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The ideal playlist for anyone who's far away from the one they love most.
By Toni Hammer — Written on Oct 19, 2021
No matter how you met, how long you've been together, or how deeply in love you are, making a long-distance relationship work can be tough under the best circumstances — and the best long-distance relationship love songs have a way of making couples in LDRs feel understood.
Those miles between you may feel like they've been stretched even farther. Fortunately, music can help us feel less alone.
Listening to and singing along with your favorite sad-but-also-happy-and-romantic lyrics let you know there are plenty of others who understand what you're going through and how hard it is to miss your love.
Whether your lover just left or will be in your arms again soon, there's a long-distance relationship song sure to fit every mood and stage of your relationship.
Here are 30 of the best love songs about missing someone for couples in long-distance relationships, along with lyrics sure to win each a special spot on your shared playlist.
30 Best Long Distance Relationship Love Songs About Missing Someone Far Away
1. "Somewhere Out There" by Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram
Yes, it's from a Disney movie. Yes, it's kind of cheesy. But it's beautiful and iconic. This songs talks about all the sad things you experience, like being far away, while reminding you that you are still together and connected. We dare you to listen and try not to cry.
Best lyrics:
"And even though I know how very far apart we are/It helps to think we might be wishin' on the same bright star
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby/It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky"
2. "Radar Love" by Golden Earring
That moment when your loved one says they need you right now and you hop in the car to make it happen. This song also speaks to the almost psychic connection a couple can have when they're far away. They're so in tune, in fact, that they "don't need a phone at all."
Best lyrics:
"I've been drivin' all night, my hand's wet on the wheel/There's a voice in my head that drives my heel
It's my baby callin', says I need you here"
3. "Love Letters" by Ketty Lester
It's short and simple, but it's to the point. The song really gets to the heart of the long-distance relationships of yore — those olden days when texting and Facebook didn't exist and you just had to wait by the mailbox, old-school style, to see if you had anything from your boo.
Best lyrics:
"I memorize every line/And I kiss the name that you sign
And, darling, then I read again right from the start/Love letters straight from your heart"
4. "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's
The age old story. Girl likes boy. Boy likes girl. But boy also wants to be in a band and travel the world, so girl is left behind listening to the songs he writes for her. It could be worse.
Best lyrics:
"Hey there, Delilah/Don't you worry about the distance
I'm right there if you get lonely/Give this song another listen"
5. "So Far Away" by Carol King
For the lovesick couples who wish things could be different. Sadly, for the couple in this song, they're destined to be far away for a long time and the singer is pretty overwhelmed and dramatic about the whole thing, which any long-distance lovers can relate to.
Best lyrics:
"How do I live without the ones I love?/Time still turns the pages of the book it's burned
Place and time always on my mind/I have so much to say but you're so far away"
6. "You Belong to Me" by Jason Wade
Sometimes you have to go and have a life and leave your love behind for a few days or weeks. It doesn't change your feelings for them, but it's a bummer all the same. The singer of the song strikes the perfect balance between "go and have fun" and "I'm so lonely with you."
Best lyrics:
"See the market place in old Algiers/Send me photographs and souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears/You belong to me"
7. "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service
A techno-pop love song for far away friends. While parts of the song make it a bit of a mystery, I like to believe that this couple is confident in their relationship despite the naysayers and distance between them. The doomsdayers say to come down, change things, but they're gonna stay just how they are.
Best lyrics:
"And true it may seem like a stretch/But it's thoughts like this that catch
My troubled head when you're away/And when I am missing you to death"
8. "Get Here" by Oleta Adams
Just in case your lover doesn't know all the many ways he or she can get to where you are. Planes, trains, walking, and horseback are all mentioned in this lovesick ballad. Pick your mode of transportation and get to your lover ASAP.
Best lyrics:
"There are hills and mountains between us/Always something to get over
If I had my way, surely you would be closer/I need you closer"
9. "Right Here Waiting" by Richard Marx
Practically the quintessential long-distance relationship song. He'll always be right there waiting for you. From the first verse to the ending chorus, the tears and heartache and loneliness come through so strongly, you may long for someone you don't even have.
