Miles Away (Madonna song)
Encyclopedia
"Miles Away" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna
from her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy
. It was first released as a promotional single in Japan, during June 2008, as the theme for the Fuji Television
Japanese drama, Change
. The song was released by Warner Bros. Records
, as the third and final single from the album on October 17, 2008, and was subsequently included on her compilation album, Celebration
(2009). Written by Madonna, Justin Timberlake
and Timbaland
, "Miles Away" is a melancholy electronic ballad, which, according to Madonna is autobiographical, and is inspired by her then husband Guy Ritchie
. Lyrically, the song deals with long-distance relationship
s.
"Miles Away" has received positive appreciation from music critics for being a harmonious and meaningful ballad. It reached the top forty in most countries, while peaking inside the top ten in Czech, Netherlands, Hungary, Japan, Slovakia and Spain. It became the best-selling digital single of 2008 in Japan and won three trophies at the 23rd Japan Gold Disc Awards. In the United States, the song did not appear on the Billboard Hot 100
, but became Madonna's seventh consecutive number-one song on the Hot Dance Airplay
chart, the most for any artist. The song has been performed by Madonna in the promotional tour for the Hard Candy album and the 2008–09 Sticky & Sweet Tour
, during the gypsy segment of the show.
to be composed. After hearing it, Madonna began singing and writing the lyrics for the song. In an interview with MTV
, Madonna said that the song was inspired by her then husband, Guy Ritchie
. "So many people have to deal with long-distance relationship
s. It's not easy. You have to work hard to make it work." When asked if the song was autobiographical, she said:
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph
Madonna further explained her inspiration behind the song and stated,
. The song carries the characteristic sound of Timbaland-Timberlake production. Generally a downtempo, electronic song, "Miles Away" is accompanied by beats and backing vocals, which sing the lines "So far away". According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, the song is set in the time signature
of common time, with a moderate tempo
of 120 beats per minute
. It is written in the key of A minor
; Madonna's voice spans from the high-note of G3 to the low-note of C5. "Miles Away" has a basic sequence of Am–Em–G–F–Am–Em–G–F as its chord progression
.
During recording, Timberlake sat down with Madonna and played a guitar riff
composed by him, asking her how she wanted the song to sound. Madonna had "all these thoughts, riddles, poems, feelings, all written in huge notebooks," Timberlake said, "and she kept handing them over. It was amazing, taking these little bits here and there and putting them together like a puzzle." In this way, one of the ideas they connected was the universality of long-distance relationships, the pain and heartache of which they were able to incorporate in "Miles Away". After recording it, Timberlake commented that he had helped in creating a classic Madonna song, saying "I couldn't do a song like that, [...] I thought it was completely her. That was the trick."
Lyrically, "Miles Away" deals with a relationship in trouble. Madonna said that it's not difficult to express herself lyrically without giving away too much of her own privacy. Though Madonna has said before that the song is about Guy Ritchie, it has been speculated that lines from the lyrics of the song like: "You always have the biggest heart when we're 6,000 miles apart", talked about the then failing marriage between Madonna and Guy.
called the song a harmonious ballad which, along with the single "4 Minutes
", "might be some of her best work yet". She also said that the song sounded familiar and compared it with Timbaland
's remixed version of the 2008 single "Apologize
". Caryn Ganz from Rolling Stone
believed the song has a "melancholy pining". Stephen Thomas Erlewine
from Allmusic held the view that "the icy heartbreak of 'Miles Away'" was "a worthy successor of Justin Timberlake
's 2006 single 'What Goes Around.../...Comes Around
'". Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine said that the song has the typical ensuring quality of the production of Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, and bears the "pair's distinct, modern stamp, making Hard Candy more than just a throwback to Donna Summer
, Anita Ward
, and Quaaludes
." Chris William from Entertainment Weekly
made the observation that "Miles Away" was one of the "few actual confessions on this dance floor [Hard Candy]—enough to give the tabs speculative fodder." He also compared the song to "What Goes Around.../...Comes Around". Jim Farber of the New York Daily News called it the album's most beguiling tune.
