Long, Long Time

For the television episode, see Long, Long Time (The Last of Us).

"Long, Long Time" is a song written by Gary White.^[1] The song was a hit for Linda Ronstadt, whose rendition of it was included on her 1970 album Silk Purse.^[2]

"Long, Long Time"
Single by Linda Ronstadt
from the album Silk Purse
B-side	"Nobody's"
Released	June 1970
Genre	Folk rock^[1]
Length	2:59 (single edit) 4:18 (album version)
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Gary White^[1]
Producer(s)	Elliot Mazer^[1]
Linda Ronstadt singles chronology
"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" (1970) "Long, Long Time" (1970) "(She's a) Very Lovely Woman" (1971)

The song is about a lasting love for someone who never became a lover.

Linda Ronstadt version

In 1970, Linda Ronstadt released the song as a single and on the album Silk Purse.^[1] The single spent 12 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 25,^[3] while reaching No. 15 on Canada's "RPM 100",^[4] No. 8 on Canada's CHUM 30 chart,^[5] and No. 20 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.^[6][7]

In 1971, Linda Ronstadt was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance for her rendition of "Long, Long Time".^[8]

Chart performance

Chart (1970)	Peak position
Canada - RPM 100	15
Canada - CHUM 30	8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	25
U.S. Billboard - Easy Listening	20
U.S. Cash Box Top 100^[9]	26
U.S. Record World 100 Top Pops^[10]	21
U.S. Record World Top Non-Rock^[11]	12

Other versions

• In 1971, American singer Rod McKuen included the song on his album Pastorale.
• In 1973, Harry Belafonte sang a cover on his album Play Me in a duet with Eloise Laws.
• In 1976, Larry Santos released a cover of the song, which reached No. 38 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart^[12][13] and No. 109 on Billboard's "Bubbling Under the Hot 100".^[14]
• Lynn Anderson recorded it on her 1976 album All The King's Horses.^[15]
• In 1989, Jerry Jeff Walker covered this song, on his album Live at Gruene Hall.^[16]
• In 1997, American country music singer Mindy McCready included the song on her album If I Don't Stay the Night.^[17]
• In 1998, Canadian singer/songwriter Alannah Myles covered the song for her compilation album The Very Best Of Alannah Myles.^[18]

In popular culture

• The song appeared in a 1975 episode of The Rockford Files, season 1, episode 23, "Roundabout". As Rockford is looking for a lounge singer, Nancy Wade, he finds her at the piano singing "Long, Long Time" as part of her musical set. The Nancy Wade character was played by actress Jesse Welles. The episode aired on March 7, 1975.
• The song appears in the 2018 movie Hot Summer Nights.^[19]
• The song is played during the third episode (which shares the name with the song) of the television series The Last of Us, serving as a motif for the relationship between characters Bill and Frank.^[20] After the episode was broadcast, Spotify announced that streams of the song increased by 4,900% over the previous week;^[21] several outlets compared it to the 2022 resurgence of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" after its use in the fourth season of Stranger Things.^[22][23][24] In the period after the episode was broadcast, the song topped three separate Billboard charts, more the 50 years after its release, placing at No. 1 on the Rock Digital Song Sales, LyricFind U.S. and LyricFind Global rankings dated February 11, 2023.^[25]

References

1. Pollock, Bruce (2014). Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era, Routledge. p. 222. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
2. Mendez, Moises II (January 30, 2023). "How a Linda Ronstadt Song Helped The Last of Us Tell a Gutting Love Story". Time. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
3. Hot 100 - Linda Ronstadt Long Long Time Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
4. "R.P.M. 100", RPM Weekly, Volume 14, No. 10, October 24, 1970. Accessed May 30, 2016
5. . CHUM. Archived from the original on January 1, 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2016. CHUM 30, Official Issue No. 119.
6. Adult Contemporary Linda Ronstadt Long Long Time Chart History, Billboard.com. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
7. "Billboard Top 40 Easy Listening", Billboard, October 3, 1970. p. 45. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
8. "Grammy Awards Final Nominations", Billboard, February 6, 1971. p. 12. Accessed May 31, 2016.
9. "Cash Box Top 100", Cash Box, October 17, 1970. Accessed July 13, 2016.
10. "100 Top Pops", Record World, October 24, 1970. Accessed January 2, 2021.
11. "Top Non-Rock", Record World, October 17, 1970. Accessed January 2, 2021.
12. , Billboard.com. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
13. "Billboard Top 50 Easy Listening", Billboard, December 11, 1976. p. 37. Accessed May 31, 2016.
14. "Bubbling Under the Hot 100", Billboard, December 11, 1976. p. 24. Accessed May 31, 2016.
15. "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
16. Gordon, Robert. “Jerry Jeff Walker: Live at Gruene Hall”, Spin (magazine) (October 1989).
17. "If I Don't Stay The Night". AllMusic. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
18. "The Very Best of Alannah Myles – Alannah Myles". AllMusic. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
19. Gleiberman, Owen (July 25, 2018). "Film Review: Timothée Chalamet in 'Hot Summer Nights'". Variety. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
20. Zuckerman, Esther (January 29, 2023). "How The Last of Us Made One of the Most Romantic TV Episodes of the Year". GQ. Condé Nast. from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
21. Tangcay, Jazz (January 30, 2023). "How 'The Last of Us' Revived Linda Ronstadt's 'Long Long Time,' Which Is Now Up 4,900% in Spotify Streams". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
22. Tinoco, Armando (January 30, 2023). "'The Last Of Us' Causes Linda Ronstadt's 'Long, Long Time' To Surge In Streams On Spotify". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
23. Lussier, Germain (January 30, 2023). "The Latest Last Of Us Has Linda Ronstadt Running Up Those Charts". Gizmodo. G/O Media. from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
24. Vespe, Eric (January 30, 2023). "The Last Of Us Is Giving Linda Ronstadt A Stranger Things-Style Soundtrack Boost". /Film. Static Media. from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
25. "Linda Ronstadt's 'Long Long Time' Rules Multiple Billboard Charts Thanks to 'The Last of Us'". Billboard.

External links

• Lyrics of this song
• Linda Ronstadt - Long, Long Time on YouTube