Go the Distance
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "other uses".
Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.Page Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content.Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.
| "Go the Distance" | |
|---|---|
| Template:Infobox song/link by Roger Bart | |
| from the album Hercules: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack | |
| Released | May 27, 1997 |
| Recorded | 1996[1] |
| Genre | Show tune |
| Length | Script error: No such module "hms". |
| Label | Walt Disney |
| [[Composer|ComposerTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | Alan Menken |
| [[Lyricist|LyricistTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | David Zippel |
| [[Record producer|ProducerTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | Alan Menken |
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
"Go the Distance" is a song from Disney's 1997 animated feature film Hercules. It was written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist David Zippel, and originally recorded by American actor Roger Bart in his film role as the singing voice of Hercules. American singer-songwriter Michael Bolton recorded a pop version of the song for the film's end credits, which was also included on his eleventh studio album All That Matters (1997). Puerto Rican singer and actor Ricky Martin performed the Spanish version of the song, both in the movie and in the credits; this version is included on Martin's album Vuelve. Both the song and its reprise featured in a stage production of Hercules, performed upon the Disney Wonder during 2007/2008.
Production
"Go the Distance" was one of two songs written for Hercules in the film, the second being "Shooting Star", which failed to make the final cut. However, "Shooting Star" is included on the Hercules soundtrack CD, sung by Boyzone. The score for the original version of the song can be found in the Alan Menken Songbook.
Critical reception
Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks deemed "Go the Distance" to be HerculesTemplate:'s "only redeeming song" out of an unsatisfactory soundtrack. However, he criticized Roger Bart's version for his "whiny voice", which Clemmensen expressed had a tone that is "remarkably irritating", while he considered Michael Bolton's pop version to be "finely tuned".[2]
The book Ways of Being Male felt that the phrase "go the distance" is a prime example of the way themes are "couched in the language of sport and competition" throughout the film.[3] Den of Geek deemed it "one of Disney's great anthems/motivational mantras for all aspiring athletes and deities."[4] Moviepilot suggests that the shooting star during "Go the Distance" is actually Aladdin and Jasmine's magic carpet ride.[5] The Globe and Mail likened it to Duddy's "Leaving St. Urbain Street",[6] while Boing Boing compared it to Pocahontas's "Just Around the Riverbend".[7] Vulture deemed it "inspiring".[8]
Awards and chart placings
The song was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. Both awards, however, went to "My Heart Will Go On", a song by Celine Dion from Titanic, a film directed by James Cameron. "Go the Distance" peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and went to #1 for 3 weeks on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, Bolton's ninth song to top this chart.[9]
Versions
Film version
The song was recorded by American actor Roger Bart in his film role as the singing voice of Hercules.
"Go the Distance" is performed in the film by Hercules (age 15), who possesses god-like strength and finds it increasingly hard to fit in with his peers. The song serves as Hercules' prayer to the Gods to help him find where he truly belongs. His prayers are answered, as he is revealed to be the long-lost son of Zeus, king of the gods. Hercules is also told that he must become a true hero in order to rejoin his father on Mount Olympus. The number is later reprised when Hercules sets off on his quest to become a true hero, proclaiming that he wants to "go the distance" in order to prove himself.
Michael Bolton version
Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.Page Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content.Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.
| "Go the Distance" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:InfoboxImage/data' not found. | ||||
| Template:Infobox song/link by Michael Bolton | ||||
| from the album Hercules: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack Page Template:Noitalic/styles.css has no content.and All That Matters | ||||
| Released | Script error: No such module "Date time". | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
| Genre | Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content. | |||
| Length | Script error: No such module "hms". | |||
| Label | Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content. | |||
| [[Composer|ComposerTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | Alan Menken | |||
| [[Lyricist|LyricistTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | David Zippel | |||
| [[Record producer|ProducerTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.
| |||
| Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:GetParameters' not found. singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Script error: No such module "Unsubst-infobox". | ||||
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
American singer-songwriter Michael Bolton recorded a pop version of the song for the film's end credits. This version, produced by Walter Afanasieff and Bolton himself, was later included on Bolton's eleventh studio album, All That Matters (1997). Bolton's version was released as a commercial single by Walt Disney Records on May 20, 1997. It peaked at number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The accompanying music video for Bolton's version was directed by Dani Jacobs. Sections of it were filmed in the Great Hall of the Brooklyn Museum and feature Bolton performing the song, intercut with scenes from Hercules.[10] Vocal Spectrum, a barbershop quartet, did a cover version of this Bolton's version.[11]
Credits and personnel
- Michael Bolton – lead vocals
- Walter Afanasieff – keyboards, synth bass
- Dan Shea – additional keyboards, computer programming
- David Gleeson – Synclavier programming
- Dann Huff – guitar, guitar solo
- Michael Landau – guitar
- John Robinson – drums
- Jeremy Lubbock – orchestra arrangement and conductor
- Jesse Levy – orchestra contractor
- Sandy Griffith – backing vocals
- Claytoven Richardson – backing vocals
- Jeanie Tracy – backing vocals
Charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[12] | 24 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[13] | Gold | 500,000 |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Ricky Martin version
Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content.Page Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content.Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.
| "No Importa la Distancia" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:InfoboxImage/data' not found. | ||||
| Template:Infobox song/link by Ricky Martin | ||||
| from the album Hércules: Banda Sonora En Español Page Template:Noitalic/styles.css has no content.and Vuelve | ||||
| Released | July 1, 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | Script error: No such module "hms". | |||
| Label | ||||
| [[Composer|ComposerTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | Alan Menken | |||
| [[Lyricist|LyricistTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | Javier Pontón · Renato López | |||
| [[Record producer|ProducerTemplate:Pluralize from text]] | Page Template:Hlist/styles.css has no content. | |||
| Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:GetParameters' not found. singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Script error: No such module "Unsubst-infobox". | ||||
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".