A review of Hard Candy
in About.com
has held that the lyrics of the song were meaningful and also complemented the voice of Madonna. Joan Anderman of The Boston Globe
said that Madonna's journey "from shameless seductress to thoughtful student produces nary a ballad, but some seriously bittersweet tones linger under the surface of these effusive tunes." He also said that the song has a peace of mind quality in it. Joey Guerra
from Houston Chronicle
complemented the galloping beats and melodic backing vocals of "Miles Away" and said that it "sounds like late-'80s Madonna". Alexis Petridis
from The Guardian
said Madonna sings "with the emotional engagement of a sat-nav suggesting a right turn onto the A23." Miles Marshall Lewis
of The Village Voice
said that with "Miles Away", Madonna comes closest "to reflecting on her married-with-children bliss (or lack thereof)." Tom Young from the BBC
called the song "genuinely good, genuinely felt" and compared it with some of Madonna's other hit songs like "Holiday
", "Into the Groove
", "Ray of Light
" and "Music
". Pete Paphides of The Times
called the song "excellent", and describing it as "a collision of acoustic downstrokes and feverishly jaunty rhythm that verges on reggae." Thomas Hauner of PopMatters
said, "At one point the album’s tediousness [...] is such that one assumes Ashlee Simpson
and Britney
have already passed on the material because even they deemed it too redundant."
single "I Hate This Part
". The song became Madonna's ninth single to top the Hot Singles Sales chart. It debuted at number fifteen on the Hot Dance Airplay
chart and reached number one in its December 27, 2008 issue. This feat gave Madonna her seventh consecutive number one single on the Hot Dance Aiplay chart making her the artist with the most Dance Airplay hits on this chart. On the issue dated December 20, 2008, "Miles Away" debuted and peaked at ninety-nine on the Pop 100
chart but dropped off it the following week. "Miles Away" has not charted on the Billboard Hot 100
, and failed to chart in the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
chart, becoming Madonna's first song to do so since "Love Profusion
" (2004). "Miles Away" debuted at number ninety on the Canadian Hot 100
. The next week it dropped out of the chart, but made a re-entry and climbed up to the top forty, peaking at twenty-three for the issue dated December 13, 2008.
"Miles Away" achieved its strongest commercial reception in Japan, where it was used as the theme for Fuji Television
drama Change
. It was first released there as a promotional single in 2008, following "4 Minutes
". The song peaked at number seven on the Japan Hot 100
on Mei 30, 2008 and stayed on the chart for 10 weeks. It became the best-selling digital single of 2008 and received three music certifications from the Recording Industry Association of Japan
(RIAJ)—gold for 100,000 mobile downloads, gold for 100,000 PC downloads, and double platinum for 500,000 master ringtones. At the 23rd annual Japan Gold Disc Awards, "Miles Away" won three awards as "Mastertone of the Year", "Mobile Single Track of the Year" and "Online Single Track of the Year". On November 30, 2008, the song entered the UK Singles Chart
at thirty-nine. It dropped to sixty-eight the following week and then dropped off the chart. "Miles Away" became her first ever single not to crack the top twenty and her lowest-charting release since "Borderline
" in 1984. The track debuted at number thirty-nine in the Dutch Top 40
on September 20, 2008 and reached a peak of ten on November 15, 2008. In Australia, the Thin White Duke Mix charted at number 28 on the Australian Club Charts
. In Spain, "Miles Away" became her third consecutive single from Hard Candy to reach number one on the official singles chart. In other countries, "Miles Away" peaked within the top forty of the official charts.
. In the promotional tour, Madonna performed "Miles Away" as the second song from the six-song set list. Madonna wore a black dress with black tails, track pants
and high-heeled, lace-up boots. She performed the song standing in front of the microphone while playing acoustic guitar. The backdrops showed graphical
images of airplanes leaving London
and arriving in New York
, boarding passes and passports as well as airports.
