I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
Encyclopedia
"I'm Gonna Be" is a song written and performed by The Proclaimers
. It was released on their 1988 Sunshine on Leith
album, and subsequently as a single. It has become one of their most popular songs, reaching No. 11 in the UK charts and No. 1 on the Australian ARIA Charts
in 1989, plus, five years later, No. 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100
. The song has become a live staple at their concerts. The Proclaimers played it at Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push
, the final concert of Live 8
at Murrayfield Stadium
on 6 July 2005, to symbolise the conclusion of "The Long Walk to Justice".
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) is a popular song in Scotland
. Every time the Scottish national football team
scores, the song is played at Hampden Park
. This also occurs at Murrayfield Stadium
when the Scotland rugby union team
scores a try
, and at Easter Road Stadium when Hibernian
, the team The Proclaimers personally support, score. The song receives a similar treatment at darts
events where it is played as a "walk on" tune for Scottish player Robert Thornton
.
In October 2010, the song was played during the Glasgow 2014 handover section of the closing ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games
.
Film, Television, and Radio
It was featured on the soundtrack to the 1993 film Benny & Joon
, when Mary Stuart Masterson
kept playing Sunshine on Leith while the filming of the movie progressors. Filmmakers took special notice of this song in particular and as a result, the original music video for I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) was re-edited with clips from the movie. The inclusion of the song within the Benny & Joon
helped popularize the song in the United States.
The song was played over the end credits of the 2010 film Burke and Hare
.
In 2006, the song was featured as a cutaway gag on the Family Guy
season 4 episode "You May Now Kiss the... Uh... Guy Who Receives".
I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) was also the theme song for the Swedish TV-show, High Chaparall
. It was also featured in How I Met Your Mother
episode "Arrivederci, Fiero
" and the Season 5 episode "Duel Citizenship
".
The song was also very popular in Spain in the late 1990s thanks to TV advertisements
. It was a reference song for the ads of one of the first telecommunications companies,Retevisión
.
On 11 September 2010, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
ranked the original version of the song at #50 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, exclaiming, "We're halfway through our list! Doesn't it feel like your ears have walked through 500 miles of bad songs?"
Literature
In the book I Am The Messenger
, the main character listens to this song.
Movements
The song has been associated with Terry Fox
's Marathon of Hope for cancer.
Covers
The cover of this song by Steven Curtis Chapman
was played by NASA as the wakeup call to the crew of the International Space Station and STS-130 on Flight Day 14/15.
In 2009, the winner of the annual Eurovision contest, Alexander Rybak
performed a cover of this song.
In 2011, the song was remixed for a club play by U.S. music producer, Joel Dickinson
.
The song was also covered by famed mariachi band, Los Frijoles Borrachos.
On October 30, 2011, a video of the cast and crew of Doctor Who singing and dancing to this song was discovered and circulated widely on Tumblr
, thus initiating the first annual "500 Miles Day" in which The Proclaimers made a cameo.
The song was used in a Molson Canadian commercial.
and Matt Lucas
, the latter two in the guise of their characters Brian Potter
and Andy Pipkin
(from Phoenix Nights and Little Britain
respectively). There is a slight change in the lyrics with the words "roll 500 miles" replacing "walk 500 miles". This is because the characters Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin are both in wheelchairs. This version was released as a charity single for Comic Relief on 19 March 2007. It reached No. 3 on the official UK Singles Chart
on download sales alone, and one week later reached No. 1, where it remained for three weeks. It sold 126,000 copies in its first week making it the biggest selling number one of the year up to that point. Its sales were double that of the "official" Comic Relief single by Girls Aloud
vs. Sugababes
, and their cover of Aerosmith
's "Walk This Way
". The song ended 2007 as the year's 9th biggest-selling single in the UK.
