Interpretation of the song GO THE DISTANCE

GO THE DISTANCE Lyrics

I have often dreamed

Of a far off place

Where a hero's welcome

Would be waiting for me

Where the crowds will cheer

When they see my face

And a voice keeps saying

This is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday

I can go the distance

I will find my way

If I can be strong

I know ev'ry mile

Will be worth my while

When I go the distance

I'll be right where I belong

Down an unknown road

To embrace my fate

Though the road may wander

It will lead me to you

And a thousand years

Would be worth the wait

It may take a lifetime

But somehow I'll see it through

And I won't look back

I can go the distance

And I'll stay on track

No I won't accept defeat

It's an uphill slope

But I won't lose hope

Till I go the distance

And my journey is complete

But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part

For a hero's strength is measured by his heart

Like a shooting star

I can go the distance

I will search the world

I will face its harms

I don't care how far

I can go the distance

TillI find my hero's welcome

Waiting in your arms...

I will search the world

I will face its harms

TillI find my hero's welcome

Waiting in your arms...

Interpretation

          The first stanza tells about a great dream that could be related to fulfilling a lifelong dream or to a search for acceptance.  The song Go the Distance was used in the film Hercules as a reflection of Hercules’ quest for acceptance and later on he found out he is the son of Zeus.  Relating this stanza to my personal experience as a teenager, I am also dreaming of achieving my dreams and be successful someday.  I would only be fully happy when I know that the people around me, especially my family and friends, are also proud of my achievements just like what the song says, “where’s a hero’s welcome would be waiting for me”, “where the crowds will cheer”, and “and a voice keeps saying this is where I’m meant to be”.

          In the second stanza, the song tells about knowing a dream can be achieved someday and that a way will lead towards that dream if along the journey he will remain strong and surely every step of the way will all be worthwhile.  For me, I know someday I can reach my dream.  I need to have the strength and courage and for sure I will find my way to fulfill my dream.  My journey is still long but I am sure to enjoy every step until I reach my destination.

          The third stanza reflects the part of the journey towards achieving a dream wherein the path being taken seems like an unknown road, nothing seems to be sure if it will really lead towards the goal destination.  It says, “though the road may wander, it will lead me to you”.  Indeed, keeping the faith, the road towards my dream may be unknown and maybe at some point I might also doubt the path, I know that with my strong perseverance and great hope, I can reach my dream someday.  “It may take a lifetime but somehow I’ll see it through” is a representation of what kind of attitude each one of us should posses.  I should not lose hope and just give up during the times when it seems like I am not getting anywhere because as long as I am taking steps I will surely get there someday no matter how long it will take.

          The fourth stanza sets the right attitude of not giving up and never losing hope.  The journey towards reaching my dream can be compared to climbing an uphill slope.  It will never be easy because I need to stay focused and I should not look back because it will make it harder to focus, instead I should keep my eye on the ultimate goal which is to reach the top for my journey to be completed.

          In the next line it says, “to look beyond the glory is the hardest part”.  I think it means that although we have a great dream, it is still hard to look beyond the fulfillment of that dream.  It is like wondering what is at the rainbow’s end.  It is not enough that I hold onto my dream, I should be equipped with hope, perseverance, courage, and strength because as the song goes “for a hero’s strength is measured by his heart”.  I should posses a strong heart that never gives up, a heart that never loses hope no matter how tough the situations may be.  I have always believed that only those with brave hearts finish the journey towards their dreams.

         

          Just like in the previous line, this last stanza represents the dreamer as a shooting star.  On this note, a shooting star travels across the sky “searching the world”.  The line “I will face its harms”, relating to a shooting star, means that the shooting star is uncertain of the danger he may encounter along his search of the world, uncertain of how far the end of the journey is, but he will not mind and will face everything until he finds the hero’s welcome he has been longing for.

I used to say that reaching my dreams is like reaching for the stars.  Through this song I realized that it could also be like climbing an uphill slope and searching the world like a shooting star.  No matter how and to what I compare my journey towards my dreams would be like, one thing is certain, it is the fact that I can only reach my dreams if I posses a strong heart that never gives up, never loses hope, equipped with perseverance and courage.  My victory is sweeter if I see people around me, especially my family and friends, cheering, rejoicing, and proud of my achievements.  Only then I can say that my journey is complete.