In the Sticky & Sweet Tour, "Miles Away" was performed during the gypsy segment of the show. Madonna wore a gypsy inspired Givenchy
long cape, over a black dress, with pink colored ribbons around her neck. She also wore black stockings on her leg. Before starting the song she said, "This is for all who know the struggle of long-distance relationships. I know you're out there." While dancers gathered and sat down in a circle around her, Madonna went up on a platform, started playing the acoustic guitar and encouraged the crowd to clap and sing along. The screens give another message to the song, showing a stream of world maps and passport stamp
s and the history as well as journey of gypsies travelling around the world, adding to the atmosphere of that particular section of the show.
After the breakup between Madonna and Guy Ritchie
was announced, during a performance of "Miles Away" in the Boston leg of the tour, she dedicated the song to the "emotionally retarded". She then added, "You may know a few people who fall into that category—God knows I do", the line being a probable reference to Ritchie himself although this has not been confirmed.
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
from her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy
Hard Candy (Madonna album)
Hard Candy is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on April 19, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. It was her final studio album with the record company, marking the end of a 25 year recording history. Madonna started working on the album in 2007, and collaborated...
. It was first released as a promotional single in Japan, during June 2008, as the theme for the Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
Japanese drama, Change
Change (TV series)
CHANGE is a Japanese television drama which aired on Fuji TV starting May 12, 2008.-Plot:Keita Asakura, an elementary school teacher who has no interest in politics, suddenly gets taken to the position of the prime minister...
. The song was released by Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
, as the third and final single from the album on October 17, 2008, and was subsequently included on her compilation album, Celebration
Celebration (Madonna album)
Celebration is the third greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, and the closing release under her contract with Warner Bros. Records, her record company since 1982. The release follows her two previous greatest hits albums, The Immaculate Collection and GHV2...
(2009). Written by Madonna, Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
and Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
, "Miles Away" is a melancholy electronic ballad, which, according to Madonna is autobiographical, and is inspired by her then husband Guy Ritchie
Guy Ritchie
Guy Stuart Ritchie is an English screenwriter and film maker who directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes.-Early life:...
. Lyrically, the song deals with long-distance relationship
Long-distance relationship
A long-distance relationship is typically an intimate relationship that takes place when the partners are separated by a considerable distance....
s.
"Miles Away" has received positive appreciation from music critics for being a harmonious and meaningful ballad. It reached the top forty in most countries, while peaking inside the top ten in Czech, Netherlands, Hungary, Japan, Slovakia and Spain. It became the best-selling digital single of 2008 in Japan and won three trophies at the 23rd Japan Gold Disc Awards. In the United States, the song did not appear on the 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...
, but became Madonna's seventh consecutive number-one song on the Hot Dance Airplay
Hot Dance Airplay
Dance/Mix Show Airplay is a monitored electronic dance music radio chart that is featured weekly in Billboard magazine. The chart came about as a result of the small but influential impact of electronic dance music on the radio in the United States and the stations that program it...
chart, the most for any artist. The song has been performed by Madonna in the promotional tour for the Hard Candy album and the 2008–09 Sticky & Sweet Tour
Sticky & Sweet Tour
The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth worldwide concert tour by American singer Madonna to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy. It began in August 2008 and was Madonna's first tour from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation. The tour was announced in February 2008, with...
, during the gypsy segment of the show.
Writing and inspiration
The music for "Miles Away" was the first song of Hard CandyHard Candy (Madonna album)
Hard Candy is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on April 19, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. It was her final studio album with the record company, marking the end of a 25 year recording history. Madonna started working on the album in 2007, and collaborated...
to be composed. After hearing it, Madonna began singing and writing the lyrics for the song. In an interview with MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, Madonna said that the song was inspired by her then husband, Guy Ritchie
Guy Ritchie
Guy Stuart Ritchie is an English screenwriter and film maker who directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes.-Early life:...
