A Long Hard Road

single

A Long Hard Road

The third verse is where this one earns its keep: ‘The boots that I wear are worn to the sole / My stride has grown soft with miles to go’ lands with the quiet authority of a line that has been lived in, not just written. At 123 BPM in A major, the track never rushes, and the production gives it room to breathe, clean acoustic guitar up front, with those five-part harmonies swelling in on the chorus like a congregation finding its footing. The call-and-response between the lead vocal and the choir on ‘It’s a long, long, long hard road’ is the hook doing exactly what a hook should, sticking not because it’s clever but because it’s true.

Lyrics

Listen, oh traveller, gather your mind Lay down your burdens, ignore the signs Loosen your grasp and love just the same Life is a gift, not something you tame

It’s a long (Long) It’s a long (Long) It’s a long (Long) It’s a long hard road… That leads to the end

You long for the lovely, turn from the pain Build castles from sand and hope they remain You plot and you plan, leave nothing to chance What feels like a loss is part of the dance

It’s a long (Long) It’s a long (Long) It’s a long (Long) It’s a long hard road… That leads to the end

The boots that I wear are worn to the sole My stride has grown soft with miles to go Again and again, I asked the gods, "Why?" The lack of an answer is the truest reply

It’s a long (Long) It’s a long (Long) It’s a long (Long) It’s a long hard road… That leads to the end

Credits

Songwriter: Michael Anthony Rose