Go the Distance

"Go the Distance" is the key 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. In the Spanish version, the song is performed by Hercules voicer Ricky Martin, in both the movie and 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.

Summary

The song is sung by young Hercules about how his peers and cityfolk treat him in his teenage years. It also serves as Hercules's prayer to the gods, asking them to help him find where he is supposed to belong. His prayers are soon answered as he learns that he is the long-lost son of Zeus, king of the gods. He is also told that he must become a true hero on Earth if he wants to restore his godhood and rejoin the gods on Mount Olympus. The song is then reprised to where Hercules leaves the temple with Pegasus to go on a quest to become a hero and it shows that he is willing to "go the distance" to prove himself. Instrumental versions of "Go the Distance" can be heard at points afterwards in the film, including Hercules saving two boys (Pain and Panic in disguise) from under a boulder in front of a crowd of Thebans gathered in a gorge.

Lyrics

Hercules: I have often dreamed
Of a far-off place
Where a great, warm welcome will be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer
When they see my face
And a voice keeps saying
This is where I'm meant to be

I will find my way
I can go the distance
I'll be there someday
If I can be strong
I know every mile will be worth my while
I would go most anywhere to feel like I belong

(instrumental break)

I am on my way
I can go the distance
I don't care how far
Somehow I'll be strong
I know every mile
Will be worth my while
I would go most anywhere to find where I belong

I will beat the odds
I can go the distance
I will face the world,
Fearless, proud and strong
I can please the gods
I can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome,
Right where I belong!

I have often dreamed
Of a far-off place
Where a hero's welcome,
Would be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer,
When they see my face
And a voice keeps saying,
this is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday,
I can go the distance
I will find my way,
if I can be strong
I know every mile
Will be worth my while
When I go the distance,
I'll be right where I belong

Down an unknown road to embrace my fate
Though that road may wander,
it will lead me to you
And a thousand years,
would be worth the wait
It might take a lifetime,
but somehow I'll see it through

And I won't look back,
I can go the distance
And I'll stay on track,
no, I won't accept defeat
It's an uphill slope,
but I won't lose hope
Till I go the distance,
and my journey is complete

But to look beyond the
glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength
is measured by his heart

Like a shooting star,
I will go the distance
I will search the world,
I will face its harms
I don't care how far,
I can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome,
waiting in your arms

I will search the world,
I will face its harms
Till I find my hero's welcome,
waiting in your arms

I have often dreamed
Of a far-off place
Where a hero's welcome,
Would be waiting for me
Where the crowds will cheer,
When they see my face
And a voice keeps saying,
this is where I'm meant to be

I'll be there someday,
I can go the distance
I will find my way,
if I can be strong
I know every mile
Will be worth my while
When I go the distance,
I'll be right where I belong

But to look beyond the
glory is the hardest part
For a hero's strength
is measured by his heart

I can go the distance
I will face the world,
Fearless, proud and strong
I don't care how far
I can go the distance
Till I find my hero's welcome,
Right where I belong!

I will find my hero's welcome,
Right where I belong!

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 from Titanic. "Go the Distance" peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and went to #1 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, Bolton's ninth song to top this chart.

Music video

The music video for Bolton's version was directed by Dani Jacobs. It was filmed in New York, and features Bolton performing the song, intercut with scenes from Hercules.

Shooting Star

Go the Distance was one of two songs written for the film, the second being Shooting Star, performed by Boyzone, which failed to make the final cut. However, "Shooting Star" is included on the Hercules soundtrack CD. The score for the original version of the song can be found in the Alan Menken Songbook.

Ricky Martin version

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 September 15, 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.

Formats and track listings

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

Charts

Chart (1997)	Peak position
US Billboard Latin Pop Songs	10

Other notable covers

K-Ci & JoJo performs the song on DisneyMania 4.
Lucas Grabeel performs the song on DisneyMania 5.
Tim Driesen performed the song in a stage production of Jack and the Beanstalk.
Tarkan in the Turkish language version of the film.
Dionysis Schinas in the Greek language version of the film.
Alex Baroni in the Italian language version of the film.
Fumiya Fujii performed this theme song in the Japanese language version of the film. A single was released on July 18, 1997.
Mannheim Steamroller covered the song on their 1999 album, Mannheim Steamroller Meets the Mouse.
Norm Lewis, Broadway actor and singer, covered the song on his 2008 debut solo album This Is the Life.
Jed Madela performed the song in the "Christmas With The Voice" concert during December 2, 2007.
The Maccabeats, the all-male a cappella group of Yeshiva University recorded an a cappella version of the song on their 2010 album, Voices From The Heights.
Vocal Spectrum covered this song on their 2008 recording, Vocal Spectrum II.
Darren Criss
On 2012 album Disney – Koe no Oujisama, which features various seiyus covering Disney songs, this song was covered by Tomokazu Seki
David Bustamante in the concert/CD "Operación Triunfo canta a Disney" ("Operación Triunfo sings to Disney")
Matthew Morrison performs the song on his 2020 album, Disney Dreamin' with Matthew Morrison.

Disney Parks

The song appears instrumentally in Wishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams and was to appear in World of Color as part of a Hercules segment alongside a newly recorded version of "A Whole New World" before both tracks were replaced with the film versions of "A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me" for a greater Aladdin sequence. A rendition of the song also appears in Happily Ever After, as well as in Wondrous Journeys as part of a mashup with ”Belle (song)”, ”How Far I'll Go”, and ”Out There”.