Music has this weird way of sticking to your ribs. You hear a specific melody, a certain cadence of words, and suddenly you’re not sitting in traffic anymore—you’re back in a wood-paneled bedroom in 1971 or a crowded concert hall in 1995. When people search for so far away so far away lyrics, they aren’t usually looking for a dictionary definition. They’re looking for a feeling. Most of the time, they’re looking for one of two icons: Carole King or Sugust D (Suga of BTS).
It’s kind of wild how two songs with nearly identical titles can occupy such different emotional spaces while circling the same drain of longing.
Carole King’s 1971 masterpiece from Tapestry is the blueprint. It’s the gold standard of "I miss you" songs. Then you have the gritty, raw desperation of Agust D’s track from his 2016 mixtape. Both use that repetitive "so far away" hook to anchor a sense of distance—physical, emotional, or even existential.
The Carole King Era: Distance in the Physical World
If you’re looking at the so far away so far away lyrics from the early 70s, you’re looking at a world before FaceTime. Back then, "far away" meant a long-distance phone call that cost actual money or a letter that took three days to arrive. King wrote this for her album Tapestry, which basically lived at the top of the Billboard charts for years.
The song starts with a simple piano riff. It’s grounded. Then she hits you with that opening line about being tired of being alone.
Honestly, the brilliance of the lyrics lies in the mundane. She talks about "traveling around" and "doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?" It was a reaction to the changing social fabric of the 70s. People were moving for jobs. The tight-knit communities of the previous generation were fraying. When she sings "so far away," she’s not just talking about miles on a map. She’s talking about the drift.
James Taylor played guitar on this track, by the way. His acoustic style adds this breezy, slightly melancholic layer that makes the distance feel even more palpable. It’s a song about the frustration of a stationary person watching the world move on without them.
Why the 1971 Version Persists
There’s a specific nuance here. King doesn't sound angry. She sounds resigned. The repetition of the phrase serves as a sigh. It’s the musical equivalent of looking out a window at a rainy street.
People still cover this song constantly. From Rod Stewart to modern indie artists, the simplicity is the draw. You don't need a PhD to understand what it feels like when someone you love is "staying in your mind" but nowhere near your house.
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The Modern Reimagining: Agust D and the Distance of Dreams
Fast forward to 2016. The search for so far away so far away lyrics took a sharp turn toward Seoul. Min Yoongi, known as Suga from BTS, released his first solo mixtape under the name Agust D. The closing track, "So Far Away," featuring Suran, changed the context of the phrase entirely.
In this version, the distance isn't between two people. It's between a person and their dream.
It’s heavy. It’s loud. It’s drenched in reverb and existential dread.
Yoongi’s lyrics are famously blunt. He talks about the pressure to have a "dream" and how suffocating it is when everyone else seems to be moving forward while you’re stuck in a hazy, stagnant present. When the chorus kicks in—Suran’s ethereal voice repeating "so far away"—it feels like a plea.
"Dream, may it be with you in your creation and at the end of your life."
That’s the core of the song. It’s a blessing and a curse. If you’ve ever felt like your goals are moving further away the harder you run toward them, these lyrics are your anthem.
A Different Kind of Repetition
While Carole King used the phrase to describe physical distance, Agust D uses it to describe a mental state. He’s talking about being "far away" from himself. It’s a song about burnout, depression, and the terrifying silence of an empty room.
The contrast is fascinating.
One is a folk-pop standard about a lover.
The other is a hip-hop/R&B fusion about the soul.
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Both, however, rely on the phonetic weight of those specific words. "So far away" is easy to sing but hard to feel. It’s a vowel-heavy phrase that lets a singer stretch out the notes, emphasizing the void they're trying to describe.
Other Mentions: Dire Straits and Staind
We can't ignore the other players in this lyrical game. If you’re a fan of 80s rock, your mind might jump to Dire Straits. Their "So Far Away" (1985) is much more upbeat than King’s, driven by Mark Knopfler’s signature guitar tone.