Best lyrics:
"Oceans apart day after day/And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line/But it doesn't stop the pain"
10. "Leaving on a Jet Plane" by John Denver
Sometimes we have to leave even if we don't want to. And despite how necessary it is for us to go where we're going, it doesn't make it any easier, and we just need some comfort. Comfort in knowing they'll be waiting for us when we get back... whenever that is.
Best lyrics:
"The taxi's waitin'/He's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome/I could die"
11. "Oceans Away" by ARIZONA
This song perfectly pinpoints the heartache of being away from the person you want to be with. He's watching sunrises and faking smiles, but he's also crying at night when he goes to sleep and sees the face of the one he love. Thanks to online dating, being an ocean away is something a lot of couples can identify with these days.
Best lyrics:
"Few thousand miles and an ocean away/But I see the sunrise, oh, just like the other day
Picture your eyes as I fall asleep/Tell myself it's alright, oh oh, as the tears roll by"
12. "I Drove All Night" by Céline Dion
When you just want to say "screw it" and do everything you can to be with your lover ASAP. You don't even bother to call first because there's no time. The pedal's pushed to the floor and it's just time to be with the one you want.
Best lyrics:
"I had to escape, the city was sticky and cruel
Maybe I should have called you first/But I was dying to get to you"
13. "One Call Away" by Charlie Puth
A simple reminder that regardless of distance, the person you need most is just one call away. The singer constantly assures his love that he'll be there when he's needed, that he's strong enough for both of them, and that it's all going to be alright in the end.
Best lyrics:
"I'm only one call away/I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me/I'm only one call away"
14. "Calling You" by Blue October
It's always good to let your person know that you're thinking about them and will be calling to check in as often as you can. We can all get a little insecure when we're in a long-distance relationship since we don't know what the other is up to all the time. Be considerate and tell them often they've got nothing to worry about.
Best lyrics:
"So expect me to be/Calling you to see
If you're okay when I'm not around/Asking if you love me
I love the way you make it sound"
15. "Transatlanticism" by Death Cab for Cutie
It doesn't get much more romantic than Ben Gibbard singing "I need you so much closer" over and over again. The feelings of the distance being too much to handle. The feeling that no understands what you're going through being so far apart. The loneliness of the long-distance relationship is perfect in this song.
Best lyrics:
"And the distance is quite simply much to far for me to row/It seems farther than ever before"
16. "Carrying Your Love With Me" by George Strait
Because they need to know that regardless of where they are, they're keeping your love with them. Furthermore, this song goes into greater detail about what that actually means. Her love for him is his strength to get through. That's a pretty sweet sentiment.
Best lyrics:
"Carrying your love with me/It's my strength, for holding on
Every minute that I have to be gone/I'll have everything I'll ever need"
17. "Faithfully" by Journey
A classic song about a guy being on the road but promising his girl that she'll always be his. This song is great because it talks about the hard parts, but also the pure joy when you get to be back with the person you love. You get to fall in love all over again.
Best lyrics:
"And being apart ain't easy on this love affair/Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy/Of rediscovering you"
18. "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers
He would do anything to get to you even if that's walk a ridiculous amount of miles. The certainty of the lyrics can do wonders to build up confidence between the long-distance couple. He knows exactly who he is, and what he is, and where he's gonna wind up at the end of the day. No doubt about it.
Best lyrics:
"When I'm lonely, well I know I'm gonna be/I'm gonna be the man who's lonely without you
And when I'm dreaming, well I know I'm gonna dream/I'm gonna dream about the time when I'm with you"
19. "Weekend in New England" by Barry Manilow
Sometimes you meet someone when you're traveling, and you fall for them and then you have to leave. Now what? Now you both have to figure out how to make it work long-distance, when you'll see each other again, and how to make it happen.
Best lyrics:
"And tell me, when will our eyes meet?/When can I touch you?
When will this strong yearning end?/And when will I hold you again?"
20. "Beating Heart" by Ellie Goulding
That last night before you have to be apart again is torture. You want to make the best of it, do everything you can before the sun comes up and it's that day. The day you have to leave, you know it's going to be awhile before you see them again.
