Five hundred miles
RA, Western, 2008
Teardrops fell on mother's note
when I read the words she wrote
she said son we miss you, come on home
Well I didn't have to pack
I had it all on my back
And I'm 500 miles away from home
Can't remember when I ate
I just thumb and stop and wait
and im still 500 miles from my home
Cold and tired and all alone
you can hear that whistle moan
You can hear that whistle moan 500 miles.
From
Ernest and Hubert - two Americans I met on work camp in Northern Spain (La Escala, near Figueras). In 1963 I think. The words are not the original - but then what is? John Phillips (of the Journeymen, later of Mamas and Papas) changed the words and copyrighted it. Billy Bare did the same.
Quite possibly though "written" originally by Hedy West. At least copyrighted by her. Perhaps she got it from her grandmother.