Music Review: “The Long and Winding Road”

Frank S. Herrmann’s The Beatles at Abbey Road Studios, 30th March 1967, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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I always liked hearing “The Long and Winding Road,” or any Beatles tune for that matter.  As a little girl, The Beatles was the only music my father played in his 1970’s-something Opel Kadett from two 8-track tapes!  Good times. But I never understood the song’s relevance to me until recently.  

You can almost hear the heartache in Paul McCartney’s voice, which was very real for The Beatles at the time.  The Fab Four had all but broken up by then and there was a lot of tension among them, probably from growing apart.  

Watch the music video at the bottom of this article (taken from the documentary, “Let It Be”).  Their faces reveal an almost palpable sadness.  At one point, John and Paul seem to be bickering!  This vibe is far from the joy and energy their collaboration probably once had.  Between sorrowful verses are soaring violins, winding their way higher, to a hopeful place. To me, this is the song’s beauty and where this music review prompted me to share my thoughts about it as an ACOD.

My Journey 

In the early 1980’s, I was in a professional ballet training program in an elite performing arts high school.  My best friend there, Kevin, needed a home and I was grateful to have him live with me, like a brother I never had.  Kevin was a light in the darkness of our troubled home.  His exuberance, his natural talent for everything—from singing to choreography to acting—and his wacky way of seeing the world, filled every day with so much laughter, sometimes it was hard to breathe!  Happy times that ended suddenly when he left to do summer stock, his first professional theater job.  The night before his flight to Galveston, he went to a farewell party without me, and went on to do his summer theater gig without a word, much less saying “good-bye.”  

 “Why leave me standing here?”  

Feeling abandoned, confused and rejected by my friend, I then saw my parents’ relationship go from bad, to REALLY bad, to almost unbearable.

“…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…”

I was troubled that my relationship with Kevin had seemingly ended abruptly after we shared so much joy.  I wanted his presence to continue to hold off the pain surrounding me. I wanted to know the way to peace, again.

This scripture seems to be Christ’s answer to what the lyrics are asking:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You have faith in God; have faith also in me.  [...] Where [I] am going you know the way.” (John 14:1 and 4)

“Many times I’ve been alone…”  

I did not realize Christ was always with me. These poignant lines from Lennon–McCartney resonated with what I was experiencing:

“…Many times I've been alone

And many times I've cried

Anyway, you'll never know

The many ways I've tried…”

I did not know I could trust Him to walk with me even though He said, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18).  

Guides, like Kevin, remind us that we are not alone and we are beloved.  The day I graduated from college, Kevin called. Our friendship picked up where we left off and I forgot that he “left me standing here, a long long time ago.” Years would go by and without knowing it, he always called at turning points in my life—when I needed his guidance the most.  He never forgot me or our friendship. He always saw me as an artist—no matter how much my life had changed or how much weight I had gained.  He always saw me as He sees me: as a beloved child of God, and that never changes (CCC 32). 

Sometimes, we do not recognize Him, because we are too absorbed in our pain of “all the things that occurred” (Luke 24:14) like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: 

“[...] while they were conversing and debating, Jesus drew himself near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.”

God draws near to us, even when we are filled with anxiety, pain, and fear (Cf Jeremiah 31:3).  Even when our pain keeps us from seeing Him, He walks with us.  As Saint John Paul II said, “Remember that you are never alone.  Christ is with you on your journey every day of your lives!” [1]

“Let me know the way”

St. Thomas said to Jesus, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” (John 14:5)  Along the way, there is not only one way to go.  He invites us to follow Him, to love Him, to love one another, and to be loved by Him.  Richard Rohr, in his article Commanded to Love, wrote: “Jesus never said, “Worship me.”  He said, “Follow me.”  He asks us to imitate him in his own journey of full incarnation.” [2] 

“But still they lead me back”

“…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…”

Along with this invitation comes absolute freedom to accept His love, or to not accept it.  Even when we choose the wrong way, He still loves us.  As St. John Paul II wrote: “God’s love for us is freely given and unearned, surpassing all we could ever hope for or imagine.  He does not love us because we have merited it or are worthy of it.  God loves us, rather, because He is true to His own nature.” [3]

