & Dumber.
The Proclaimers tunes | Related pages
Get Ready
| F5 | Bb | G5 | C |
And I’m bringing you a love that’s true so get ready, so get ready.
| F | Bb7omit3 | Gm | C |
I’m gonna try to make you love me too so get ready, so get ready, here I come.
I’m Gonna Be (500) Miles
| 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.
I’m Gonna Be (500) Miles chords.
The Proclaimers on the web
