The Long and Winding Road
Yusuf & Cat Stevens Lyrics

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

Many times I've been alone,

And many times I've cried.
Anyway you'll never know
The many ways I've tried

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

Oh - mm.

The wild and windy night,
That the rain washed away,
Has left a pool of tears,
Crying for the day, mm-mm.

Don't leave me waiting here,
Let me know the way.

Overall Meaning

Yusuf & Cat Stevens's song The Long and Winding Road is a melancholic reflection on a past love, and an expression of the longing to be led back to that love. The metaphor of the winding road that leads to the door of the beloved is used throughout the song, conveying the sense of wandering and searching that the singer feels. The repetitive nature of the road, as the singer has seen it before and knows that it will never disappear, reflects the cycle of memories and emotions that he experiences. The chorus, "Lead me to your door", is a plea for the return of the person he loves, and a recognition that despite the pain and loneliness he has felt, he cannot help but be drawn back to her.

The verses detail the singer's struggles to move on, with the suggestion that he has tried many ways to forget his love, but has been unsuccessful. The imagery of the "wild and windy night" that washed away his tears speaks to the intensity of his emotions, and the feeling that the rain has cleansed away the pain, but now he is left with a pool of new tears to cry. The repeated line "Don't keep me waiting here" is a powerful expression of the singer's desire for resolution and closure, while the final line "Let me know the way" suggests a sense of confusion and uncertainty about how to proceed.

Line by Line Meaning

The long and winding road,
The difficult and uncertain path to reach you,

That leads to your door,
That brings me to your home,

Will never disappear,
Will always exist despite its challenges,

I've seen that road before, oh, oh.
I’ve traveled down it a number of times before,

It always leads me here,
It always brings me to your doorstep,

Lead me to your door.
Let me come into your life.

Many times I've been alone,
I’ve often gone on this journey by myself,

And many times I've cried.
I’ve faced heartache and pain along the way,

Anyway you'll never know
In any case, you'll never fully understand,

The many ways I've tried
The many efforts I've made to reach you,

But still they lead me back
But nevertheless, they always bring me back,