During my friendship with Kevin, I did not know Christ nor that He was leading me.  I fell into depression, discouragement and often despair.  Nevertheless, out of His love, He led me back. As He told his disciples,   

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” (John 14: 2-3)

“Lead me to your door…”

Our long and winding road walking with Christ is not easy.  He never promised that it would be.  He promised He would be with us, always. (Cf. Matthew 28:20) Saint John Paul II expresses this idea beautifully when he wrote:  “The way Jesus shows you is not easy.  Rather it is like a path winding up a mountain.  Do not lose heart!  The steeper the road, the faster it rises toward ever wider horizons!” [4]

I mentioned before the melody seems to soar and lead us to a higher place.  Being led to His door is to that place of hope – to His “presence as the Way that leads to the Father.” (Book of Blessings 1216)

Prayer 

My Lord God,

I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,

And the fact that I think I am following your will

Does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you

Does in fact please you.

And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,

Though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust you always though

I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me,

And you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Citation: Thomas Merton, from Thoughts in Solitude

Copyright © 1956, 1958 by The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani.  Used on the Life-Giving Wounds blog by permission of Bro. Luke Armour.

About the author

Eudora Jayne is a pseudonym and means “good gift” and “God is gracious.”  

Reflection Questions for Small Groups or Individuals

1. How has your journey with Christ been like a long and winding road?  What may be stopping you from trusting Him to walk with you along the way?  

2. Who in your life always seemed to remind you that you were not alone and were always loved?  How has God used them to remind you of His presence and His love in your life?  

3. What is keeping you from recognizing God’s presence in your life right now?

4. How do you feel about being invited to follow Jesus in your life even when you are not sure where you are going?  How do you respond? 

5. When have you recognized later that Jesus was traveling on the road with you?

6. What door is Christ opening in your life, or what door do you feel Him leading you to?

Bonus Video:

Endnotes:

1. Pope John Paul II. (1997, August 23). Vigil - Address of the Holy Father. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/travels/1997/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_23081997_vigil.html   

2. Rohr, R. (2024, May 27). Commanded to love. https://cac.org/daily-meditations/commanded-to-love/  

3. Pope John Paul II. (1987, September 17). To the faithful gathered in the Mission Dolores Basilica of San Francisco. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/speeches/1987/september/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19870917_missione-san-francisco.html   

4. Pope John Paul II. (1995, November 26). XI World Youth Day, 1996. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/messages/youth/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_26111995_xi-world-youth-day.html   

For Further Exploration:

• The significance of the door in the Catholic Church: 

• “§ 97 § The doors to the church have both practical and symbolic significance. They function as the secure, steady symbol of Christ, “the Good Shepherd and “the door through which those who follow him enter and are safe [as they] go in and go out.”(Book of Blessings 1229) In construction, design, and decoration, they have the ability to remind people of Christ’s presence as the Way that leads to the Father. (Book of Blessings 1216) Practically, of course, they secure the building from the weather and exterior dangers, expressing by their solid strength the safe harbor that lies within. The appearance and height of the church doors reflect their dignity and address practical considerations such as the accommodation of the processional cross or banners.” from Built of Living Stones: Art, Architecture, and Worship : Guidelines of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2000). United States Catholic Conference.

• Acts 14:27: “And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.”

• Psalms 24:7-10: “Lift up your heads, O gates; be lifted, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may enter. Who is this king of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in war.  Lift up your heads, O gates; rise up, you ancient portals, that the king of glory may enter. Who is this king of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the king of glory.”

• Hope

• “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.”  (CCC 1817)

• Riccardo, J. (2023). Unshakeable hope in the midst of the storm. The Word Among Us Press. “No matter what you are facing, Unshakeable Hope will remind you that Jesus is with you in these challenging times.  In this book, Fr. Riccardo unfolds ten unfailing truths that will restore your hope and equip you to engage the world with the good news of the gospel.” (From the back cover)

• Han, B.-C. (2024). The Spirit of Hope (D. Steuer, Trans.). Polity Press. “A beautiful and stirring meditation on how we might rediscover our belief in the future, in spite of our hopeless times.”  (From the back cover/endorsement)