The Long Race
Bruce Hornsby & the Range Lyrics


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It's a hazy winter's day
And I'm staring out on the southland
In the twilight distance on the bay
My mind sees you running through the marshland
All these years I've been waiting for you
Through the high tides and the low tides too
But if I stop now how could I ever be with you?
It's a long race
If I try I will surely finish
It's a long race
If I try I will surely win it
Some day some night with you

There's a village on the lower eastern shore
Where the watermen's boats are anchored
And they work so hard all day long
Showing me what you want to go after
All these years I've been pushing so hard
Through the high times and the low times too
But if I stop now
How could I know what I could do?

It's a long race
If I try I will surely finish
It's a long race




If I try I will surely win it
Some day some night with you

Overall Meaning

The song "The Long Race" by Bruce Hornsby & the Range paints a vivid picture of the Southland on a hazy winter's day, with the singer gazing out on the bay and imagining his lover running through the marshland. The lyrics describe the singer's dedication and perseverance in waiting for his lover through the ups and downs of life. The verse "All these years I've been waiting for you / Through the high tides and the low tides too / But if I stop now how could I ever be with you?" conveys a sense of longing and commitment, despite the challenges that he's faced.


The chorus of the song, "It's a long race / If I try I will surely finish / It's a long race / If I try I will surely win it / Some day some night with you" emphasizes the idea that life is a journey, and that the singer is willing to put in the effort to achieve his goals, knowing that he will ultimately be rewarded with a life with his beloved. The imagery of the watermen's boats being anchored represents hard work and dedication, and the singer's willingness to push through despite the difficulties he encounters.


In summary, "The Long Race" is a song about perseverance, dedication, and the journey of life. It encourages listeners to keep pushing forward and to embrace life's challenges with the knowledge that they will ultimately lead to fulfilling experiences.


Line by Line Meaning

It's a hazy winter's day
The weather is cloudy and gloomy in this winter season.


And I'm staring out on the southland
The singer is looking out towards the southern region.


In the twilight distance on the bay
In the distant evening, overlooking the bay.


My mind sees you running through the marshland
The artist imagines the person they're waiting for running through the swampy area.


All these years I've been waiting for you
For many years, the person has been expecting their loved one to arrive.


Through the high tides and the low tides too
Through good times and bad times, the singer has waited for their significant other.


But if I stop now how could I ever be with you?
The person recognizes that they need to keep going and waiting in order to be reunited with their loved one.


It's a long race
The pursuit of love is a difficult journey.


If I try I will surely finish
If the person keeps trying, they'll eventually achieve their goal.


It's a long race
The pursuit of love is a difficult journey.


If I try I will surely win it
If the person keeps making attempts, they'll ultimately succeed.


Some day some night with you
One day, the person will have a date with their loved one.


There's a village on the lower eastern shore
There's a town on the lower side of the east coast.


Where the watermen's boats are anchored
The place where fishermen dock their boats.


And they work so hard all day long
The fishermen work hard throughout the day.


Showing me what you want to go after
This inspires the artist to follow their own dreams and desires.


All these years I've been pushing so hard
The person has been working hard for years to pursue their goal.


Through the high times and the low times too
The singer has faced both success and failures in their pursuit of love.


But if I stop now
The person recognizes that they can't give up now.


How could I know what I could do?
The artist will never know what they could have achieved if they stopped now.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BRUCE HORNSBY, JONATHAN HORNSBY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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