. "So many people have to deal with long-distance relationship
Long-distance relationship
A long-distance relationship is typically an intimate relationship that takes place when the partners are separated by a considerable distance....
s. It's not easy. You have to work hard to make it work." When asked if the song was autobiographical, she said:
Probably in many respects most of the songs [on Hard Candy] are [autobiographical]. But in more of an unconscious way. I don't really think about telling personal stories when I'm writing music. It just comes. And then a lot of times, six months later, eight months later, I go, "Oh, that's what I wrote that song about." But that's when I play the song for lots of people and they all go, "Oh, I can totally relate to that." In 'Miles Away' I'm tapping into the global consciousness of people who have intimacy problems.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
The Daily Telegraph is an Australian tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Nationwide News, part of News Corporation.The Tele, as it is also known, was founded in 1879. From 1936 to 1972, it was owned by Frank Packer's Australian Consolidated Press. That year it was sold to...
Madonna further explained her inspiration behind the song and stated,
["Miles Away" is] a song most people who work can relate to. If part of your work is travelling, and the person you are with also works and travels, you find yourself separated a lot and it can be very frustrating, [...] I'm American and he [Ritchie] is British, and I have to come to America all the time. [...] Especially at the beginning of our relationship, that long-distance thing was very frustrating. I also think it's easier for people to say things from a distance; it's safer.
Composition
Musically, "Miles Away" is a melancholy song with influences of balladBallad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
. The song carries the characteristic sound of Timbaland-Timberlake production. Generally a downtempo, electronic song, "Miles Away" is accompanied by beats and backing vocals, which sing the lines "So far away". According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, the song is set in the time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
of common time, with a moderate tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 120 beats per minute
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
. It is written in the key of A minor
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, consisting of the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The harmonic minor scale raises the G to G...
; Madonna's voice spans from the high-note of G3 to the low-note of C5. "Miles Away" has a basic sequence of Am–Em–G–F–Am–Em–G–F as its chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
.
During recording, Timberlake sat down with Madonna and played a guitar riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
composed by him, asking her how she wanted the song to sound. Madonna had "all these thoughts, riddles, poems, feelings, all written in huge notebooks," Timberlake said, "and she kept handing them over. It was amazing, taking these little bits here and there and putting them together like a puzzle." In this way, one of the ideas they connected was the universality of long-distance relationships, the pain and heartache of which they were able to incorporate in "Miles Away". After recording it, Timberlake commented that he had helped in creating a classic Madonna song, saying "I couldn't do a song like that, [...] I thought it was completely her. That was the trick."
Lyrically, "Miles Away" deals with a relationship in trouble. Madonna said that it's not difficult to express herself lyrically without giving away too much of her own privacy. Though Madonna has said before that the song is about Guy Ritchie, it has been speculated that lines from the lyrics of the song like: "You always have the biggest heart when we're 6,000 miles apart", talked about the then failing marriage between Madonna and Guy.
Critical reception
Kerri Mason of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
called the song a harmonious ballad which, along with the single "4 Minutes
4 Minutes (Madonna song)
"4 Minutes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eleventh studio album Hard Candy. It was released as the lead single from the album on March 17, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. The song's development was motivated by a sense of urgency to save the planet from destruction, and...
", "might be some of her best work yet". She also said that the song sounded familiar and compared it with Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
's remixed version of the 2008 single "Apologize
Apologize (song)
"Apologize" is a song written by OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder for OneRepublic's debut album Dreaming Out Loud. A remix version was included on the Timbaland album, Shock Value and on the deluxe version of Dreaming Out Loud...
". Caryn Ganz from Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
believed the song has a "melancholy pining". Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
from Allmusic held the view that "the icy heartbreak of 'Miles Away'" was "a worthy successor of Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
's 2006 single 'What Goes Around.../...Comes Around
What Goes Around.../...Comes Around
"What Goes Around... Comes Around" is a song by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was written and produced by Timberlake, Nate "Danja" Hills, and Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley for Timberlake's second studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds...
'". Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine said that the song has the typical ensuring quality of the production of Timbaland and Justin Timberlake, and bears the "pair's distinct, modern stamp, making Hard Candy more than just a throwback to Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
, Anita Ward
Anita Ward
Anita Ward is an American singer and musician. She is best known for her 1979 million selling chart-topper, "Ring My Bell".-Career:Before signing a recording contract, Ward obtained a degree in psychology from Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, and had become a schoolteacher...
, and Quaaludes
Methaqualone
Methaqualone is a sedative-hypnotic drug that is similar in effect to barbiturates, a general central nervous system depressant. The sedative-hypnotic activity was first noted by Indian researchers in the 1950s and in 1962 methaqualone itself was patented in the US by Wallace and Tiernan...
." Chris William from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
made the observation that "Miles Away" was one of the "few actual confessions on this dance floor [Hard Candy]—enough to give the tabs speculative fodder." He also compared the song to "What Goes Around.../...Comes Around". Jim Farber of the New York Daily News called it the album's most beguiling tune.
A review of Hard Candy
Hard Candy (Madonna album)
Hard Candy is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on April 19, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. It was her final studio album with the record company, marking the end of a 25 year recording history. Madonna started working on the album in 2007, and collaborated...
in About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
has held that the lyrics of the song were meaningful and also complemented the voice of Madonna. Joan Anderman of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
said that Madonna's journey "from shameless seductress to thoughtful student produces nary a ballad, but some seriously bittersweet tones linger under the surface of these effusive tunes." He also said that the song has a peace of mind quality in it. Joey Guerra
Joey Guerra
Joey Guerra is the pop music critic for the Houston Chronicle, one of the ten largest papers in the U.S. Born June 16, 1974 in Houston, Texas. He is a prolific writer, covering the major genres and the Houston/Texas music scene...
from Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
complemented the galloping beats and melodic backing vocals of "Miles Away" and said that it "sounds like late-'80s Madonna". Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for UK newspaper The Guardian, as well as a regular and contributor to the magazine GQ.Petridis began his career writing for Varsity whilst a student at the University of Cambridge...
from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
said Madonna sings "with the emotional engagement of a sat-nav suggesting a right turn onto the A23." Miles Marshall Lewis
Miles Marshall Lewis
Miles Marshall Lewis is an American pop culture critic, essayist, literary editor, fiction writer, and music journalist. He is a graduate of Morehouse College, class of 1993....
of The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
said that with "Miles Away", Madonna comes closest "to reflecting on her married-with-children bliss (or lack thereof)." Tom Young from the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
called the song "genuinely good, genuinely felt" and compared it with some of Madonna's other hit songs like "Holiday
Holiday (Madonna song)
"Holiday" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. Released on September 7, 1983 by Sire Records, it later appeared remixed on the 1987 remix compilation You Can Dance and the 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection, and in its original form on the...
", "Into the Groove
Into the Groove
"Into the Groove" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan. It was featured on the 1985 re-issue of her second studio album, Like a Virgin, and released on July 23, 1985 by Sire Records as the album's fourth single outside North America...
", "Ray of Light
Ray of Light (song)
A high-speed electronic dance song, "Ray of Light" has received stylistic comparisons to rave, psychedelic and acid music. The track contains strong techno elements, as well as disco, trance and Eurodance influences, and it sees Madonna deepen her dance roots and go for a more electronic sound...
" and "Music
Music (Madonna song)
"Music" is the first single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 8th studio album Music and was released on August 21, 2000, by Maverick Records. It was also released on DVD single, a debut in this format by Madonna. It earned two Grammy Award nominations in 2001, for Record of the Year...
". Pete Paphides of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
called the song "excellent", and describing it as "a collision of acoustic downstrokes and feverishly jaunty rhythm that verges on reggae." Thomas Hauner of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
said, "At one point the album’s tediousness [...] is such that one assumes Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Nicole Simpson is an American singer and actress. In 2004, she rose to prominence with the success of her number-one debut album Autobiography and the reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show. In October 2005, following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released...
and Britney
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
have already passed on the material because even they deemed it too redundant."