The lyrics here are more about the road. "I’m tired of being in love and being all alone." It’s the classic touring musician’s lament. It lacks the deep soul-searching of the Agust D version or the domestic intimacy of King’s, but it captures the 80s "big studio" sound perfectly.
Then there’s Staind. Aaron Lewis brought a post-grunge angst to the phrase in the early 2000s.
"I've gone and painted pictures of a memory / I've managed to push it all aside."
In the Staind version, the distance is chronological. It’s about how far he’s come from the person he used to be. It’s dark, it’s moody, and it sold millions of copies because everyone in 2003 was feeling a little bit disconnected.
The Psychology of Why We Love These Lyrics
Why do we keep writing songs with the exact same title?
It’s because "distance" is one of the few universal human experiences that never changes. Whether it’s a physical border, a time gap, or a mental health struggle, the feeling of being here while wanting to be there is a constant.
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Linguistically, the phrase "so far away" is a "long" phrase. The "o" in "so" and the "a" in "far" and "away" require the mouth to stay open. It’s literally a breathy, expansive phrase. Songwriters love it because it allows for a big vocal swell. You can’t really "shout" the word "near," but you can absolutely belt "away."
Common Misconceptions About the Lyrics
People often get the lyrics mixed up between the versions. For instance, many think Carole King wrote "So Far Away" about a specific breakup. In reality, it was more about the general vibe of the era—the "Me Decade" where everyone was searching for themselves and leaving their hometowns behind.
Another common mistake? Attributing the Agust D lyrics solely to a desire for fame. If you read the full translation of the Korean lyrics, it's much more about the lack of a dream being the most painful part. It’s about the emptiness, not the ambition.
How to Truly Experience These Tracks
To get the most out of the so far away so far away lyrics, you have to listen to them in their original context.
- Carole King: Listen to the full Tapestry album. It’s track two. It follows "I Feel the Earth Move," and the transition from that high-energy opener to the lonely piano of "So Far Away" is a masterclass in album sequencing.
- Agust D: Look up a high-quality lyric translation (like those from Doolset Lyrics) while listening to the track. The wordplay in the Korean verses adds a layer of grit that the English "so far away" hook only hints at.
- Dire Straits: Put this on during a late-night drive. The steady beat is designed for the highway.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Lovers
If you’re trying to track down a specific version or just want to dive deeper into this lyrical theme, here is how to navigate it:
- Check the Release Year: If the song sounds like a piano-heavy folk ballad, it’s likely the 1971 Carole King version. If it has a heavy beat and intense rapping, it’s the 2016 Agust D version.
- Look for the "Dream" vs. "Love" Context: Most songs with these lyrics are about romance. If the lyrics mention "dreams," "success," or "harsh reality," you are almost certainly looking at the Agust D / Suga track.
- Explore the Covers: If you like the King version, check out the Beautiful Broadway cast recording. It gives the lyrics a theatrical weight that’s quite moving.
- Use Lyric Aggregators Wisely: Sites like Genius are better for the Agust D version because they provide cultural context and translations. For King or Dire Straits, a standard lyric site is usually sufficient since the language is straightforward.
Ultimately, the reason these lyrics continue to trend is that they give a name to a void. Whether you’re missing a person, a place, or a version of yourself, there’s a song out there using those three simple words to tell you that you aren't the only one feeling distant.
Next Steps for Deep Listeners:
Start by creating a "Distance" playlist. Put Carole King’s version first, then follow it with Dire Straits, Staind, and finally Agust D. Hearing the evolution of how songwriters have handled the concept of being "far away" over 50 years provides a fascinating look at how our collective anxieties have shifted from physical separation to internal isolation. For the best experience with the Agust D track, seek out the 2017 "So Far Away" (feat. Suran) version or the live performance versions often shared by fans, as the vocal layering is more pronounced.