Kay also directed a video clip of the song featuring himself as Brian Potter, Lucas as Andy, David Walliams
as Lou, The Proclaimers and an audience of celebrity guests: of Johnny Ball
, David Beckham
, David Bellamy
, Dusty Bin, Tony Blackburn
, Stan Boardman
, Basil Brush
, Bob the Builder
, Bucks Fizz
, Cannon and Ball
, Bob Carolgees & Spit the Dog
, Jasper Carrott
, Keith Chegwin
, Jimmy Cricket
, Tess Daly
, Bobby Davro
(referred to in the lyrics), Carol Decker, Lesley Garrett
, Claire Grogan, Paul Henry
, Frazer Hines
, Siobhan Redmond
(credited as "Her off Holby City
", Elton John
, The Krankies
, Burt Kwouk
, Bonnie Langford
, Eddie Large
, Michael Le Vell
, Limahl
, Kenny Lynch
, Des Lynam
, Timmy Mallett
, Amanda Mealing
, Jennie McAlpine
, Terry Nutkins
, Bill Oddie
, Paul O'Grady
, Postman Pat
, Wendi Peters
, Robert Powell
, Rod, Jane and Freddy
, Rupert the Bear, Showaddywaddy
, Status Quo, Kathy Staff
, Frank Sidebottom
, Sonia, Dennis Taylor
, David Tennant
, Willie Thorne
, Kate Thornton
, Dave Lee Travis
, Louis Walsh
, Pete Waterman
, Lizzie Webb
, Sally Whittaker, June Whitfield
and Gary Wilmot
. Osama bin Laden
(then still a fugitive terrorist), Lord Lucan
(missing since 1974) and Shergar
(a race horse) are credited as appearing in the video. It was broadcast during the Comic Relief 2007: The Big One TV special.
The Proclaimers
The Proclaimers are a Scottish band composed of identical twin brothers, Charlie and Craig Reid . They are probably best known for the songs "Letter from America", "I'm On My Way" and "I'm Gonna Be ". The band tours extensively throughout Europe and other continents...
. It was released on their 1988 Sunshine on Leith
Sunshine on Leith
Sunshine on Leith is The Proclaimers' second and best known album, released in August 1988. The album had three singles, including the title track, "I'm On My Way," and "I'm Gonna Be ," which also became a hit following its inclusion on the soundtrack to Benny & Joon five years later in 1993...
album, and subsequently as a single. It has become one of their most popular songs, reaching No. 11 in the UK charts and No. 1 on the Australian ARIA Charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
in 1989, plus, five years later, No. 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. The song has become a live staple at their concerts. The Proclaimers played it at Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push
Edinburgh 50,000 – The Final Push
Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push was part of the series of Live 8 concerts held around the world designed to encourage the leaders congregating at the G8 meeting to consider the plight of those in absolute poverty...
, the final concert of Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
at Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
on 6 July 2005, to symbolise the conclusion of "The Long Walk to Justice".
Popular culture
SportsI'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) is a popular song in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Every time the Scottish national football team
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
scores, the song is played at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
. This also occurs at Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
when the Scotland rugby union team
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
scores a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
, and at Easter Road Stadium when Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, the team The Proclaimers personally support, score. The song receives a similar treatment at darts
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
events where it is played as a "walk on" tune for Scottish player Robert Thornton
Robert Thornton (darts player)
Robert Thornton is a Scottish darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events after his switch from the BDO in May 2008. He won the prestigious Winmau World Masters in November 2007.-BDO career:...
.
In October 2010, the song was played during the Glasgow 2014 handover section of the closing ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010 Commonwealth Games
The 2010 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XIX Commonwealth Games, were held in Delhi, India, from 3 to 14 October 2010. A total of 6,081 athletes from 71 Commonwealth nations and dependencies competed in 21 sports and 272 events, making it the largest Commonwealth Games till date...
.
Film, Television, and Radio
It was featured on the soundtrack to the 1993 film Benny & Joon
Benny & Joon
Benny & Joon is a 1993 romantic comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer about how two eccentric individuals, Sam and Juniper "Joon" , find each other and fall in love...
