The Last Mile

Album: Long Cold Winter (1988)
Charted: 36
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This number reached #36 on the US chart, making it the band's fifth-best-selling single during their career. The group brought in producer Andy Johns for the album Long Cold Winter. On this song, you can hear the influence from his previous production work with bands Bad Company and Free.
  • In a Songfacts interview with Cinderella lead singer Tom Keifer, he mentions his fondness for The blues. There are various genres of blues, and what Keifer does with "The Last Mile" is lay out self-confessional lyrics in a Delta style while the band plays out a British blues sound as a foundation. The song plays out in parallel universes: Tom displays a brief measure of arpeggio picking in the intro, which seems to be a style he was processing at the time, as he does it with another cut from Long Cold Winter, "Coming Home."
  • The lyrics are a great example of Tom Keifer's struggles of being on the road and the weariness it entails. The time to think as the miles roll past sitting on the tour bus staring out the window into the faceless landscape. "Monkeys on my back I gotta find a better way." The indulgences that tempt to escape the pressures of staying on top. He struggles with what is reality and the challenge of the advise he receives from the folks of the Mississippi farmland, "they told me to take it day by day." The mantra of the blues.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillian

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillianSong Writing

A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.

Chris Frantz of Talking Heads

Chris Frantz of Talking HeadsSongwriter Interviews

Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz on where the term "new wave" originated, the story of "Naive Melody," and why they never recorded another cover song after "Take Me To The River."

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.