About the song
“Long Long Time.” This wasn’t just a hit; it was a revelation, showcasing a purity of voice and an emotional depth that would come to define her legendary artistry.
Released in 1970 as a single from her second solo album, Silk Purse, “Long Long Time” became Linda Ronstadt’s first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, earning her a Grammy nomination in the process. Written by Gary White, the song is a beautifully melancholic meditation on unrequited love and enduring hope. It speaks to that incredibly relatable experience of carrying a torch for someone, waiting patiently, perhaps even foolishly, for their affections to turn your way. The kind of love that lingers, even when logic dictates it should fade. For those of us who have lived a little, who understand the quiet ache of a love not fully returned, this song resonates with a profound authenticity.
What truly elevates “Long Long Time” is Linda Ronstadt’s breathtaking vocal performance. Her voice, in its early prime here, is simply exquisite – clear as a bell, perfectly pitched, and brimming with a raw, unaffected vulnerability. There’s no vocal acrobatics for the sake of it; every note, every phrase, is delivered with an aching sincerity. She inhabits the narrator’s quiet yearning, conveying both the gentle hope and the underlying sadness with a sensitivity that few singers could match. You can feel the weight of years, the unspoken dreams, and the bittersweet acceptance in her delivery. It’s a testament to her interpretive genius that she could take a relatively simple folk-country melody and imbue it with such universal emotional truth.
Musically, the arrangement is fittingly spare, allowing Ronstadt’s voice to shine unimpeded. The acoustic guitar, subtle strings, and gentle rhythm section create a backdrop that is tender and unobtrusive, serving only to underscore the song’s poignant narrative. This stripped-down approach was a hallmark of the era and perfectly suited to the lyrical intimacy of “Long Long Time.” It invites you to listen closely, to truly absorb the story and the feeling behind it, cementing its place as a timeless ballad of longing and quiet devotion. It’s a beautiful example of how Linda Ronstadt could take a song and make it undeniably her own, creating a moment in music that continues to touch hearts decades later.
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Lyrics
Love will abide
Take things in stride
Sounds like good advice
But there’s no one at my side
And time washes clean love’s wounds unseen
That’s what someone told me
But I don’t know what it means
‘Cause I’ve done everything I know
To try and make you mine
And I think I’m gonna love you
For a long long time
Caught in my fears
Blinking back the tears
I can’t say you hurt me
When you never let me near
And I never drew one response from you
All the while you fell all over girls you never knew
‘Cause I’ve done everything I know
To try and make you mine
And I think it’s gonna hurt me
For a long long time
Wait for the day you’ll go away
Knowing that you warned me
Of the price I’d have to pay
And life’s full of flaws
Who knows the cause?
Living in the memory of a love that never was
‘Cause I’ve done everything I know
To try and change your mind
And I think I’m gonna miss you
For a long long time
‘Cause I’ve done everything I know
To try and make you mine
And I think I’m gonna love you
For a long long time