, when Mary Stuart Masterson
Mary Stuart Masterson
Mary Stuart Masterson is an American film, stage and television actress and director.-Early life:Masterson was born in New York City to writer/director Peter Masterson and actress Carlin Glynn. She has two siblings: Peter Masterson Jr., and Alexandra Masterson, who are both involved in the...
kept playing Sunshine on Leith while the filming of the movie progressors. Filmmakers took special notice of this song in particular and as a result, the original music video for I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) was re-edited with clips from the movie. The inclusion of the song within the Benny & Joon
Benny & Joon
Benny & Joon is a 1993 romantic comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer about how two eccentric individuals, Sam and Juniper "Joon" , find each other and fall in love...
helped popularize the song in the United States.
The song was played over the end credits of the 2010 film Burke and Hare
Burke and Hare (film)
Burke and Hare is a British black comedy film, loosely based on the Burke and Hare murders. Directed by John Landis, the film stars Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis as William Burke and William Hare respectively. It was Landis's first feature film release in twelve years, the last being 1998's Susan's...
.
In 2006, the song was featured as a cutaway gag on the Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
season 4 episode "You May Now Kiss the... Uh... Guy Who Receives".
I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) was also the theme song for the Swedish TV-show, High Chaparall
High Chaparall
High Chaparall is a Swedish television program which first aired in 2003 on the Kanal 5 network. The show is an interview/adventure series featuring the Swedish comedy duo of Filip Hammar and Fredrik Wikingsson. Although the pair continued to be provocative, this program proved to be less...
. It was also featured in How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
episode "Arrivederci, Fiero
Arrivederci, Fiero
"Arrivederci, Fiero" is the 17th episode in the second season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on February 26, 2007.- Plot :...
" and the Season 5 episode "Duel Citizenship
Duel Citizenship (How I Met Your Mother)
"Duel Citizenship" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of the CBS situation comedy How I Met Your Mother and 93rd overall. It originally aired on October 19, 2009.-Plot:...
".
The song was also very popular in Spain in the late 1990s thanks to TV advertisements
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
. It was a reference song for the ads of one of the first telecommunications companies,Retevisión
Retevisión
Retevisión is a Spanish telecommunications company and a subsidiary of Abertis.- History :Retevision was born in 1989 as a public company, a division of the national public Radiotelevisión Española...
.
On 11 September 2010, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
AOL Radio
AOL Radio powered by Slacker, , is an online radio service available only in the United States.- Roots :...
ranked the original version of the song at #50 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, exclaiming, "We're halfway through our list! Doesn't it feel like your ears have walked through 500 miles of bad songs?"
Literature
In the book I Am The Messenger
I Am the Messenger
The Messenger is a 2002 novel by Markus Zusak, and winner of the 2003 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award.The Messenger was released in the United States under the name I Am the Messenger. The entire story is written through the eyes of the main character, Ed Kennedy, who...
, the main character listens to this song.
Movements
The song has been associated with Terry Fox
Terry Fox
Terrance Stanley "Terry" Fox , was a Canadian humanitarian, athlete, and cancer research activist. In 1980, with one leg having been amputated, he embarked on a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research...
's Marathon of Hope for cancer.
Covers
The cover of this song by Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...
was played by NASA as the wakeup call to the crew of the International Space Station and STS-130 on Flight Day 14/15.
In 2009, the winner of the annual Eurovision contest, Alexander Rybak
Alexander Rybak
Alexander Igoryevich Rybak or in Belarusian Alyaksandr Igaravich Rybak , born 13 May 1986 in Byelorussian SSR is a Norwegian singer-composer, violinist, pianist, writer, and actor...
performed a cover of this song.
In 2011, the song was remixed for a club play by U.S. music producer, Joel Dickinson
Joel Dickinson
Joel Dickinson is a remixer, electronic music producer, recording engineer and DJ based in Minneapolis, MN. He has worked for Junior Vasquez on a number of projects in recent years. He is a founding member of the remix team Audio Assembly who have produced for artists such as Katy Perry and Lady...
.
The song was also covered by famed mariachi band, Los Frijoles Borrachos.
