The endearing isolated vocals for Linda Ronstadt song ‘Long Long Time’
Certain musicians develop an inexplicable hatred for their well-known songs. This could understandably be due to excessive playtime or the possibility of certain tracks eclipsing the rest of an artist’s catalogue, which they’ve diligently crafted. However, for Linda Ronstadt, ‘Long Long Time’ remains a firm favourite.
Rondstadt’s first memory of the song dates back to the late 1960s when Texan musician Gary White played it for her after a Paul Siebel performance at the Café Au Go-Go in Greenwich Village. Deemed one of the most important songs in rock ‘n’ roll, Ronstadt became instantly enamoured with the material and asked White about it backstage.
“We saw the last part of his very impressive show made rich with his cowboy falsetto and a song about a poignant, sad girl of a certain reputation named Louise, and then went backstage to meet Gary,” Ronstadt recalled in her memoir, Simple Dreams. “He had already packed up his guitar, so he took it back out of its case, sat down, and began to sing [this song]. I told Gary I wanted to record it immediately.”
Although Ronstadt felt a connection to the song, recording day proved somewhat difficult. As the explained to Esquire: “I can remember the day I recorded ‘Long, Long Time.’ It was 10:30 in the morning, but I was really into this kind of achy feeling because the music—it’s in these chords. I think my phrasing was horrible,” she said. “I think I kind of butchered it, but it is definitely in those chords.”
According to Ronstadt, the magic ingredient was altering her vocal technique: “I learned to sing it better,” she states. “It was a big hit for me in 1970, and it bought me some time.” The song went on to achieve notable chart success in Canada and secured the singer a Grammy Award nomination in the category of ‘Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance’ in 1971.
More recently, ‘Long Long Time’ was used in an episode of HBO’s The Last Of Us, which explored the romantic relationship between characters Bill and Frank. Frank finds a sheet music book full of Ronstadt’s songs; when he begins to play ‘Long Long Time’, Bill interrupts him by playing his own heartfelt rendition. Upon learning that the hit show had used her tune, Ronstadt was excited. “My first reaction was that I was really glad for Gary White, who will get a windfall from this,” she said.
For showrunner Craig Mazin, the episode “was a chance to show the kind of love that we don’t often see on television”.
With her iconic rendition of ‘Long Long Time’, Ronstadt achieved a similar feat, showcasing a poignant version of the song that became cherished by music fans across the globe. Featuring on her second album, Silk Purse, the lasting appeal of ‘Long Long Time’ is undoubtedly due to its timeless theme of heartache and Ronstadt’s endearing and soulful delivery.
