For me, The Long and Winding Road is the official farewell song of the Beatles. This is despite the fact that it was not the last song they ever recorded. In fact, it was recorded in January 1969 during the tumultuous and disastrous Get Back sessions. Due to the infighting and tensions during these sessions, the songs recorded were not released until 1970, and the album was retitled Let It Be. The Long and Winding Road was the last single to be released by the Beatles and it became their 20th number 1 single in the United States, a record yet to be broken.
Another reason why I have always perceived this song to be their farewell is because it was also the final song in the Blue Album, which was my first exposure to the Beatles in the mid-90s. Since then, the Beatles have remained by all time favorite band by a long way and I don’t ever seeing any other band or singer overtaking them. The Beatles will forever be a couple of echelons above all other musical artists in terms of innovation, impact and popularity.
The story of the breakup of the Beatles is also a very sad one, especially for big fans like me. The sad and melancholic nature of The Long and Winding Road represents this. The writer of the song, Paul McCartney, has said that this song was inspired by the growing tensions among the Beatles. The lyrics of the song allude to a sense of helplessness and abandonment:
“But still they lead me back
To the long winding road
You left me standing here
A long long time ago
Dont leave me waiting here
Lead me to your door.”
In the context of The Beatles, I think the ‘long and winding road’ represents the incredible journey the group had had up until 1969, while at the same time emphasising, that their future journey would be a different one for every band member. It’s as if they are all ready to move on from the Beatles but are not quite sure where to go and need someone to lead them.
Every time I listen to this song, all I think about is the music video which accompanies it. The video is a portion from the Let It Be film, and throughout the film, it is clear that all is not well between The Beatles. The sad and dejected faces of all the band members during the performance of this song say it all: the end is near for the Beatles and it is a very sad contemplation.
A lot of debate has raged among Beatles fans since this song’s release due to the 2 main versions of The Long and Winding Road. The original version, is the one in the video above, is a back to basics composition with no lush effects like the most of their music in their final years. The released version was a remixed version by American producer Phil Spector who was given the job to salvage an album from the 1969 Get Back recording sessions. In this version, he recorded an orchestral and choir accompaniment for the song, which gave it a lush feeling, contrary to McCartney’s objectives. As a result, Paul was incensed when he heard the remixed version and used it as one of the reasons for the Beatles’ breakup.
In my opinion, I believe that Spector’s remixed version is superior to the original version intended by Paul. This may be due to the fact that it is this version that I heard first before even finding out that there was actually another version of the song. However, it must be recognized that Phil Spector is a masterful producer (or at least at the time), and his remixing of The Long and Winding Road demonstrates his unique talent. I would love to hear your thoughts about this.
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Looking back on the Beatles popularity it is hard to believe they sang as a group only about seven years in the United States. Elvis Presley was still popular after the Beatles arrived on the scene but when the Beatles hit the United States they started the British invasion that changed the music scene in America.
Even the Beach Boys changed from being a clean cut group to a scruffier group that tried to blend in with the British groups.
Elvis was at the top for about seven years like the Beatles.
I agree with you Andrew. It’s incredible the number of songs and albums the Beatles composed in such a short period of time. Artists these days are lucky to release 1 album every year.
This song is the best song the Beatles ever did. So poignant and meaningful, unlike the saccharine we’re fed from newer ballads. I Am The Walrus? Yeah it’s amazing, A Day In The Life? that’s amazing too, but this? It just goes to show that when Paul was pushed, he could REALLY let out the passion and feeling in his music. And the Spector version doesn’t deserve the slamming it gets in the slightest. It trumps everything anyone else has ever done.
Completely agree. There’s a fine line between genius and madness. Phil Spector is a prime example.