On October 30, 2011, a video of the cast and crew of Doctor Who singing and dancing to this song was discovered and circulated widely on Tumblr
Tumblr
Tumblr is a website and microblogging platform that allows users to post text, images, videos, links, quotes and audio to their tumblelog, a short-form blog. Users can follow other users, or choose to make their tumblelog private. The service emphasizes ease of use. The site ranks as the 10th...
, thus initiating the first annual "500 Miles Day" in which The Proclaimers made a cameo.
Original 1988 version
- "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"
- "Better Days"
- "Teardrops"
The song was used in a Molson Canadian commercial.
Charts
| End of year chart (1993) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 27 |
Covers
- Scotsman George Donaldson of Celtic ThunderCeltic ThunderCeltic Thunder is a singing group composed of male soloists who perform both solo and ensemble numbers. Celtic Thunder debuted in August 2007 at The Helix in Dublin, Ireland...
, on their 2009 album Take Me Home - Alexander RybakAlexander RybakAlexander Igoryevich Rybak or in Belarusian Alyaksandr Igaravich Rybak , born 13 May 1986 in Byelorussian SSR is a Norwegian singer-composer, violinist, pianist, writer, and actor...
, on his 2009 album FairytalesFairytales (Alexander Rybak album)Fairytales is the debut studio album by the Belarusian-Norwegian artist Alexander Rybak. It was released in Norway and most of Europe on May 29, 2009 . Most of the songs on the album are written and/or composed by Rybak himself.... - MXPXMxPxMxPx is a pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington with connections to the Christian punk scene. The band has recorded eight studio albums, four EPs, four compilation albums, a live album, a VHS tape, a DVD and released 20 singles....
, on their 2009 album On The Cover IIOn the Cover IIOn the Cover II is an album of song covers by pop punk band MxPx, like On the Cover. The album features covers of various 80s songs. Beginning on February 9, 2009, feature artists were announced, one per day, on Alternative Press' website....
. - Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks is an American animated music group created by Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. in 1958. The group consists of three singing animated anthropomorphic chipmunks: Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group; Simon, the tall, bespectacled intellectual;...
, on their 2007 video game Alvin and the ChipmunksAlvin and the Chipmunks (video game)Alvin and the Chipmunks is a video game based on the film of the same name. The game was released on December 4, 2007 and was the first release by short-lived video game company Brash Entertainment. It follows The Chipmunks as they play their way from small venues to massive crowds at Burning Munk...
. - Down By LawDown by Law (band)Down by Law is a punk rock band formed in 1989 by former All frontman Dave Smalley, who is the their only permanent member. The band has recorded 7 studio albums. They stayed on Epitaph Records until 1998 and have since switched to labels. Down by Law has never achieved substantial commercial...
, on their album PunkrockacademyfightsongPunkrockacademyfightsongPunkrockacademyfightsong is the third full-length album by the punk rock band Down by Law. The album features a cover of The Proclaimers hit song I'm Gonna Be .-Track listing:# "Punk Won" – 2:57# "Hit Or Miss" – 3:22...
. - SpungeSpungeSpunge are a ska punk band from Tewkesbury, England...
on their covers album That Should Cover It!That Should Cover It!That Should Cover It! is a covers album by the Tewkesbury ska punk band Spunge. It also contains three re-recorded songs from earlier in the band's career and two completely new songs. It was released on February 23, 2004, on the band's own label Dent'All Records.The CD-ROM also contains the music...
. - KoopaKoopa (band)Koopa are a pop punk band from Sible Hedingham, near Colchester, Essex, England. The band formed in 2000 by the brothers Stuart Cooper and Oliver "Ollie" Cooper , plus Joe Murphy...
, as a B-side on their single "No Trend". - Toy DollsToy DollsThe Toy Dolls are an English punk rock band formed in 1979. Departing from the angry lyrics and music often associated with punk rock, The Toy Dolls worked within the aesthetics of punk to express a sense of fun, with songs such as "Yul Brynner Was a Skinhead", "My Girlfriend's Dad's a Vicar" and...