Best lyrics:
"And I don't know where I'm going but I know it's gonna be a long time
'Cause I'll be leaving in the morning come to the white wine bitter sunlight"
21. "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down
Whether you're away from your loved one for work or because you're in a band, being on the road makes for lonely hearts. This song does a good job of explaining that despite the obstacles and the situations that come up, he's not going anywhere. It's even more special because he said life won't take away "his love" for that person. Awww.
Best lyrics:
"I'm here without you baby/But you're still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time"
22. "I Wanna Grow Old With You" by DJ Limmer
Looking on the bright side that the distance will only make your relationship stronger. It still hurts, and there's still that longing to be with that person every second of every day for the rest of your life, but keeping a positive attitude helps a ton. Remember that these trials are what will make your love stronger.
Best lyrics:
"The time we spent apart will make our love grow stronger
But it hurts so bad I can't take it any longer"
23. "Whenever You Call" by Mariah Carey
With love this strong, distance doesn't make a difference. And I love the assurance in the song, that regardless of the time or place or whatever's going on, she's always going to pick up the phone if her person calls her. She's never too far away or too busy for them.
Best lyrics:
"I won't ever be too far away to feel you
And I won't hesitate at all/Whenever you call"
24. "Lucky" by Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat
Nothing is sweeter than that moment when you know you're loved one is coming home. No one knows what that feels like but the people in the relationship and it's the best. And they're mature about the whole thing because they know how lucky they are to have the relationship at all.
Best lyrics:
"They don't know how long it takes/Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye/I wish we had one more kiss
I'll wait for you I promise you, I will"
25. "Keep Holding On" by Avril Lavigne
When you feel the need to remind him or her that you two are going to be okay. When you or the one you love needs to know that you are just as determined and committed to this relationship as you are. When you both know that nothing is going to change.
Best lyrics:
"Nothing you could do/There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on/'Cause you know we'll make it through"
26. "Need You Now" by Lady A (previously known as Lady Antebellum)
Those harsh middle of the night moments when all you want is your lover and you can't have them. Maybe because they're far away or you broke up or something else happened. The pain of this song is in the singer recognizing that hurting is better than being numb. Ouch.
Best lyrics:
"It's a quarter after one/I'm all alone and I need you now
Said I wouldn't call but I lost all control and I need you now
And I don't know how I can do without/I just need you now"
27. "When Can I See You" by Babyface
The question all long-distance lovers want answered. He's missing his person so much that it feels like his heart has stopped beating. He's going crazy without knowing when they'll be in his arms again. Anyone in a long-distance relationship totally understands this song.
Best lyrics:
"When can I see you again?/When can my heart beat again?
When can I see you again?/And when can I breathe once again?
And when can I see you again?"
28. "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" by Taylor Swift & Zayn Malik
Being away from the person you love most can make you go a little crazy. You can't eat or sleep. Sometimes the heartache is so strong that you feel like you don't want to live anymore if it means living without them. The pain in this song is real.
Best lyrics:
"I don't wanna live forever/'Cause I know I'll be living in vain
And I don't wanna fit (fit, babe) wherever (wherever)/I just wanna keep calling your name until you come back home"
29. "You Are Not Alone" by Michael Jackson
The promise everyone in a long-distance relationship needs to hear. That's the hardest part about being in that kind of relationship, right? Feeling alone even though you technically have someone. Remembering that your lover is in your heart can make the relationship more manageable.
Best lyrics:
"But you are not alone/I am here with you
Though we're far apart/You're always in my heart
But you are not alone"
30. "Home" by Michael Bublé
When you just can't take another minute without your babe. You know you have a good life, you know that you're lucky to be having all the experiences you're having, but it's not the same. At the end of the day, fun adventures or not, life would be better with your baby.
Best lyrics:
"Another aeroplane/Another sunny place
I'm lucky I know/But I want to go home"
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Toni Hammer is a freelance writer, comedian, and author of Is it Bedtime Yet? Stories from a Mom Who Never Wanted the Job.