Chart performance
In the United States "Miles Away" charted on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart and peaked at number two, kept from the top spot by the Pussycat DollsPussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
single "I Hate This Part
I Hate This Part
"I Hate This Part" is a song by American pop/R&B girl group the Pussycat Dolls from their second album, Doll Domination. Written by Wayne Hector, Lucas Secon, Jonas Jeberg and Cutfather it was released as the album's second single on October 7, 2008...
". The song became Madonna's ninth single to top the Hot Singles Sales chart. It debuted at number fifteen on the Hot Dance Airplay
Hot Dance Airplay
Dance/Mix Show Airplay is a monitored electronic dance music radio chart that is featured weekly in Billboard magazine. The chart came about as a result of the small but influential impact of electronic dance music on the radio in the United States and the stations that program it...
chart and reached number one in its December 27, 2008 issue. This feat gave Madonna her seventh consecutive number one single on the Hot Dance Aiplay chart making her the artist with the most Dance Airplay hits on this chart. On the issue dated December 20, 2008, "Miles Away" debuted and peaked at ninety-nine on the Pop 100
Pop 100
The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009...
chart but dropped off it the following week. "Miles Away" has not charted on the 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...
, and failed to chart in the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States. It lists the top 25 singles below number 100 that have not yet charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes, however, singles halt their progress on this chart, and never appear on the Hot 100...
chart, becoming Madonna's first song to do so since "Love Profusion
Love Profusion
"Love Profusion" is the fourth and final single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 2003 studio album American Life. It was released by Maverick Records on December 8, 2003 in the UK, Europe and Australia and in North America on March 16, 2004. The song failed to match the chart success...
" (2004). "Miles Away" debuted at number ninety on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
. The next week it dropped out of the chart, but made a re-entry and climbed up to the top forty, peaking at twenty-three for the issue dated December 13, 2008.
"Miles Away" achieved its strongest commercial reception in Japan, where it was used as the theme for Fuji Television
Fuji Television
is a Japanese television station based in Daiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX, based on the station's callsign "JOCX-DTV". It is the flagship station of the Fuji News Network and the ....
drama Change
Change (TV series)
CHANGE is a Japanese television drama which aired on Fuji TV starting May 12, 2008.-Plot:Keita Asakura, an elementary school teacher who has no interest in politics, suddenly gets taken to the position of the prime minister...
. It was first released there as a promotional single in 2008, following "4 Minutes
4 Minutes (Madonna song)
"4 Minutes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eleventh studio album Hard Candy. It was released as the lead single from the album on March 17, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. The song's development was motivated by a sense of urgency to save the planet from destruction, and...
". The song peaked at number seven on the Japan Hot 100
Japan Hot 100
The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com ....
on Mei 30, 2008 and stayed on the chart for 10 weeks. It became the best-selling digital single of 2008 and received three music certifications from the Recording Industry Association of Japan
Recording Industry Association of Japan
The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry...
(RIAJ)—gold for 100,000 mobile downloads, gold for 100,000 PC downloads, and double platinum for 500,000 master ringtones. At the 23rd annual Japan Gold Disc Awards, "Miles Away" won three awards as "Mastertone of the Year", "Mobile Single Track of the Year" and "Online Single Track of the Year". On November 30, 2008, the song entered the 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 ...
at thirty-nine. It dropped to sixty-eight the following week and then dropped off the chart. "Miles Away" became her first ever single not to crack the top twenty and her lowest-charting release since "Borderline
Borderline (song)
"Borderline" is a song by American pop singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. It was released on February 15, 1984 as the fifth single from the album, by Sire Records. Written and composed by producer Reggie Lucas, the song received remix treatment from Madonna's then boyfriend John...
" in 1984. The track debuted at number thirty-nine in the Dutch Top 40
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
on September 20, 2008 and reached a peak of ten on November 15, 2008. In Australia, the Thin White Duke Mix charted at number 28 on the Australian Club 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 Spain, "Miles Away" became her third consecutive single from Hard Candy to reach number one on the official singles chart. In other countries, "Miles Away" peaked within the top forty of the official charts.
