The song "Nothing Like A Hundred Miles" by James Taylor is about trying to move on from a past relationship and the struggle to forget someone. The lyrics express the narrator's attempts to forget about their former lover and the plans they had made together. They declare their intention to leave their current town and start anew, not caring where they may end up. The narrator acknowledges that their ex-lover has found someone new who loves them, and they feel resigned to the fact that there's nothing they can do about it. They recognize that their heart is at risk of being broken by their ex-lover and decide to keep moving forward with their life. The distance of a hundred miles becomes symbolic in the song. It represents the physical and emotional space needed to separate oneself from the troubles and thoughts of the past relationship. The lyrics suggest that being on the road and away from their troubles helps the narrator find some peace of mind. The yellow line on the road symbolizes the journey and serves as a reminder to keep moving forward. The narrator addresses their ex-lover, noting that they both prefer to have clean and amicable farewells. Despite any negative feelings, they express a desire to move on and leave the past behind. The mention of Houston in the last verse implies that as long as the narrator stays in that city, they will continue to struggle with forgetting their ex-lover. The song concludes with a plea for help in breaking free from the memories and emotions associated with the past relationship. Overall, "Nothing Like A Hundred Miles" portrays the conflicting emotions of trying to forget someone while also recognizing the difficulty in doing so. It captures the universal experience of longing for closure and moving on from a past love.
