Long Road
Eddie Vedder w/ Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Lyrics

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And I wished for so long, cannot stay.
All the precious moments, cannot stay.
It's not like wings have fallen, cannot stay.
But still something's missing, cannot say.

Holding hands of daughters and sons,
And their faiths are falling down.
I have wished for so long

How I wish for you today.

Will I walk the long road? Cannot stay
There's no need to say goodbye

All the friends and family.
All the memories going round.
I have wished for so long.
How I wish for you today.

And the wind keeps rollin',
And the sky keeps turning gray.
And the sun is set
The sun will rise another day.

I have wished for so long
How I wish for you today.
I have wished for so long
How I wish for you today.

Will I walk the long road?
We all walk the long road

Overall Meaning

"The Long Road" is a song about loss, yearning, and finding the strength to carry on despite the grief. The opening lyrics of the song emphasize the transience of life and the fleeting nature of precious moments. The singer wishes for time to stand still, but acknowledges that it cannot. Even though nothing tangible has been lost, there is a sense of something missing – a feeling that cannot be put into words. This feeling intensifies in the second verse, where the singer laments the loss of faith and the crumbling of relationships.

Despite the somber tone of the verses, the chorus offers a glimmer of hope. It asks a rhetorical question – "will I walk the long road?" – and answers it with defiance. The singer declares that they will indeed walk the long road, no matter how hard it may be. The final lines of the song acknowledge the passage of time and the inevitability of change, but also the resilience of the human spirit.

Overall, "The Long Road" is a powerful meditation on the complexities of loss and the courage it takes to keep moving forward.

Line by Line Meaning

And I wished for so long, cannot stay.
I have longed for something that cannot be retained.

All the precious moments, cannot stay.
Life is fleeting and we cannot hold onto the good times forever.

It's not like wings have fallen, cannot stay.
Although nothing physical has changed, there is still a sense of loss.

But still something's missing, cannot say.
There is an unexplainable feeling of emptiness.

Holding hands of daughters and sons,
Spending time with loved ones,

And their faiths are falling down.
Seeing their beliefs or hopes crumble.

I have wished for so long
I have hoped for a long time.

How I wish for you today.
How I long for your presence now.

Will I walk the long road? Cannot stay
Will I have the strength to endure life's difficulties?

There's no need to say goodbye
We don't have to part ways forever.