Live performance
Madonna performed "Miles Away" during the promotional tour for Hard Candy and the 2008–09 Sticky & Sweet TourSticky & Sweet Tour
The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth worldwide concert tour by American singer Madonna to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy. It began in August 2008 and was Madonna's first tour from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation. The tour was announced in February 2008, with...
. In the promotional tour, Madonna performed "Miles Away" as the second song from the six-song set list. Madonna wore a black dress with black tails, track pants
Sweatpants
Sweatpants are a casual variety of soft trousers intended for comfort or athletic purposes.In Britain, Australia and New Zealand they are known as "jogging bottoms" or "track pants".- Design :...
and high-heeled, lace-up boots. She performed the song standing in front of the microphone while playing acoustic guitar. The backdrops showed graphical
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
images of airplanes leaving London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and arriving in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, boarding passes and passports as well as airports.
In the Sticky & Sweet Tour, "Miles Away" was performed during the gypsy segment of the show. Madonna wore a gypsy inspired Givenchy
Givenchy
Givenchy is a French brand of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics with Parfums Givenchy.The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter...
long cape, over a black dress, with pink colored ribbons around her neck. She also wore black stockings on her leg. Before starting the song she said, "This is for all who know the struggle of long-distance relationships. I know you're out there." While dancers gathered and sat down in a circle around her, Madonna went up on a platform, started playing the acoustic guitar and encouraged the crowd to clap and sing along. The screens give another message to the song, showing a stream of world maps and passport stamp
Passport stamp
A passport stamp is a rubber stamp inked impression received in one's passport upon entering or exiting a country. Passport stamps may occasionally take the form of sticker stamps, such as those received when entering Japan. Depending on nationality, a visitor may not receive a stamp , such as an...
s and the history as well as journey of gypsies travelling around the world, adding to the atmosphere of that particular section of the show.
After the breakup between Madonna and Guy Ritchie
Guy Ritchie
Guy Stuart Ritchie is an English screenwriter and film maker who directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes.-Early life:...
was announced, during a performance of "Miles Away" in the Boston leg of the tour, she dedicated the song to the "emotionally retarded". She then added, "You may know a few people who fall into that category—God knows I do", the line being a probable reference to Ritchie himself although this has not been confirmed.
Track listing
- Japanese Promo CD single
- "Miles Away" (Album Version) – 4:49
- US Promo CD Single
- "Miles Away" (Radio Edit) – 3:43
- Europe iTunes Digital Single
- "Miles Away" – 4:48
- EU / UK 2 Track CD Single
- "Miles Away" (Album Version) – 4:48
- "Miles Away" (Thin White Duke Remix) – 6:10
- EU Maxi CD Single / Digital Maxi Single / UK 12" Picture Disc
- "Miles Away" (Album Version) – 4:48
- "Miles Away" (Thin White Duke Remix) – 6:10
- "Miles Away" (Rebirth Remix) – 7:27
- "Miles Away" (Johnny Vicious Club Mix) – 7:23
- EU/US Maxi CD Single
- "Miles Away" (Radio Edit) – 3:45
- "Miles Away" (Thin White Duke Remix) – 6:09
- "Miles Away" (Morgan Page Remix) – 7:07
- "Miles Away" (Johnny Vicious Club Remix) – 7:23
- "Miles Away" (Johnny Vicious Warehouse Mix) – 8:18
- "Miles Away" (Rebirth Remix) – 7:27
- "Miles Away" (Aaron LaCrate & Samir B-More Gutter Remix) – 10:09
- US Digital Maxi Remixes
- "Miles Away" (Thin White Duke Remix) – 6:09
- "Miles Away" (Johnny Vicious Club Mix) – 7:22
- "Miles Away" (Johnny Vicious Warehouse Mix) – 8:18
- "Miles Away" (Morgan Page Remix) – 7:07
- "Miles Away" (Morgan Page Dub) – 7:10
- "Miles Away" (Rebirth Remix) – 7:24
- "Miles Away" (Aaron LaCrate & Samir B-More Gutter Mix) – 4:57
- US Digital Maxi Remix Edits
- "Miles Away" (Radio Edit) – 3:43
- "Miles Away" (Thin White Duke Edit) – 4:33
- "Miles Away" (Morgan Page Edit) – 3:50
- "Miles Away" (Johnny Vicious Club Mix Edit) – 4:37