, on their album One More MegabyteOne More MegabyteOne More Megabyte is a studio album by the English punk rock band Toy Dolls, recorded in 1997.-Track listing:All compositions by Michael Algar except where noted# Mega Intro – 0:56# One More Megabyte – 2:36# I'm a Lonely Bastard – 2:33...
. - Steven Curtis ChapmanSteven Curtis ChapmanSteven Curtis Chapman is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist.After starting his career in the late 1980s as a singer/songwriter of contemporary Christian music, Chapman has since been recognized as one of the most prolific singers in the genre,...
, on his album All About Love. - PhishPhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
, on 30 December 1997 at Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
with Tom Marshall. - The MacDonald BrothersThe MacDonald BrothersThe MacDonald Brothers are a Scottish pop rock duo from Ayrshire in Scotland, consisting of brothers Brian and Craig MacDonald. They first rose to prominence in the third UK series of television talent show The X Factor in 2006, and have since gone on to release four albums.The brothers are...
, on The X FactorThe X Factor (UK)The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
. - Maxïmo ParkMaxïmo ParkMaxïmo Park are a British alternative rock band, formed in 2000. They are signed to Warp Records. The band consists of Paul Smith , Duncan Lloyd , Archis Tiku , Lukas Wooller and Tom English...
, live on Jo WhileyJo WhileyJohanne "Jo" Whiley is a British radio disc jockey and television presenter. She was the host of the long running weekday Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1.-Early life and education:...
's Live LoungeLive LoungeThe Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
for BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
. - Najwa NimriNajwa NimriNajwa Nimri Urrutikoetxea is a Spanish actress and singer of Jordanian descent.-Early life:...
, on her album Walkabout. - In 2010, the song was parodied by The FringemunksThe FringemunksThe Fringemunks are a music group created by Seattle musician David Wu in 2008 consisting of three "cloned" anthropomorphic chipmunks: Feebo, Notchy and Pie. They are known mostly for recapping all episodes of Fox television series Fringe with song parodies...
to recap FringeFringe (TV series)Fringe is an American science fiction television series created by J. J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci. The series follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation "Fringe Division" team based in Boston, Massachusetts under the supervision of Homeland Security...
episode 2.17, "White Tulip". - The Flying PicketsThe Flying PicketsThe Flying Pickets are a British a cappella vocal group, who had a Christmas number one hit in 1983 in the UK Singles Chart with their cover of Yazoo's track "Only You".-History:...
. - Vlogger Hank GreenHank GreenWilliam Henry "Hank" Green II is a professional vlogger and entrepreneur. He is the founder of VidCon and EcoGeek.org and the co-founder of DFTBA Records. He is also a singer/songwriter and has released three studio albums...
performed a cover of this song in 2007 as a punishment from his brother.
Comic Relief
The Proclaimers re-recorded the song, with Peter KayPeter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
and Matt Lucas
Matt Lucas
Matthew Richard "Matt" Lucas is an English comedian, screenwriter and actor best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars, Tweedledee and...
, the latter two in the guise of their characters Brian Potter
Brian Potter
Brian Chelsea Potter, one of many fictional characters played by Peter Kay, is the owner of The Phoenix Club in both That Peter Kay Thing and Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights...
and Andy Pipkin
Lou and Andy
Lou Todd and Andy Pipkin are fictional characters from the cult BBC TV and radio show Little Britain, played by David Walliams and Matt Lucas respectively. Andy's catchphrases include, "Yeah I know", "Want that one" and " Don't like it", while Lou's catchphrase is "What a kerfuffle!"Lou is kind,...
(from Phoenix Nights and Little Britain
Little Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
respectively). There is a slight change in the lyrics with the words "roll 500 miles" replacing "walk 500 miles". This is because the characters Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin are both in wheelchairs. This version was released as a charity single for Comic Relief on 19 March 2007. It reached No. 3 on the official UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
on download sales alone, and one week later reached No. 1, where it remained for three weeks. It sold 126,000 copies in its first week making it the biggest selling number one of the year up to that point. Its sales were double that of the "official" Comic Relief single by Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
vs. Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
, and their cover of Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
's "Walk This Way
Walk This Way
"Walk This Way" is a song by American hard rock group Aerosmith. Written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, the song was originally released as the second single from the 1975 album Toys in the Attic. It peaked at Number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1977, part of a string of successful hit...
