Misplaced Pages

So Far Away (Avenged Sevenfold song): Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 00:38, 2 March 2023 editBoxxyBoy (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users4,978 editsNo edit summaryTag: citing a blog or free web host← Previous edit Revision as of 00:39, 2 March 2023 edit undoBoxxyBoy (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users4,978 edits →WritingNext edit →
Line 31: Line 31:


== Writing == == Writing ==
In the special edition of '']'' magazine that was released the same day as the '']'' album, Gates stated that he originally started out writing the song "]" in honor of his grandfather. However, the song is now primarily about his former bandmate, best friend and previous drummer of Avenged Sevenfold, The Rev,<ref name="deathbatnews">{{cite web|url=http://deathbatnews.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/synyster-gates-talks-pinkly-smooth-and-more-with-binaural/ |title=Synyster Gates Talks Pinkly Smooth And More With Binaural. |website=Deathbatnews.wordpress.com |date=December 9, 2010 |access-date=December 13, 2015}}</ref> who died on December 28, 2009. In the special edition of '']'' magazine that was released the same day as the '']'' album, Gates stated that he originally started out writing the song "So Far Away" in honor of his grandfather. However, the song is now primarily about his former bandmate, best friend and previous drummer of Avenged Sevenfold, The Rev,<ref name="deathbatnews">{{cite web|url=http://deathbatnews.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/synyster-gates-talks-pinkly-smooth-and-more-with-binaural/ |title=Synyster Gates Talks Pinkly Smooth And More With Binaural. |website=Deathbatnews.wordpress.com |date=December 9, 2010 |access-date=December 13, 2015}}</ref> who died on December 28, 2009.


This was the first Avenged Sevenfold song Synyster Gates wrote completely by himself since "I Won't See You Tonight Pt 1" on '']''. During most concerts, the band performs the song as a tribute to the Rev by having the audience hold up their lighters or cell phones during the song as the stage background features a banner commemorating the Rev's legacy. This song was dedicated by Gates for the Belated James Owen "Jimmy" Sullivan (The Rev) on December 28, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2011/05/avenged-sevenfold-pays-tribute-to-late-drummer-with-so-far-away.html |title=Avenged Sevenfold pays tribute to late drummer with 'So Far Away' - Zap2it |publisher=Blog.zap2it.com |accessdate=August 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225112432/http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2011/05/avenged-sevenfold-pays-tribute-to-late-drummer-with-so-far-away.html |archivedate=December 25, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.devilbearrock.com/2011/05/11/avenged-sevenfold-pay-tribute-to-the-rev-in-video-for-so-far-away/ |title=Avenged Sevenfold pay tribute to The Rev in video for "So Far Away" &#124; |publisher=Devilbearrock.com |date=May 11, 2011 |accessdate=August 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806183155/http://www.devilbearrock.com/2011/05/11/avenged-sevenfold-pay-tribute-to-the-rev-in-video-for-so-far-away/ |archivedate=August 6, 2011 }}</ref> This was the first Avenged Sevenfold song Gates wrote completely by himself since "I Won't See You Tonight Pt 1" on '']''. During most concerts, the band performs the song as a tribute to the Rev by having the audience hold up their lighters or cell phones during the song as the stage background features a banner commemorating the Rev's legacy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2011/05/avenged-sevenfold-pays-tribute-to-late-drummer-with-so-far-away.html |title=Avenged Sevenfold pays tribute to late drummer with 'So Far Away' - Zap2it |publisher=Blog.zap2it.com |accessdate=August 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225112432/http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2011/05/avenged-sevenfold-pays-tribute-to-late-drummer-with-so-far-away.html |archivedate=December 25, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.devilbearrock.com/2011/05/11/avenged-sevenfold-pay-tribute-to-the-rev-in-video-for-so-far-away/ |title=Avenged Sevenfold pay tribute to The Rev in video for "So Far Away" &#124; |publisher=Devilbearrock.com |date=May 11, 2011 |accessdate=August 7, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806183155/http://www.devilbearrock.com/2011/05/11/avenged-sevenfold-pay-tribute-to-the-rev-in-video-for-so-far-away/ |archivedate=August 6, 2011 }}</ref>


