The song didn't come to the USA till the early 1990's. It wasn't a top hit in our country till 1992. It was on the radio all the time when I was in early elementary school but I never heard the song till I saw the movie when I was 15 but only parts of it. It was on as I was on the computer but didn't sit down to watch it till I read the discription for it and when I saw the words "mentally ill" I sat down and watched it and it was the hospital scene. I didn't see the whole movie till I was 17 and boy was I freaked out when I saw it. Joon scared me lol because of her odd and spiteful behavior. The second time I wasn't scared and then my obsession began for it. Then Spokane came along shortly.
Back in Montana, everytime I played the soundtrack in my car, my mother always played the 500 Mile song over and over on it. She replay it after it end and I didn't have a problem with it. It's Benny & Joon!!!! after all.