It's a Long Way There explained

It's a Long Way There
Cover:It's_a_Long_Way_There_by_LRB.png
Caption:Dutch 7" picture sleeve
Type:single
Artist:Little River Band
Album:Little River Band
B-Side:"Time to Fly" / "Meanwhile"
Released:August 1976
Recorded:1975
Genre:Soft rock
Length:4:16 (single version) 8:39 (album version)
Label:EMI Music / Harvest
Producer:Glenn Wheatley, Little River Band
Prev Title:Everyday of My Life
Prev Year:1976
Next Title:I'll Always Call Your Name
Next Year:1977

"It's a Long Way There" is a song by Australian band Little River Band, released in August 1976 as the band's debut international single and in October 1976 as the third single from the group's self-titled studio album. The song peaked at number 35 on the Australian Kent Music Report singles chart, and peaked at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the band's first top 40 hit in the United States.

Written by Graeham Goble in 1972,[1] the song was inspired by his regular trips from Melbourne to visit his family in Adelaide.[2] The song was initially performed by Goble's earlier band Mississippi, which included three subsequent members of Little River band: Goble, Beeb Birtles and Derek Pellicci. Ric Formosa played lead guitar, Glenn Shorrock sang lead vocals, with Goble and Birtles providing harmonies.[3]

Reception

Cash Box magazine said "A haunting string introduction gives way to some funky rock and roll in this fully realised single from the Little River Band. A trifle long for AM play, this should definitely break through on the progressive FM side. The harmonies are deep and rich."[4]

Billboard (magazine) said "There's a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young feel as it shifts from a symphonic, airy opening to guitar-dominated mid-rock base. Carefully honed folk rock vocals throughout."[5]

Writing in Something Else, S.Victor Aaron said that more often than not, they ended up sounding like Crosby, Stills & Nash. "It wasn’t the match of Crosby, Stills & Nash at their best, but darn close enough. In fact, "It’s a Long Way There" might be the best CSN song that CSN never did."

Track listings

Australian 7" (EMI 11292)
  • Side A. "It's a Long Way There" - 4:16
  • Side B. "Time to Fly" - 3:00
    US 7" (Harvest 4318)
  • Side A. "It's a Long Way There" - 4:16
  • Side B. "Meanwhile" - 3:53

    Charts

    Chart (1976/77)Peak
    position
    Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 35
    US Billboard Hot 100[7] 28

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: It's A Long Way There . 15 November 2022 . graehamgoble.com.
    2. Web site: 2013-04-04 . Re-It's A Long Way There . 2022-11-15 . Lefsetz Letter.
    3. Web site: How "It's a Long Way There" Introduced the Little River Band . Something Else . 18 November 2020 . 29 November 2022.
    4. Single Reviews. Cash Box. World Radio History. 20. 14 August 1976. 21 November 2021.
    5. Little River Band. Cash Box. World Radio History. 13. 4 September 1976. 21 November 2021.
    6. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 179.
    7. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn

      . Top Pop Singles: 1955-2006 . Joel Whitburn . 2007 . Record Research.

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