So Far Away (feat. Jamie Scott & Romy Dya)

The song "So Far Away" is a poignant exploration of the sorrow and deep longing that follows the end of a significant relationship. It delves into the emotional landscape of heartbreak, where memories of a shared past clash with the painful reality of separation. The lyrics convey a narrative of two people who are no longer together but are still emotionally tethered. The central theme is the immense difficulty of moving on when love still lingers. It speaks to the universal experience of missing a former partner—their presence, their face, the life that was built together. The recurring phrase 'so far away' functions as both a literal and metaphorical descriptor of the distance that now separates the lovers, a gap that feels impossible to close. The song captures the internal conflict of wanting to reconnect while acknowledging the reasons for the breakup, touching on past fights and unresolved issues ('we were far from perfect, but we were worth it'). Ultimately, it’s a heartfelt ballad about being stuck in a state of emotional limbo, unable to forget a past love or to embrace a future with someone new.

The narrative unfolds from the perspective of someone grappling with the painful aftermath of a separation. The story begins with a plea for connection, a desperate call into the void for a lost lover to reveal their whereabouts. Memories of shared summer nights, illuminated by bright city lights and shooting stars, now serve as poignant, heart-breaking reminders of what once was. There's a tangible sense of frustration and helplessness as attempts to call the former partner go unanswered. Despite the silence, the speaker feels the lingering presence, a shadow that suggests love might not be entirely extinguished. This prompts a symbolic request: for the other person to light a match in the darkness, a simple beacon of hope to show where they are.

The chorus amplifies this profound sense of yearning, a daily ache of missing the person's presence, triggered by seeing them in public spaces that were once their own. This longing morphs into a desperate, metaphorical desire for a magical solution—a river that could be swum to physically bridge the distance and bring them back. This imagery underscores a feeling of being lost and unable to move on, confessing an inability to love someone else or even to erase the deeply ingrained memory of their face. The repetition of 'so far away' becomes a mantra of their emotional and physical reality.

A second voice enters, adding another layer to the story, reflecting on the relationship's imperfections. There's an admission that while they were 'far from perfect,' the connection was 'worth it.' This reflection is tinged with regret over unresolved conflicts—'too many fights' and tears shed without apologies. A plea is made to stop the empty declarations of love, especially now that the relationship is over. The pain is still fresh; the speaker is still in love, and the end of summer, a classic metaphor for the end of a romance, continues to inflict pain. The story is one of mutual difficulty, a shared struggle with the memory of a love that was intense and valuable but ultimately unsustainable, leaving both parties adrift in a sea of nostalgia and sorrow, unable to find their way forward or back to each other.

"So Far Away" was a highly anticipated collaboration between two of electronic dance music's biggest names, Martin Garrix and David Guetta. The song was first premiered during Garrix's headlining set at the Tomorrowland festival on July 30, 2017, where he brought Guetta on stage as a surprise guest. This initial version featured vocals from English singer Ellie Goulding. However, a significant controversy arose after the premiere. Goulding's management and record label were reportedly displeased that Garrix had played the track publicly before she had heard the final version, leading to a disagreement. While Garrix initially stated on Twitter that Goulding 'didn't want to release it,' she clarified that this was 'untrue and unfair,' explaining the decision came from her team. Consequently, Goulding's vocals were removed from the official release. The final version, released on December 1, 2017, featured vocals from British singer-songwriter Jamie Scott and Dutch singer Romy Dya, who had sung on the song's original demo. The track was written by Garrix, Guetta, Jamie Scott, Giorgio Tuinfort, and Jason 'Poo Bear' Boyd, with production handled by Garrix, Guetta, and Tuinfort. It was released on Garrix's own label, STMPD RCRDS, and also serves as a bonus track on David Guetta's seventh studio album, '7'.

