The Long And Winding Road
The Beatles Lyrics


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The long and winding road
That leads to your door
Will never disappear
I've seen that road before
It always leads me here
Lead me to you door

The wild and windy night
That the rain washed away
Has left a pool of tears
Crying for the day
Why leave me standing here?
Let me know the way

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
To the long winding road
You left me standing here
A long, long time ago
Don't leave me waiting here
Lead me to your door

But still they lead me back
To the long winding road
You left me standing here
A long, long time ago
Don't keep me waiting here
Lead me to your door





Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Overall Meaning

"The Long and Winding Road" is a song about someone who is lost and searching for a way back to their lover. The singer has been through many trials and tribulations, finding themselves frequently alone, but every time they return to the same road that takes them to their lover's door. The lyrics are full of emotion and longing, with the singer pleading for guidance and direction as they try to navigate their way back to the person they love.


The opening lines suggest a sense of familiarity with the road; the singer has been down this path before, but they always end up at the same destination - their lover's door. The imagery evokes a sense of journey and uncertainty, the winding road representing life's twists and turns, but also the willingness of the singer to endure whatever obstacles it takes to get back to their loved one. In the second stanza, the singer recounts a wild and windy night that washed away the rain but left them in a pool of tears, lamenting the distance between themselves and their lover, crying for a reunion. "Why leave me standing here" is an emotional plea and an expression of confusion, begging for guidance or a sign that will point them on their way.


The third stanza reveals that the singer has made many attempts to find their way back to their love, but something always brings them back to the winding road. The lyrics end with repetitions of the plea, each line becoming more urgent than the last. The emotions in the song are clear, with frustration and sadness giving way to desperation, and finally hope - the "yeah, yeah, yeahs" suggesting that the singer still believes they can find their way back to the person they love.


Line by Line Meaning

The long and winding road
Life can be like a meandering path with many twists and turns.


That leads to your door
The path leads to a person we want to be near.


Will never disappear
The path to that person will always exist.


I've seen that road before
The journey has been taken multiple times.


It always leads me here
Every time, the path ends up at the same place - near the person we seek.


Lead me to your door
Please guide me to the person I long to see.


The wild and windy night
The turbulent and chaotic times that life can bring.


That the rain washed away
The storm cleared away some of the troubles.


Has left a pool of tears
Sadness and pain were left behind.


Crying for the day
Longing for a better tomorrow.


Why leave me standing here?
Wondering why one is being left alone to suffer.


Let me know the way
Asking for guidance out of a difficult situation.


Many times I've been alone
Having felt isolation before.


And many times I've cried
Numerous instances of emotional pain.


Anyway, you'll never know
The person we long for will never understand our innermost thoughts and feelings.


The many ways I've tried
The many attempts to connect with the person we miss.


And still they lead me back
Despite efforts to move on, the road always leads back to that one person.


You left me standing here
The person we miss may have abandoned or rejected us.


Don't leave me waiting here
A plea for the person not to hurt us further.


Don't keep me waiting here
A reiteration of the need not to be left alone.


Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
A repetition that emphasizes the emotional plea being made.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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