Comments on: The Long And Winding Road https://www.beatlesbible.com Not quite as popular as Jesus... Mon, 01 Apr 2019 15:50:44 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.1.1 By: michael smith https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-479239 Mon, 12 Nov 2018 18:50:47 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-479239 “The Long And Winding Road” with strings, vocal chorus, etc.
sounded to me like something you’d hear over the radio in England during WWII, like a Noel Coward song, and I thought the schmaltz was part of it, and kind of endearing and overemotional, like Good Night. Do wish the bass notes were more accurate.

]]> By: Randy S. https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-458688 Mon, 02 Jul 2018 11:18:47 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-458688 The original, McCartney/Martin favored version is one of my 5-7 favorite Beatles tracks of all time. Sensational. Probably my favorite Beatles ballad ever…..even more that “Yesterday.” I don’t know what it worse: Phil Spector as a person, or his manipulation of the track on the “Let It Be” album.

]]> By: Mikey C https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-453432 Wed, 14 Mar 2018 17:01:47 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-453432 A shame Paul didn’t re-record the bass line in January 1970 at the same time he did the same for the Let it Be single. And maybe got George Martin to do some subtle orchestration (like he did on the Let it Be single), as then we’d have got the perfect version!
Or saved it until Abbey Road…

]]> By: kupsingh https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-453268 Tue, 20 Feb 2018 01:48:56 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-453268 I’m at a loss as to the lack of respect shown for “The Long and Winding Road” which I consider to be a masterpiece, but to each his own I guess. Even the bombastic Spector version is great in it’s own way.
Interesting to read about the comment from Paul regarding Ray Charles as one of the main influences for writing the song. Incidentally, Brother Ray covered the song beautifully on his 1971 album “Volcanic Action of My Soul.”

]]> By: Andre james https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-452838 Sun, 17 Dec 2017 01:25:15 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-452838 The bass from Lennon is great though.

]]> By: vonbontee https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-452400 Thu, 12 Oct 2017 23:44:04 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-452400 The detail of Paul asking for the overdubs to be significantly reduced in the mix, as opposed to an entirely naked mix, is interesting.

]]> By: vonbontee https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-452399 Thu, 12 Oct 2017 23:25:51 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-452399 Yes, GM’s opinion and wit are much appreciated!

Paul absolutely right, but coulda been a bit more polite/charming…a quip or two and some ‘please’-es and ‘thank you/sincerely…’ woulda been nice.

Spector’s opinion is nonsense…Paul absolved him of blame in the statement. Paul accepted the Academy Award for the entire soundtrack, not that song specifically. And Paul plays ALL his stuff live using the arrangements as originally released on record. I’m pretty sure Spector worships his own magical touch, and measures it against its #1 Single status. (Maybe Spector feels that an unadorned version may have sold thousands fewer and peak at #4, and maybe he’d be right. And still his would be, and remains, the far inferior (over)production. Oh, and he’s a convicted murderer.

]]> By: Ms. Lane https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-452394 Thu, 12 Oct 2017 17:46:18 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-452394 George Martin must’ve been pretty pissed to have been so snarky.
I wonder how deliberate the sneaky production frills might have been, given that all were well aware of Paul’s desire to have HIS songs done his way.

]]> By: c64wood https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-452390 Thu, 12 Oct 2017 02:17:19 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-452390 Paul’s point #4 in his letter to Alan Klein… Classic

-and-

George Martin’s reply to EMI, “Produced by George Martin, over-produced by Phil Spector”… Classic as well.

]]> By: MikeP https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-452061 Sat, 02 Sep 2017 02:24:46 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-452061 Never thought highly of this one, but I MUCH prefer the “..naked” version. At least that sounds like the Beatles, unlike the Spectorized crap-version.

]]> By: Water Falls https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-450729 Wed, 29 Mar 2017 03:57:04 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-450729 To me this song is extraordinarily beautiful. Even with the over the top additions by Phil Spector, which is how I first heard it and fell in love with it. When I heard the “naked” version, the bare, stripped down simplicity, I fell in love with it all over again. And to me, I hear Paul extending his hand out to John, again, like he did with Two Of Us, and Oh! Darling…but que sera, sera.

]]> By: Mick Jagger https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-450379 Sat, 04 Feb 2017 18:26:41 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-450379 Not surprised to see that some think this song is “meh,” but am kind of surprised to see that many prefer the original over the Naked version. I don’t like the original, I find it bombastic and schmaltzy at the same. The first time I heard the Naked version I was like “this is what it’s supposed to sound like.” Being able to hear the piano clearly without the whole orchestra blaring in the background gives it a more intimate, lonely, haunting feeling, which I’ve always felt was more appropriate to the lyrics than the grandiose original where you can barely hear it at times. I’m just glad the Naked version exists at all, it gave me newfound appreciation for a song I otherwise didn’t listen to all that much.

]]> By: A Montreal Paul https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-2/#comment-450097 Fri, 30 Dec 2016 15:14:58 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-450097 Although not one of his best, still a fine McCartney song. Sticks out like a sore thumb though on an album originally meant to be a rough “back to basics ” album, and which still retains that feel on most tracks. The orchestration exacerbates the issue. In fact this song should probably have been saved for another album, although some of the songs Paul was bringing in were scarcely more appropriate.

]]> By: A Montreal Paul https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-1/#comment-450096 Fri, 30 Dec 2016 15:04:01 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-450096 There were female voices on “Birthday” as well, including, I have heard, Paul’s girlfriend of the time. Also, moving forward, Paul had Linda as a backing singer. So I don’t take that particular objection of his very seriously. Far more important is that these things were added without Paul’s consent.

]]> By: Jim Collentine https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-1/#comment-449866 Sat, 26 Nov 2016 06:25:43 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-449866 Certainly one of Paul’s best. The lyric and the melody are excellent, but more than that, it’s the feeling that emotes from the whole performance. This is the kind of song George wanted from Paul on Savoy Truffle – “We all know Ob-La-Di, Bla-Da but can you show me where you are?” Well here he is: “Many times I’ve been alone, and many times I’ve cried. Anyway, you’ll never know the many ways I’ve tried – and still they lead me back…

]]> By: John Pepper https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-1/#comment-449691 Sun, 30 Oct 2016 17:09:36 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-449691 George is playing all those beautiful, bluesy licks in the right channel on what sounds like a semi-acoustic guitar.

]]> By: Guitarmike https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-1/#comment-449217 Thu, 01 Sep 2016 20:36:24 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-449217 Paul sang “dont keep me waiting” they “removed” it but what we hear is the bleeding trough the other microphones..

]]> By: BeatleKen https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-1/#comment-449216 Thu, 01 Sep 2016 17:24:55 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-449216 You really should add Billy back in on organ, he is on all the records

]]> By: Robert https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-1/#comment-449203 Wed, 31 Aug 2016 02:15:04 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-449203 or you say goodbye to your dog as the vet gives her that last shot……Yes, that is truly sad and it made me cry. That is a very lost feeling.

]]> By: Bill https://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/comment-page-1/#comment-449094 Thu, 18 Aug 2016 03:53:02 +0000 http://www.beatlesbible.com/songs/the-long-and-winding-road/#comment-449094 Great song. Case closed.

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