Over the Hills and Far Away (Gary Moore song)
"Over the Hills and Far Away" | ||||
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Single by Gary Moore | ||||
from the album Wild Frontier | ||||
B-side | "Crying in the Shadows" | |||
Released | 8 December 1986 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | 10 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Gary Moore | |||
Producer(s) | Peter Collins | |||
Gary Moore singles chronology | ||||
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"Over the Hills and Far Away" is a song by Northern Irish musician Gary Moore, released in December 1986 by 10 Records as the first single from his sixth solo album Wild Frontier. The song peaked at number 20 on the UK Singles Chart,[1] but was most successful in the Nordic countries, topping the charts in Finland and Norway.[2][3]
The single B-side, "Crying in the Shadows", was also recorded by Japanese singer Minako Honda, titled "The Cross (Ai No Jujika)", with Moore on guitar. "Crying in the Shadows" was released as a single in Japan in October 1986, one month after Honda's version, with "Once In A Lifetime" from the Run For Cover album as the B-side.
Lyrics[]
The song is about a man wrongfully accused of armed robbery, but won't tell who his alibi is as it is the wife of his best friend, with whom he was sleeping. So, he gets sent to prison "over the hills and far away, for ten long years". During prison he receives love letters from the woman and "he swears he will return one day", so "back in his arms is where she'll be".[4]
Track listing[]
7" vinyl
- "Over the Hills and Far Away" – 4:38
- "Crying in the Shadows" – 5:00 (produced by Mike Stone)
7" vinyl double pack (limited edition, UK)
- "Over the Hills and Far Away"
- "Crying in the Shadows"
- "Out in the Fields" (Live)
- "All Messed Up" (Live)
12" vinyl
- "Over the Hills and Far Away" (Extended Version) – 7:23
- "Over the Hills and Far Away" (7" Version) – 4:38
- "Crying in the Shadows" – 5:00
- "All Messed Up" (Live at Milton Keynes) – 5:52 (written by Moore and Neil Carter; produced by Tony Wilson)
CD (1988, UK)
- "Over the Hills and Far Away"
- "Crying in the Shadows"
- "All Messed Up" (Live)
Charts[]
Chart (1987) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] | 94 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[2] | 1 |
Ireland (IRMA)[6] | 6 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[7] | 25 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[8] | 22 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[9] | 43 |
Norway (VG-lista)[3] | 1 |
Poland (LP3)[10] | 12 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[11] | 7 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[12] | 27 |
UK Singles (OCC)[1] | 20 |
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[13] | 24 |
Covers[]
- Ukrainian singer Ruslana performed the song in Ukrainian titled Понад горами (Ponad Horamy), the studio version appeared on her album Naikrashche, released in 2001.
- In 2000, it was covered by Swedish viking metal band Thyrfing on their third album Urkraft.
- In 2001, it was covered by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish for their EP of the same name, which peaked at number 1 in Finland as well as charting in several over countries.[14]
- In 2004, for the Gary Moore tribute album Give Us Moore, it was covered by German heavy metal band Domain.[15]
- In 2015, it was covered by Finnish country band Steve 'n' Seagulls on their debut album Farm Machine.[16]
- In 2018, it was covered by Patty Gurdy on the album Shapes & Patterns EP.
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Gary Moore: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit MOK - MOY". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Norwegiancharts.com – Gary Moore – Over the Hills and Far Away". VG-lista.
- ^ "Making sense of 'Over the hills and far away'". Itsacon's Log. 2011-03-12. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 207. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Over the Hills and Far Away". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Gary Moore" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Gary Moore – Over the Hills and Far Away" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Gary Moore – Over the Hills and Far Away". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Archiwum LP3, notowanie 277, z dn. 4.07.1987". www.lp3.pl. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Gary Moore – Over the Hills and Far Away". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Gary Moore – Over the Hills and Far Away". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ "Gary Moore Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
- ^ "finnishcharts.com - Nightwish - Over The Hills And Far Away". finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- ^ Songfacts. "Over The Hills And Far Away by Gary Moore - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- ^ "Original versions of Over the Hills and Far Away by Steve 'n' Seagulls | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
- 1986 singles
- Songs written by Gary Moore
- Gary Moore songs
- Song recordings produced by Peter Collins (record producer)
- Number-one singles in Finland
- Number-one singles in Norway
- 1986 songs