== Music video == == Music video ==

Revision as of 00:39, 2 March 2023

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "So Far Away" Avenged Sevenfold song – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
2011 single by Avenged Sevenfold
"So Far Away"
Single by Avenged Sevenfold
from the album Nightmare
ReleasedApril 5, 2011
RecordedNovember 2009 – April 2010
Length
  • 5:28 (album version)
  • 4:34 (radio edit)
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)Synyster Gates
Producer(s)Mike Elizondo
Avenged Sevenfold singles chronology
"Welcome to the Family"
(2010) 		"So Far Away"
(2011) 		"Not Ready to Die"
(2011)

"So Far Away" is a song by the American heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, released as the third single for their fifth studio album, Nightmare. The single was released on April 5, 2011 via Warner Bros. The song is a tribute to the band's original drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan, who died in December 2009.

Overview

It is the band's third single released without former drummer The Rev, who died of an opioid overdose on December 28, 2009. In late March All Access Music Group mentioned that the third single from the album Nightmare would be "So Far Away", scheduled to be played on the radio starting on April 5, 2011.

Writing

In the special edition of Revolver magazine that was released the same day as the Nightmare album, Gates stated that he originally started out writing the song "So Far Away" in honor of his grandfather. However, the song is now primarily about his former bandmate, best friend and previous drummer of Avenged Sevenfold, The Rev, who died on December 28, 2009.

This was the first Avenged Sevenfold song Gates wrote completely by himself since "I Won't See You Tonight Pt 1" on Waking the Fallen. During most concerts, the band performs the song as a tribute to the Rev by having the audience hold up their lighters or cell phones during the song as the stage background features a banner commemorating the Rev's legacy.

Music video

The music video (directed by Wayne Isham) features the four remaining members of the band playing in a studio and also riding in a Cadillac DeVille through a neighborhood (possibly Huntington Beach, where the band originated). Throughout the video, flashbacks of the four play. They are shown as children playing in a garage, then teens playing and hanging out, and stealing beer from a liquor store. There is a scene in the video in which a young Sullivan is depicted riding the handlebars of a bike being ridden by a young M. Shadows, kicking over a metal trash can on the street. Shadows referenced this when talking about Sullivan before playing So Far Away at Rock am Ring 2014. ("we've known this guy since we were this big, rolling round the neighborhood, knocking over trash cans; just being dickheads"). During the bridge, a collection of photos and videos of the Rev play. It ends with a clip of the remaining band members and James embracing.

Avenged Sevenfold posted a countdown on their official website that showed the time until release for a new video for "So Far Away". SFA7X When the video was released, the site crashed due to so many people attempting to watch the video at once. After a second failed attempt to release the video, they solved the problem by hosting the music video on YouTube.

This was the second video not to feature the current drummer for Avenged Sevenfold; the first being Nightmare. For this music video, Synyster Gates uses a custom Schecter guitar, similar to his usual black/silver pinstriped guitar. However instead of the inlays on the fretboard reading "SYN", it displays "REV". Johnny Christ also wore a guitar strap with the word "foREVer" written on it.

As of October 2022, it has over 304 million views on YouTube.

Chart performance

The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and peaked at number 15 on the Alternative Songs chart. This is the band's first number-one single.

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."So Far Away"5:27

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011) Peak
position
Canada Rock (Billboard) 41
Mexican Ingles Airplay (Billboard) 39
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) 5

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard) 27

Personnel

Avenged Sevenfold
Additional musicians
Production

References

  1. "Avenged Sevenfold – So Far Away". Discogs. discogs.com. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  2. "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations". March 20, 2011. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
  3. "Synyster Gates Talks Pinkly Smooth And More With Binaural". Deathbatnews.wordpress.com. December 9, 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  4. "Avenged Sevenfold pays tribute to late drummer with 'So Far Away' - Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
  5. "Avenged Sevenfold pay tribute to The Rev in video for "So Far Away" |". Devilbearrock.com. May 11, 2011. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
  6. "Avenged Sevenfold Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  7. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  8. "Avenged Sevenfold Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  9. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
Avenged Sevenfold
Studio albums
Extended plays
Other albums
Singles
Other songs
Tours
Related articles
Categories: