Which 1988 song made The Proclaimers a US one-hit wonder?

“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” made The Proclaimers a US one-hit wonder when it reached number three in 1993.

The Scottish twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid wrote the song for The Proclaimers’ 1988 album Sunshine on Leith. Its narrator promises to walk a very long distance for someone he loves, with the repeated “500 miles” line providing the song’s central hook.

The original release was successful in the United Kingdom, where it reached number 11. Its American breakthrough came after the song featured prominently in the 1993 film Benny & Joon, starring Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson. A reissue then climbed the US Billboard Hot 100 to number three.

The title is commonly shortened to “500 Miles,” but the official title includes the opening phrase “I’m Gonna Be.” The song is also sometimes described as a 1993 composition; it was actually first released in 1988.