Song meaning of Five Hundred Miles by The Kingston Trio

The lyrics of "Five Hundred Miles" by The Kingston Trio, written by Hedy West, evoke a sense of longing, solitude, and a longing for home. The song portrays a character who is separated from their loved ones by a considerable distance, indicated by the repetition of the phrase "a hundred miles." This distance is further emphasized by the line "Lord, I'm five hundred miles away from home." The repetition serves to emphasize the vastness of the separation, creating a feeling of sorrow and loneliness.

The character in the song seems to have lost their way, as indicated by the line "Not a shirt on my back, not a penny to my name." This suggests that they have left their previous life behind, possibly due to a difficult or adverse situation. The repetition of "Lord, I can't go back home this-a way" reinforces the sense of being lost and unable to return to familiarity.

Overall, the song conveys a theme of longing for connection and a sense of displacement. It speaks to the universal experience of longing for home and the difficulty of finding one's way back after being separated from loved ones. The haunting sound of the train whistle in the song serves as a poignant reminder of the distance and emotional separation.