"So Far Away" is a 1993 song by alternative rock

Alternative rock

Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 band the Goo Goo Dolls

Goo Goo Dolls

The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...

. It is from their fourth album Superstar Car Wash

Superstar Car Wash

Superstar Car Wash is the fourth studio album by the Goo Goo Dolls, released in February, 1993 on Warner Bros.. John Rzeznik wrote the song "We Are the Normal" with his idol, The Replacements' singer Paul Westerberg. The two corresponded by mail but never sat in a studio together. The song "Fallin'...

, which brought them face to face with one of their primary influences, Paul Westerberg

Paul Westerberg

Paul Westerberg is an American musician, best known as the former lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter of The Replacements, one of the seminal alternative rock bands of the 1980s. He launched a solo career after the dissolution of that band...

 of The Replacements. The song is a strong fan favorite even though it has never been performed live and is the only song from the Goo Goo Dolls sung by lead singer Johnny Rzeznik

Johnny Rzeznik

John Joseph Theodore Rzeznik , also known as Johnny Rzeznik, is an American songwriter, guitarist, vocalist and producer...

 from 1993's Superstar Car Wash to 1998's Dizzy Up the Girl

Dizzy Up the Girl

Dizzy Up the Girl is the sixth album by Goo Goo Dolls, released in 1998.-History:In most parts of the world, Dizzy Up the Girl is the Goo Goo Dolls' most successful album to date, selling over 3 million copies...

not to make it onto one of the band's three compilation albums.

Writing and composition

"So Far Away" was originally written and recorded with the title "Dancing in Your Blood"; the song had the same basic structure, but different lyrics, more minimal instrumentation, and a slightly different melody. The song also takes its "tell me something I don't know" chorus from the Superstar Car Wash demo song "Tell Me".