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Go The Distance

from Rising Above [EP] by Plaid On Flannel

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*Song Description By Noles*

When the idea for "Go The Distance" came about, my intention was to write a song in the style of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. A funky guitar riff and a catchy chorus filled with harmony. The Chili Peppers have been one of my favourite bands since I was a little kid. And I grew up with their records. I got to see RHCP perform live when I was 18, and they've been such an inspiration for me throughout my time as an artist/musician.

I wrote the music for "Go The Distance" on April 4, 2013 as I was getting close to finishing Plaid On Flannel's sophomore album Mission Of Mercy. The lyrics for "Go The Distance" were written 2 weeks later on April 18, 2013, when I had 18 songs down with 2 more to go. And those lyrics really described that moment in time for me. "A couple left to make it complete" meant I had two more songs to go to finish the Mission of Mercy album. The phrase "Go The Distance" was inspired by the 1989 fantasy-drama sports film Field Of Dreams. Protagonist Ray Kinsella played by Kevin Costner hears a mysterious heavenly voice three times in the movie telling him to do outrageous baseball-related things that transform his life throughout the film. The last voice he hears says, "Go the distance." It's one of my favourite movies of all time and it has a poignant underlying theme of a disconnected father-son relationship. The song "Go The Distance" is more about perseverance and fortitude in times of struggle. While focusing on the big picture of purpose in life.

I started recording the Mission Of Mercy version of "Go The Distance" on April 17, 2013 and finished the song on April 29, 2013. The entire Mission Of Mercy album was released on May 20, 2013. After I moved to Toronto from Peterborough in September of 2013, the Plaid On Flannel band started on February 15, 2014. "Go The Distance" was part of the first batch of my original songs that we played. The song's key was transposed down one semi-tone from Bb to A. "Go The Distance" became a regular song in our set-list, and here's a live version of us playing it as a 3-piece on June 28, 2014 at the El Mocambo in Toronto... youtu.be/ABDjJb1YZS4

Jen Doyon joined Plaid On Flannel on February 22, 2015, and "Go The Distance" remained a live staple for the band. Her backup vocals and keyboards gave the tune the colour and flavour it needed. It turns out the song never really ended up sounding like a Red Hot Chili Peppers tune, because it was more bluesy. We picked "Go The Distance" to include on our Rising Above EP, which we began recording on November 28, 2015. For the Rising Above version of "Go The Distance", we made the tambourine played by drummer Minas Hatzigiannatzoglou loud in the mix on the choruses and guitar solo. That was inspired by Rolling Stones songs from the 1960s that often have loud percussion in their mixes to really give the tunes a dance-type vibe. The Rising Above EP was released the next year on May 14, 2016. "Go The Distance" will remain a go-to song in Plaid On Flannel's live repertoire for years to come.

lyrics

Words and music by Nolan Randall

Grinding out and I'm almost done
With just a couple left to make it complete
Gonna ride 'til the race is run
I know that finishing would be quite a feat
Said goodbye to my social life
I knew a little time off wouldn't hurt me
Because this dog has a ton of fight
After all, I'm on a mission of mercy

Only thing on my mind right now
Is that I'm willing to go the distance
Who, what, where, when, and why or how
The only way is to go the distance

Look for something for what it's worth
And try to make it into what you believe
Rites of passage starting from birth
From what you want to what you're gonna achieve
Many people think I'm not there
It seems that what I'm doing is depressing
Leaping over top every stair
We just might see who will be second guessing

Only thing on my mind right now
Is that I'm willing to go the distance
Who, what, where, when, and why or how
The only way is to go the distance

Making up as I go along
Don't wanna leave anything understated
Taking what I can from each song
The only way they're gonna be created

Only thing on my mind right now
Is that I'm willing to go the distance
Who, what, where, when, and why or how
The only way is to go the distance
Only thing on my mind right now
Is that I'm willing to go the distance
Who, what, where, when, and why or how
The only way is to go the distance

credits

from Rising Above [EP], released May 14, 2016

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Plaid On Flannel Toronto, Ontario

Plaid On Flannel is an alternative indie blues rock act from Toronto, Canada. With 80+ original songs recorded since 2011, singer-songwriter Nolan Randall has remained the sole constant member of the band. POF's music is known for guitar riffs/solos, memorable hooks, catchy melodies/harmonies, evocative lyrics, & superb musicianship. While keeping a focus on originality and songwriting quality. ... more

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