". The song ended 2007 as the year's 9th biggest-selling single in the UK.
Kay also directed a video clip of the song featuring himself as Brian Potter, Lucas as Andy, David Walliams
David Walliams
David Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile...
as Lou, The Proclaimers and an audience of celebrity guests: of Johnny Ball
Johnny Ball
Johnny Ball is a British television personality, a great populariser of mathematics and the father of BBC Radio 2 DJ Zoë Ball.-Early life:...
, David Beckham
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
, David Bellamy
David Bellamy
David James Bellamy OBE is a British author, broadcaster, environmental campaigner and botanist. He has lived in County Durham since 1960.-Career:...
, Dusty Bin, Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn
Tony Blackburn is an English disc jockey, who broadcast on the "pirate" stations Radio Caroline and Radio London in the 1960s and was the first disc jockey to broadcast on BBC Radio 1 in 1967. In 2002 he was the winner of the ITV reality TV programme I'm a Celebrity.....
, Stan Boardman
Stan Boardman
Stan Boardman is an English comedian.- Early life :Boardman was evacuated with his family to Wrexham during World War II, and after the family returned to their Merseyside home mistakenly thinking the area had escaped the German bombs, his elder brother Tommy was killed in a bombing raid.He had...
, Basil Brush
Basil Brush
Basil Brush is a fictional anthropomorphic fox raconteur, best known for his appearances on daytime British children's television. He is primarily portrayed by a glove puppet, but has also been depicted in animated cartoon shorts and comic strips...
, Bob the Builder
Bob the Builder
Bob the Builder is a British children's animated television show created by Keith Chapman. In the original series Bob appears as a building contractor specialising in masonry in a stop motion animated programme with his colleague Wendy, various neighbours and friends, and their gang of...
, Bucks Fizz
Bucks Fizz (band)
Bucks Fizz are an English pop group who achieved success in the 1980s, most notably for winning the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Making Your Mind Up". The group was formed in January 1981 specifically for the contest and comprised four vocalists: Bobby G, Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and...
, Cannon and Ball
Cannon and Ball
Cannon and Ball are an English comedy double act consisting of Tommy Cannon and Bobby Ball. The duo met in the early 1960s while working as welders in Oldham, Lancashire...
, Bob Carolgees & Spit the Dog
Bob Carolgees
Bob Carolgees is a comedy entertainer who appeared on the Saturday morning TV series Tiswas and then later in its adult versions O.T.T. and Saturday Stayback. He is best-known for appearing with a puppet named Spit the Dog.-Career:In the early 1970s Carolgees ran a DJ and modelling school at 11A...
, Jasper Carrott
Jasper Carrott
Jasper Carrott OBE is a British comedian, actor, television presenter and personality.-Early life:...
, Keith Chegwin
Keith Chegwin
Keith Chegwin is an English television presenter, former child actor and singer.-Early career:Chegwin's early roles were in works of the Children's Film Foundation, appearing as Egghead Wentworth in The Troublesome Double Egghead's Robot . He also appeared as a stowaway in Doomwatch episode...
, Jimmy Cricket
Jimmy Cricket
Jimmy Cricket is a comedian. He currently lives with his family in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England.- Early life and career :...
, Tess Daly
Tess Daly
Helen Elizabeth "Tess" Daly is an English television presenter. She is married to the presenter Vernon Kay.-Early life:Daly was born in Derbyshire to Vivian , who died of emphysema, and Sylvia Daly...
, Bobby Davro
Bobby Davro
Bobby Davro is a British actor and comedian. He is mainly known for his work as an impressionist...
(referred to in the lyrics), Carol Decker, Lesley Garrett
Lesley Garrett
Lesley Garrett CBE is an English musician, broadcaster and media personality.- Early life :Garrett was born in the town of Thorne near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, into a musical family. She attended Thorne Grammar School, where she performed in school plays and musicals. As she grew up she...