- "Miles Away" (Rebirth Edit) – 4:00
- "Miles Away" (Aaron LaCrate & Samir B-More Gutter Edit) – 3:28
- US 2× 12" Vinyl Set
- A1. "Miles Away" (Thin White Duke Remix) – 6:09
- A2. "Miles Away" (Radio Edit) – 3:43
- B1. "Miles Away" (Johnny Vicious Club Remix) – 7:26
- B2. "Miles Away" (Morgan Page Dub) – 7:08
- C1. "Miles Away" (Aaron LaCrate & Samir B-More Gutter Mix) – 5:00
Credits and personnel
- MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
– writer, vocals, producer - TimbalandTimbalandTimothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
– writer, producer - Justin TimberlakeJustin TimberlakeJustin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
– writer, producer, background vocals, guitar - Danja – producer
- Demacio "Demo" Castellon – programming and mixingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
- Ron Taylor – protoolsPro ToolsPro Tools is a digital audio workstation platform for Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X operating systems, developed and manufactured by Avid Technology. It is widely used by professionals throughout the audio industries for recording and editing in music production, film scoring, film, and television...
- Dan Warner – guitar
- Hannon Lane – additional keyboards
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Club Chart 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... |
28 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
21 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Flanders) |
31 |
| Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... (Wallonia) |
39 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
23 |
| Czech Airplay Chart Rádio Top 100 Oficiální Rádio Top 100 Oficiální is the name of the Czech national airplay chart published by the IFPI Czech Republic on a weekly basis.Besides the main Top 100 record chart, also two component charts are effective. While the Rádio CZ 50 Oficiální features songs released exclusively by Czech and/or Slovak... |
5 |
| Danish Singles Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
39 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
10 |
| European Hot 100 Singles | 23 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 11 |
| French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
54 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
11 |
| Hungarian Airplay Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
2 |
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
26 |
| Japan Hot 100 Japan Hot 100 The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com .... |
7 |
| Slovak Airplay Chart Rádio Top 100 Oficiálna Rádio Top 100 Oficiálna is the name of the Slovakian national airplay chart published by the IFPI Czech Republic on a weekly basis since the cancellation of the Slovakian national section on December 31, 2009.... |
3 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
25 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
32 |
| 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 ... |
39 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot Dance Club Play |
2 |
| US Hot Dance Airplay Hot Dance Airplay Dance/Mix Show Airplay is a monitored electronic dance music radio chart that is featured weekly in Billboard magazine. The chart came about as a result of the small but influential impact of electronic dance music on the radio in the United States and the stations that program it... |
1 |
| US Hot Singles Sales | 1 |
| US Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
99 |
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Brazil Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos The Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos is an official representative body of the record labels in the Brazilian phonographic market.- About :... |
Platinum |
| Japan Recording Industry Association of Japan The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry... |
Gold (Mobile) |
| Gold (PC) | |
| 2× Platinum (Truetone Truetone A truetone is a ringtone which has been encoded with a sampled audio format such as MP3, AAC, or WMA. It is also referred to as a mastertone or realtone.... ) |
Year-end charts
| Charts (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Hungarian Airplay Chart | 38 |
| US Hot Dance Club Songs | 28 |
| US Hot Dance Airplay | 11 |
See also
- List of number-one singles of 2008 (Spain)
- List of number-one dance airplay hits of 2008 (U.S.)
External links
- Madonna "Miles Away" lyrics on MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....