500 Miles

"500 Miles" (also known as "500 Miles Away from Home" or "Railroaders' Lament") is a folk song made popular in the United States and Europe during the 1960s folk revival. The simple repetitive lyrics offer a lament by a traveller who is far from home, out of money and too ashamed to return.

History

The song is generally credited as being written by Hedy West, and a 1961 copyright is held by Atzal Music, Inc. "500 Miles" is West's "most anthologized song." Some recordings have also credited Curly Williams, and/or John Phillips as co-writers. David Neale writes that "500 Miles" may be related to the older folk song, "900 Miles", which may itself have origins in the southern American fiddle tunes "Reuben's Train" and "Train 45".

Cover versions

500 (disambiguation)

500 is a year, 500 AD. 500 may also refer to:

Games

In sports

Automobiles

Currency

Lists

500 (ball game)

500 is a ball game for children. It is played by one participant throwing a ball, and others catching it for points. This is a non-contact game.

Rules

The players include a thrower, and many catchers. The thrower will decide 'dead' (if the ball should touch the ground before being received), 'alive' (if the ball should be caught directly in the air), or either. The thrower also has the responsibility to determine the number of points that should be distributed. For example, a thrower calls out, "100, dead!" and throws the ball straight up in the air. All the catchers must wait until the ball touches the ground, before they pick it up, in order to receive the 100 points at stake.

The player who reaches 500 points first is the winner, and will become the thrower, and the thrower will become a catcher.

Variations

The game can be played using a frisbee instead of the ball.

Kick Ball 300 is a variation where the ball is kicked as well as being thrown and caught. It was designed as a training exercise to promote cooperation in competitive games.