It is one of the few songs where May uses a guitar other than his Red Special; for the rhythm guitar parts he used an electric Burns twelve string guitar (although he used the Red Special for the second guitar solo in the middle section of the track).
The song has a sad tone, describing that "for every star in heaven / there's a sad soul here today", and an overall sense of melancholic nostalgia lies over the song. It is similar in feel to the song '39 from A Night at the Opera, although without the folk influence.
Roger Taylor sings the highest parts of the song. and can clearly be heard singing "Look for the day" at the end of the chorus. Freddie Mercury did not participate in recording the track.
Brian May - lead and backing vocals, guitars
John Deacon - bass guitar
Roger Taylor - drums, backing vocals
Long Away
Queen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I would not care to say
For every star in heaven
There's a sad soul here today
Wake up in the morning with a good face
Stare at the moon all day
Lonely as a whisper on a star chase
Does anyone care anyway
So much of life's this way
Did we leave our way behind us
Such a long long way behind us
Who knows when now who knows where
Where the light of day will find us
Look for the day
Take heart my friend we love you
Though it seems like you're alone
A million light's above you
Smile down upon your home
Hurry put your troubles in a suitcase
Come let the new child play
Lonely as a whisper on a star chase
I'm leaving here, I'm long away
For all the stars in heaven
I would not live I could not live this way
Did we leave our way behind us
Such a long long way behind us
Leave it for some hopeless lane
Such a long long way such a long long way
Such a long long way I'm looking for
Still looking for that day
The lyrics to Queen's song Long Away are a contemplation on life and the afterlife. The opening lines, "You might believe in heaven, I would not care to say, For every star in heaven, There's a sad soul here today," suggest a certain level of skepticism towards the idea of heaven. The following lines, "Wake up in the morning with a good face, Stare at the moon all day, Lonely as a whisper on a star chase, Does anyone care anyway," set a tone of introspection, painting the picture of an individual who is deep in thought and perhaps feeling a sense of isolation. The middle section of the song comprises of the chorus, which is a message of reassurance to a friend who seems to be struggling.
The lines, "Did we leave our way behind us, Such a long long way behind us, Who knows when now who knows where, Where the light of day will find us," reflect on the past, questioning the choices that have led to the present. The line "Look for the day" is a call to look towards the future and have hope for a better tomorrow. The following lines, "Take heart my friend we love you, Though it seems like you're alone, A million light's above you, Smile down upon your home," are a message of love and support. The final section of the song returns to the theme of introspection, questioning whether we are on the right path in life.
Overall, Long Away is a song that encourages reflection and introspection. The lyrics paint a picture of an individual struggling with their place in the world and questioning the choices they've made. However, the chorus serves as a reminder to keep moving forward and to have hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
You might believe in heaven
It's possible that you believe in an afterlife
I would not care to say
I'm not sure if I believe in an afterlife
For every star in heaven
There are many celestial bodies above us
There's a sad soul here today
But despite all the heavenly bodies, there is still sadness on earth
Wake up in the morning with a good face
Try to start the day with a positive attitude
Stare at the moon all day
Even if you dream all day, you can't escape reality
Lonely as a whisper on a star chase
Feeling isolated and insignificant in comparison to the vastness of the universe
Does anyone care anyway
Wondering if anyone is paying attention to your struggles and pain
For all the prayers in heaven
Even if we believe in a higher power, there is still suffering in life
So much of life's this way
A lot of life is filled with hardship and sadness
Did we leave our way behind us
Have we lost our sense of purpose and direction
Such a long long way behind us
It feels like it's been a long time since we knew our path
Who knows when now who knows where
It's uncertain when or where we will find our way again
Where the light of day will find us
We don't know where we'll be when we finally feel a sense of purpose again
Look for the day
Stay hopeful and keep searching for that moment of clarity
Take heart my friend we love you
Don't feel alone, we care about you
Though it seems like you're alone
Even if it feels like you're isolated, you're not truly alone
A million light's above you
There are countless stars above you, shining down
Smile down upon your home
They offer some comfort, even if it's just in the form of a pretty view
Hurry put your troubles in a suitcase
Pack up your problems and leave them behind
Come let the new child play
Start fresh, with a childlike sense of wonder
I'm leaving here, I'm long away
I'm ready to move on, to leave my troubles behind
For all the stars in heaven
Even with the beauty of the universe, life can still be painful
I would not live I could not live this way
I can't keep living with this pain and sadness
Leave it for some hopeless lane
Let go of the pain and move on to something new
Such a long long way such a long long way
It might be a journey to find happiness, but it's worth it
Such a long long way I'm looking for
I'm searching for the day where I finally find purpose and happiness
Still looking for that day
I haven't given up hope yet
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Brian May
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tukacosta910
Brian's voice is so sweet...
@patiszon9213
And his hair 😊
@mayaenglish5424
Like some kind of cheese. ;)
Sorry, had to. Love him.
@patiszon9213
@Joan Lii ohhh yeaaaa
@blackspongebob316
Nice pfp.
@stoik.
@Maya English LOL
@twocian7515
"For every star in heaven, There's a sad soul here today"
@ivD_
"Wake up in the morning with a good face stare at the moon all day"
@darthbram3163
Their poeticism and musical talent will never cease to be dear to my heart.
@NUMBAHNOIN
“ lonely as a whisper on a star chase does any one care anyway”