“Thousand Miles” is the fourth song on Miley Cyrus’ 2023 album ‘Endless Summer Vacation.’ The song talks about someone from the past, be it a partner or a friend, or a family. Although they are a thousand miles away from the singer (or a lifetime away) some people will still remain in our hearts.
Miley Cyrus released her 8th studio album ‘Endless Summer Vacation’ on March 10, 2023. Prior to the album’s release, the first single of the album “Flowers” was released on January 12, 2023. The album attempts to capture a wide spectrum of emotions from love to hate to lust and self-love.
During a Backyard Sessions interview for the album, Miley Cyrus explained how she had an entirely different perspective of the song when she wrote it back in 2016-17;
“When I wrote “Thousand Miles,” it started as a song that was very different from the one that’s on the album. I wrote it in 2016 or 2017. And it was after one of my really close friends lost her sister to suicide. And I just couldn’t imagine not having my little sister in my life. And so, I wrote this song for her, and it was originally called “Happy Girl.” And it was, “I just wanna see you happy, and all I really want is just for you to be happy, girl.” And it was just about happiness and sisterhood and… It just makes me emotional because now the song is filled with so much joy in the music. And it’s become something so far from the sadness that inspired the song.”
Listen to “Thousand Miles” by Miley Cyrus
Buy ‘Endless Summer Vacation’ Album on Apple Music & Amazon
Miley Cyrus “Thousand Miles” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
Disconnecting from someone who used to be close to you is one of the hardest experiences in life. Regardless of whether that person is a lover, friend, or family, it pains us all in the deepest bones to let someone go. Miley finds herself coming back to this person from the past time and time again.
Miley closed the door on this person some time back. She had to. At least she thought she did. But she keeps coming back to the same door after a ride around town.
The singer feels like she is a thousand miles away from everywhere–from home, from her partner, from her family, and from her fans. She always feels like everyone is in the rearview mirror. She tries to hold on to these people. But this is as if she is trying to hold on to a rolling stone, a metaphor for something that does not stand still.
Life is a journey. You are bound to meet people and leave them behind. Some will stay longer for the journey, some not. One or two people will ride shotgun for life. It is natural that we leave more people in the rearview mirror.
Your ex might be in the next city. Your friend might be working in another country now. Some of your family members will be all over the world. Some others would have already joined the afterlife. Regardless of each of these situations, we cannot keep people around us forever.
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Read the complete lyrics to the song on Genius.