Ricky Martin recorded a Spanish-language version of "Go the Distance" from Hercules soundtrack, called "No Importa la Distancia" (English: "No Matter the Distance"). It was released as a single on July 1, 1997. Later, it was included on Martin's 1998 album Vuelve. A music video was also released. The song reached number ten on the Latin Pop Songs in the United States.[14] Martin's version was met with unfavorable reactions from music critics. AllMusic's Jose F. Promis called "No Importa la Distancia" "pure schmaltz"[15] In the San Antonio Express-News, Ramiro Burr found "No Importa la Distancia" to be "sappy",[16] while The Dallas Morning News editor Mario Tarradell criticized the song as an "unwelcome dose of sugary pap".[17]
Charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|
Formats and track listings
European CD single
- "No Importa la Distancia" performed by Ricky Martin – 4:51
- "Já Não Há Distancia" performed by Ricky Martin – 4:45
European CD maxi-single
- "No Importa la Distancia" performed by Ricky Martin – 4:51
- "Já Não Há Distancia" performed by Ricky Martin – 4:45
- "Go the Distance" (Cast Version) performed by Roger Bart – 3:13
We Love Disney
The song was covered in different languages for the series We Love Disney by:
- Harrison Craig for We Love Disney, Australia in 2014[18]
- Jean-Baptiste Maunier for Template:Interlanguage link multi in 2014[19]
- Andrea Nardinocchi for Template:Interlanguage link multi in 2015[20]
- David Bisbal for We Love Disney, Latin America in 2016[21]
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[22] | Silver | 200,000 |
| United States (RIAA)[23] | Platinum | 1,000,000 |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Other appearances
In April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney Broadway Stars performed "Go the Distance" while self-isolating.[24]
See also
References
Page Template:Reflist/styles.css has no content.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Coggan, Devan. "Original 'Hercules' voice actor Roger Bart talks going the distance, playing Hades on stage". EW.com. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Clemmensen, Christian (December 17, 2006). "Hercules". Filmtracks. Filmtracks Publications. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Stephens, John (18 October 2013). Ways of Being Male: Representing Masculinities in Children's Literature. Routledge. ISBN 9781135363918. Retrieved 26 April 2018 – via Google Books.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Lost in translation: when Disney lyrics turn Italian". denofgeek.com. 20 May 2015. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
- ^ http://moviepilot.com/posts/2015/03/18/did-hercules-really-witness-a-whole-new-world-the-night-before-going-the-distance-2792680?lt_source=external,manual[permanent dead link]
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Silcoff, Sean (29 May 2015). "The incredible, unbelievable, meshuga story of The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz: The Musical". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."All of Disney's "I Want" songs, ranked / Boing Boing". boingboing.net. 17 April 2015. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Disney's Hercules Is an Underrated Masterpiece". vulture.com. 25 July 2014. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001. Record Research. p. 36.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Michael Bolton > Music Videos > go-the -distance". MTV. MTV Networks. 2004-09-13. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Richard Reeve (2015-10-24). Vocal Spectrum - Go the Distance. Retrieved 2025-08-13 – via YouTube.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Michael Bolton - Chart history | Billboard". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
- ^ Script error: No such module "cite".
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
latinpopsongswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Promis, Jose F. "Vuelve – Ricky Martin". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 21, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Burr, Ramiro (March 15, 1998). "Martin, Ramos CDs deliver powerful mix of horns". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Communications. p. 5J.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Christensen, Thor; Tarradell, Mario (March 8, 1998). "Eric Clapton's 'Pilgrim' doesn't make any progress". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo. p. 12C.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."We Love Disney di Various Artists su iTunes". iTunes. Archived from the original on 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."We Love Disney 2 di Multi-interprètes su Apple Music". iTunes. January 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-11-03. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."We Love Disney (Deluxe) di Various Artists su Apple Music". iTunes. 20 November 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-09-09. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."We Love Disney (Latino) di Various Artists su Apple Music". iTunes. 11 March 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-10-12.
- ^ Script error: No such module "cite". Select singles in the Formats field. Type Go the Distance Roger Bart in the "Search:" field.
- ^ Script error: No such module "cite".
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Disney Broadway Stars Virtually Perform "Go the Distance"". 9 April 2020.
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Navbox/configuration' not found. Template:Walt Disney Animation music Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Navbox/configuration' not found. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Navbox/configuration' not found. Template:Disney Renaissance
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Authority control/config' not found.