, Claire Grogan, Paul Henry
Paul Henry (actor)
Paul Henry, is a British actor, best known for his role in the soap opera, Crossroads.Born in Birmingham, he attended the city's Alderlea Boys School in Shard End with Jeff Lynne, later leader of the Electric Light Orchestra pop group. Henry trained at the Birmingham School of Speech and Drama,...
, Frazer Hines
Frazer Hines
Frazer Hines is an English actor best known for his roles as Jamie McCrimmon in Doctor Who and Joe Sugden in Emmerdale. Hines was born in Horsforth, a civil parish of Leeds.-Acting career:...
, Siobhan Redmond
Siobhan Redmond
Siobhan Redmond is a Scottish actress.Originally from Tollcross, Glasgow, Redmond's first television appearances were in the early 1980s. Her first TV appearance was in 1982 in a sketch show called "Nothing to worry about!" which then lead to the sketch show Alfresco...
(credited as "Her off Holby City
Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
", Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, The Krankies
The Krankies
The Krankies are a Scottish comedy duo that enjoyed success as a cabaret act in the 1970s and on television in the 1980s, featuring in their own television shows and releasing their own music single. They entered semi-retirement in 1992, but they have regularly appeared in pantomime since.The duo...
, Burt Kwouk
Burt Kwouk
Burt Kwouk OBE , born Herbert Kwouk, is an English actor of Chinese descent, known for many television appearances and for his role as Cato in the Pink Panther films.-Career:...
, Bonnie Langford
Bonnie Langford
Bonita Melody Lysette "Bonnie" Langford is an English actress, dancer and entertainer. She came to prominence as a child star in the early 1970s then she subsequently became a companion of Colin Baker and Sylvester McCoy's Doctor Who and has appeared on stage in various musicals such as Peter Pan:...
, Eddie Large
Eddie Large
Eddie Large is the stage name of Edward Hugh McGinnis, a British comedian. He is best known as a partner in the double act Little and Large, with Syd Little....
, Michael Le Vell
Michael Le Vell
Michael Le Vell is an English character actor, who since 1983 has played the role of garage mechanic, Kevin Webster, in the soap opera Coronation Street....
, Limahl
Limahl
Christopher Hamill better known by his stage name Limahl is an English pop singer. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the 1980s pop group Kajagoogoo, before embarking on a briefly successful solo career, which reached its peak with the 1984 hit "The NeverEnding Story", taken from the film of...
, Kenny Lynch
Kenny Lynch
Kenny Lynch, OBE is an English singer, songwriter, entertainer and actor from London. Lynch appeared in many variety shows in the 1960s...
, Des Lynam
Des Lynam
Desmond Michael "Des" Lynam, OBE is an Irish television and radio presenter based in the UK.He has hosted television coverage of high profile events for many years...
, Timmy Mallett
Timmy Mallett
Timmy Mallett is a TV presenter and broadcaster in the UK. He achieved cult status on BBC Radio Oxford and Manchester's Piccadilly Radio and later on TV-am...
, Amanda Mealing
Amanda Mealing
Amanda Jane Mealing is a British actress best known for playing Connie Beauchamp in the BBC One medical drama series Holby City.-Early life:...
, Jennie McAlpine
Jennie McAlpine
Jennie Elizabeth McAlpine is a British television actress and comedienne. She is best known for her role as Fiz Stape in the well known British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:...
, Terry Nutkins
Terry Nutkins
Terence P. Nutkins is an English naturalist, television presenter and author. He is known for his television appearances, notably in the UK children's programmes Animal Magic, The Really Wild Show, Brilliant Creatures and Growing Up Wild.-Biography:Terry Nutkins was born in Marylebone, London, and...
, Bill Oddie
Bill Oddie
William "Bill" Edgar Oddie OBE is an English author, actor, comedian, artist, naturalist and musician, who became famous as one of The Goodies....