"So Far Away" utilizes a relatively simple and direct rhyme scheme, primarily employing couplets (AABB) and alternating rhymes (ABAB) within its verses to maintain a smooth, flowing structure that complements its pop-ballad feel. For instance, in the first verse, 'are' rhymes with 'stars' and 'up' rhymes with 'love'. This straightforward approach makes the lyrics accessible and memorable. The rhythm of the song is built around a common time signature with a tempo of approximately 149 BPM, though its feel is more aligned with a slower ballad in the verses and a half-time feel in the drops. The vocal melody often uses syncopation, allowing the lyrics to float over the steady electronic beat, creating a contrast that enhances the song's emotional, longing quality. The rhythm of the drop section is more driving and dance-oriented, relying on a powerful kick drum pattern and synth chords that emphasize the downbeat, providing an energetic release from the more melancholic verses.

Musically, "So Far Away" combines elements of intimate ballads with the grand dynamics of electronic dance music. The arrangement begins with gentle, "melancholy guitar licks" that create a pensive atmosphere. The vocal performances by Jamie Scott and Romy Dya are central to the song's emotional arc; their voices, one gentle and the other more urgent, provide a dynamic counterpoint that builds in intensity. The production employs a classic future bass structure, building from a quiet verse into a pre-chorus that swells with layered vocal harmonies and rising synth pads. This tension is released in the 'drop,' which features "bombastic bass, kicks, [and] vox synths," a signature of Garrix's style that blends mainstream pop appeal with festival energy. A notable feature is the use of "stunning string arrangements" in the outro, adding a cinematic and poignant quality that elevates the song's emotional weight. Lyrically, the song uses a direct, conversational narrative voice, employing rhetorical questions ("Tell me where you are") and direct address ("Oh love") to create a sense of intimacy and raw emotion.

"So Far Away" made a significant cultural impact primarily as a major collaboration between two of the world's most prominent DJs, Martin Garrix and David Guetta. Its premiere at Tomorrowland 2017 generated massive online buzz, amplified by the subsequent controversy surrounding the replacement of original vocalist Ellie Goulding, which was widely covered by music publications. Upon release, the song performed well commercially, charting in numerous countries across the world. The official music video has garnered over 233 million views on YouTube as of May 2021, attesting to its widespread popularity and staying power. The track is a staple in the discographies of both artists and is featured as a bonus track on David Guetta's 2018 album '7'. Critically, it was described as a "beautiful, future-pop ballad" by Billboard. The song solidified Garrix's ability to craft radio-friendly hits that blend emotional depth with festival-ready energy, further cementing his status as a leading figure in the intersection of pop and electronic music.

The lyrics of "So Far Away" employ several powerful symbols and metaphors to convey its themes of longing and lost love.

• Light and Darkness: The opening lines, "Light them up, light them up / Tell me where you are," and "light a match, baby / In the dark, show me where you are," use the contrast between light and dark to symbolize hope and connection amidst the emotional darkness of separation. The 'light' represents a sign from the lost lover, a beacon to guide the narrator back or at least provide some form of contact.
• Shooting Stars: The line "the bright lights / And shooting stars, they break my heart" uses the classic romantic image of a shooting star, typically associated with wishes and magic, and inverts it into a symbol of pain. Instead of hope, these beautiful celestial events now trigger heartbreak, reminding the narrator of a love that was fleeting and is now gone.
• The River: The chorus contains the song's most prominent metaphor: "Oh love, tell me there's a river I can swim / that will bring you back to me." This imaginary river represents a magical, impossible path to reconciliation. It symbolizes an immense desire to overcome the vast, unbridgeable distance between them and highlights the helplessness and desperation felt by the narrator.

The most significant recurring lyrical motif in the song is the title phrase, "so far away." Its repetition in the chorus and outro drives home the central theme of emotional and physical distance, acting as the song's emotional anchor. The constant return to this phrase emphasizes the narrator's feeling of helplessness and the seemingly insurmountable gap between them and their former lover. Another key recurring phrase is the chorus's lament, "Oh love, how I miss you every single day." This direct expression of sorrow and longing is repeated multiple times, making it the core emotional statement of the track. Musically, the song features a recurring melodic motif in its synth-led drop. This powerful, anthemic chord progression serves as the song's primary instrumental hook, providing an emotional crescendo that contrasts with the softer, more subdued verses. The interplay between the melancholic lyrical motifs and the uplifting musical hook is central to the song's bittersweet character.