Twenty-Five Miles
Encyclopedia
"Twenty-Five Miles" is a song written by Johnny Bristol
, Harvey Fuqua
, and Edwin Starr
for Starr's second album, 25 Miles (1968). The song reached #6 on the US singles charts, and #36 in the UK. The song was considered sufficiently similar to "32 Miles out of Waycross" by Hoagy Lands (also recorded as "Mojo Mama" by both Wilson Picket and Don Varner), written by Bert Berns
and Jerry Ragovoy
, that Berns and Ragovoy were eventually given co-writing credits.
The Jackson 5 recorded a cover version of "Twenty-Five Miles" in 1969, but it was not heard until its inclusion on the Motown compilation album The Original Soul of Michael Jackson
in 1987, with Michael Jackson
being given sole performer credit for the track. It was not the original recording, however, as it included drum machine overdubs.
Jackson's version of "Twenty-Five Miles" was released as a single in the US to promote The Original Soul of Michael Jackson. The single was backed by the song "Up on the Housetop". The original recording of the song was included on the 2009 set Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection
.
The Edwin Starr version was featured in the movies Adventures In Babysitting
and Dead Presidents
. A shortened remix of the Edwin Starr version was used as the theme song for NFL Network's coverage of the 2011 NFL scouting combine.
Johnny Bristol
Johnny Bristol , was an American musician, most famous as a songwriter and record producer for the Motown label in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
, Harvey Fuqua
Harvey Fuqua
Harvey Fuqua, was an African-American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive.Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s...
, and Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr was an American soul music singer. Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield produced singles of the 1970s, most notably the number one hit "War".-Biography:...
for Starr's second album, 25 Miles (1968). The song reached #6 on the US singles charts, and #36 in the UK. The song was considered sufficiently similar to "32 Miles out of Waycross" by Hoagy Lands (also recorded as "Mojo Mama" by both Wilson Picket and Don Varner), written by Bert Berns
Bert Berns
Bertrand Russell Berns , most commonly known as Bert Berns as well as Bert Russell and Russell Byrd, was an American songwriter and record producer of the 1960s...
and Jerry Ragovoy
Jerry Ragovoy
Jordan "Jerry" Ragovoy was an American songwriter and record producer.His best-known composition "Time Is on My Side" was made famous by The Rolling Stones, although it had been recorded earlier by Kai Winding and Irma Thomas...
, that Berns and Ragovoy were eventually given co-writing credits.
The Jackson 5 recorded a cover version of "Twenty-Five Miles" in 1969, but it was not heard until its inclusion on the Motown compilation album The Original Soul of Michael Jackson
The Original Soul of Michael Jackson
The Original Soul of Michael Jackson is a remix album of songs by Michael Jackson, recorded and published early in his solo career in the early 1970s and remixed in 1987....
in 1987, with Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
being given sole performer credit for the track. It was not the original recording, however, as it included drum machine overdubs.
Jackson's version of "Twenty-Five Miles" was released as a single in the US to promote The Original Soul of Michael Jackson. The single was backed by the song "Up on the Housetop". The original recording of the song was included on the 2009 set Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection
Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection
Hello World: The Motown Solo Collection is a 71-track triple disc compilation album commemorating Michael Jackson's early years with Motown Records...
.
The Edwin Starr version was featured in the movies Adventures In Babysitting
Adventures in Babysitting
Adventures in Babysitting is a 1987 American comedy film written by David Simkins, directed by Chris Columbus, and starring Elisabeth Shue, Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp, Penelope Ann Miller, Bradley Whitford, and a brief cameo by blues singer/guitarist Albert Collins...
and Dead Presidents
Dead Presidents
Dead Presidents is a 1995 American crime film written by Michael Henry Brown and also written, produced and directed by the Hughes brothers , starring Larenz Tate, Keith David, Chris Tucker, Freddy Rodriguez, N'Bushe Wright and Bokeem Woodbine...
. A shortened remix of the Edwin Starr version was used as the theme song for NFL Network's coverage of the 2011 NFL scouting combine.