, Paul O'Grady
Paul O'Grady
Paul James Michael O'Grady MBE is an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ. He is best known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O'Grady Show and, more recently, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, as...
, Postman Pat
Postman Pat
Postman Pat is a British stop-motion animated children's television series first produced by Woodland Animations. It is aimed at pre-school children, and concerns the adventures of Pat Clifton, a postman in the fictional village of Greendale .Postman Pat's first 13-episode season was screened on...
, Wendi Peters
Wendi Peters
Wendi Louise Peters is an English television and theatre character actress. Peters is married to Kenny Linden and they have one daughter together called Gracie who was born in 2000.-Film:...
, Robert Powell
Robert Powell
Robert Powell is an English television and film actor, probably most famous for his title role in Jesus of Nazareth and as the fictional secret agent Richard Hannay...
, Rod, Jane and Freddy
Rod, Jane and Freddy
Rod, Jane and Freddy was the most famous name for a singing trio who appeared in children's programming on the British TV channel ITV in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. They starred both in the long-running series Rainbow as well as their own 15-minute show, The Rod, Jane and Freddy Show...
, Rupert the Bear, Showaddywaddy
Showaddywaddy
Showaddywaddy are a 1970s pop group from Leicester, England. They specialised in revivals of hit songs from the 1950s and early 1960s, and dressed as Teddy Boys.-History:...
, Status Quo, Kathy Staff
Kathy Staff
Kathy Staff was an English actress, well known for her work on British television...
, Frank Sidebottom
Frank Sidebottom
Christopher Mark Sievey was an English musician and comedian known for fronting the band The Freshies in the late 1970s and early 1980s and for his comic persona Frank Sidebottom from 1984 onwards....
, Sonia, Dennis Taylor
Dennis Taylor
Dennis Taylor is a retired snooker player, and current BBC snooker commentator. Winner of two ranking events, he is best known for winning the 1985 World Championship, beating World number one Steve Davis on the final black in one of the sport's most memorable finals...
, David Tennant
David Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
, Willie Thorne
Willie Thorne
William Joseph "Willie" Thorne , is a former English professional snooker player and now a sports commentator.Thorne became national under-16 champion at both snooker and English billiards in 1970...
, Kate Thornton
Kate Thornton
Kate Thornton is an English journalist and television presenter. Early in her career, she was notable for her articles at the Daily Mirror and for her role as editor of Smash Hits magazine...
, Dave Lee Travis
Dave Lee Travis
Dave Lee Travis , also known professionally as DLT and the Hairy Cornflake, is a British radio presenter, best known for his career on BBC Radio 1.-Early life:...
, Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
, Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
, Lizzie Webb
Lizzie Webb
Lizzie Webb, often known as "Mad Lizzie", presented daily exercise routines on British morning television channel TV-am. She was introduced onto the channel's flagship show Good Morning Britain in response to the popularity of exercise teacher Diana Moran on the rival BBC One show Breakfast Time...
, Sally Whittaker, June Whitfield
June Whitfield
June Rosemary Whitfield, CBE is an English actress, well known in the United Kingdom since the 1950s for roles in radio and television comedy series....
and Gary Wilmot
Gary Wilmot
Gary Wilmot is an English actor, writer, comedian, impressionist and singer. He rose to fame in the 80s through a number of television appearances, and subsequently moved into theatre.- Career :...
. Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
(then still a fugitive terrorist), Lord Lucan
Richard Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan
Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan , popularly known as Lord Lucan, as Lord Bingham before 1964, and sometimes colloquially called "Lucky" Lucan, was a British peer, who disappeared in the early hours of 8 November 1974, following the murder of Sandra Rivett, his children's nanny, the previous...
(missing since 1974) and Shergar
Shergar
Shergar was an acclaimed Irish racehorse, and winner of the 1981 Epsom Derby by a record 10 lengths, the longest winning margin in the race's 226-year history. This victory earned him a spot in The Observer newspaper's 100 Most Memorable Sporting Moments of the Twentieth Century...
(a race horse) are credited as appearing in the video. It was broadcast during the Comic Relief 2007: The Big One TV special.