Monday Music: 500 Miles (Peter, Paul & Mary)

I have heard "500 Miles" all my life, it seems. It was written in 1961 by folk singer Hedy West and quickly became so ingrained into the fabric of our culture that most Americans probably know the song. Sometimes the simplest of songs can become the most enduring and profound.

I gained a new appreciation for the song in 1981 when I went to Hong Kong to teach English for two years. One of my colleagues, Linda Pegram, worked with the Vietnamese refugees. At that time there were large refugee camps in Hong Kong and in The Philippines to aid in the resettlement of refugees from Vietnam to other parts of the world. American folk songs were quite popular throughout Hong Kong, but I learned from my friend, Linda, that among the Vietnamese refugees, "500 Miles" was one of the best loved songs. It, of course, spoke to their own plight of being far from home, with few possessions to call their own. I cannot hear the song today without seeing the images of those refugee camps.

In the video below, live concert footage accompanied by the original studio recording by Peter Paul & Mary make this a stunning offering. Mary Travers is superb -- riveting and captivating with her clear, strong, and plaintive voice.

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