Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

“From a Distance” Is The Song of Hope and Peace We All Need Today

"From a Distance" Is The Song of Hope and Peace We All Need Today
by
  • Riley is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, known for her engaging storytelling and insightful coverage of the genre.
  • Before joining Country Thang Daily, Riley developed her expertise at Billboard and People magazine, focusing on feature stories and music reviews.
  • Riley has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Belmont University, with a minor in Cultural Studies.

God must have been watching singer-songwriter Julie Gold one winter morning of 1985 while sitting down at her childhood piano to write “From a Distance.”

During that time, Gold was working as a secretary for HBO, making both ends meet. But on her 30th birthday, she received a very special gift from her parents back home in Philadelphia that would change her life. The piano she used to play as a child was delivered to her apartment in Greenwich Village.

Unfortunately, it had gotten pretty cold while on route, so she needed to wait a little time for it to adjust to its new surroundings before she could play it. Though she wanted to play it very badly, she resisted the urge and just hugged and polished the piano.

The following day, Gold sat down at that piano and wrote the song “From a Distance” in just about three hours. But Gold likes to say that it took her three hours and thirty years to complete the piece.  

“I had some preliminary lyrics,” Gold said. “My songwriting ritual is always scales and arpeggios and chords, but that specific day I remember just feeling so connected to my instrument. And when these majestic chords came out of me, I knew they were going to be something I could use. Usually, if I get one good keystone, then I can build the house.”

When she’s finally done writing the song, she did another ritual on the piano by kissing the keys. “Why? Because I know what it feels like to write a song, and I wonder if I’ll ever be given that opportunity again. So I’m grateful every time,” she said.

Gold immediately went into the studio and recorded a demo. She started pitching the song to everyone she knows; however, no one wanted to record it.

The Song One Day Changed The Life of Julie Gold

Julie Gold’s friend Christine Lavin was the first person to fall in love with “From a Distance.” Lavin then introduced the song to Nanci Griffith, who loved it so much the moment she heard it. Griffith then recorded the song in 1987 for her album, Lone Star State of Mind.

Griffith performed it live on several occasions from that day on.

Gold would recall the very first time she saw Griffith perform it live. While sitting at The Bottom Line, Gold noticed how the audience would sing-along to her song. That’s when the songwriter realized that her life would never be the same.

“Nanci would call me from Belfast,” Gold recalled. “And she would tell me, ‘Julie, you don’t know what I witnessed last night. Catholics and Protestants were crying in the aisles, embracing.’ And I was like, ‘Wow!'”

Since then, the song has been covered several times. Bette Midler‘s version was the most successful one, which turned out to be a big hit in 1990, helping Gold earn a Grammy for Song Of The Year.

“From a distance, we are instruments marching in a common band, playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace. They are the songs of every man. God is watching us. God is watching us. God is watching us from a distance,” the song goes.

You can listen to “From a Distance” in the video below.

Latest Stories

Dolly Parton looks down emotionally while speaking into a rhinestone-covered microphone during a candid moment on stage.

Dolly Parton Was So Broke When She First Moved to Nashville She Ate Leftover Room Service to Survive

Some people chase dreams. Dolly Parton chased survival. Long before the wigs, the theme park, and the billion-dollar legacy, Dolly was just a teenage girl in cheap shoes with a ...

Kelly Clarkson closes her eyes while singing into a microphone during her raw performance of Cody Johnson’s “When It Comes To You.”

Kelly Clarkson’s Cody Johnson Cover Reminded Folks What Country’s Supposed to Feel Like

Kelly Clarkson’s voice could melt asphalt in the middle of a Texas summer, and when she turned her sights on Cody Johnson‘s “When It Comes To You,” it wasn’t just ...

Connie Francis smiles with hands clasped in front of a pink backdrop and orchids, remembered for her timeless hit “Pretty Little Baby.”

Connie Francis, the Original Pop Icon Behind “Pretty Little Baby,” Dies at 87

She ruled the airwaves before most of us were born, and somehow, against all odds, Connie Francis was going viral on TikTok at 87. The pop powerhouse behind hits like ...

Luke Bryan performs with high energy on stage in a plaid shirt and cap, dividing fans over whether he's saving or ruining country music.

Why Some Country Fans Can’t Stand Luke Bryan and Others Say He Saved the Genre

Country fans don’t just listen, they debate. And if there’s one name that’s kept the whiskey flowing and keyboards clacking over the last decade, it’s Luke Bryan. Depending on who ...

Luke Bryan looks emotional during a heartfelt interview as he reflects on the personal tragedies of losing his brother and sister years apart.

Luke Bryan’s Brother and Sister Died Years Apart and He’s Still Carrying That Pain Today

Country music’s known for telling stories, but Luke Bryan’s life reads more like a ballad you never want to live through. Before the chart-toppers, before the sold-out stadium tours, before ...

Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert perform together in cowboy hats as their new duet “A Song to Sing” sparks mixed reactions from critics and fans.

Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert’s New Duet Slammed by Critics but Loved by Listeners

You’d think pairing two of the biggest voices in country music would set the world on fire. Instead, some critics are out here pouring cold water on what was supposed ...

More than 50 country legends and stars join together onstage at the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th celebration for a surprise performance of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.”

Opry 100 Crowd Thought It Was Over Then 50 Country Legends Sang “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”

Thought the show was over? Not even close. The Grand Ole Opry’s 100th anniversary celebration already had fans floating on a high of nostalgia, surprise collaborations, and once-in-a-lifetime performances. But ...

Chris Stapleton performing onstage in a cowboy hat and black suit while playing guitar, tied to his big $1 million donation to help Texas families after devastating floods.

Chris Stapleton Steps Up to Help Texas Families After Devastating Floods With Big Donation

When the waters rise, real country shows up. Texas got hit with a storm over Fourth of July weekend that nobody saw coming, a wall of rain that turned the ...

Beyoncé performing in a white rhinestone outfit and cowboy hat during her Cowboy Carter Tour, amid news her unreleased music and setlists were stolen from a car in Atlanta.

Beyoncé’s Unreleased Music Stolen From Car in Atlanta Along With Cowboy Carter Tour Plans and Setlists

Well, here we go. Beyoncé might want to saddle up that golden horse of hers because this Cowboy Carter circus just keeps getting wilder, and not in a way that’ll ...

Darius Rucker passionately singing on stage before walking off after four songs and refunding fans when he lost his voice in Atlantic City.

Darius Rucker Walks Off Stage After 4 Songs Says “I Can’t Sing Anymore” and Refunds Fans

Sometimes the road just knocks the wind right out of you, or in Darius Rucker‘s case, it takes your voice and leaves you standing there, hat in hand, with nothing ...

Leave a Comment

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.