The Long and Winding Road - wikipedia The Long and Winding Road For the Maureen McGovern album, see A Long and Winding Road. `` The Long and Winding Road '' US picture sleeve Single by the Beatles from the album Let It Be B - side `` For You Blue '' Released 11 May 1970 Format 7 - inch single Recorded 26 January 1969 ; 1 April 1970 Studio Apple Studio, London ; Abbey Road Studios, London Genre Pop Length 3 : 40 Label Apple Songwriter ( s ) Lennon -- McCartney Producer ( s ) Phil Spector The Beatles US singles chronology `` Let It Be '' ( 1970 ) `` The Long and Winding Road '' ( 1970 ) `` Got to Get You into My Life '' ( 1976 ) `` The Long and Winding Road '' is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1970 album Let It Be. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon -- McCartney. When issued as a single in May 1970, a month after the Beatles ' break - up, it became the group 's 20th and last number - one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It was the final single released by the quartet. The main recording of the song took place in January 1969 and featured a sparse musical arrangement. When preparing the tapes from these sessions for release in April 1970, producer Phil Spector added orchestral and choral overdubs. Spector 's modifications angered McCartney to the point that when the latter made his case in the British High Court for the Beatles ' dissolution, he cited the treatment of `` The Long and Winding Road '' as one of six reasons for doing so. New versions of the song with simpler instrumentation were subsequently released by McCartney and by the Beatles. In 2011, Rolling Stone ranked `` The Long and Winding Road '' at number 90 on their list of 100 greatest Beatles songs. Contents 1 Inspiration 2 Recording 2.1 January 1969 2.2 April 1970 3 Controversy over Spector 's overdubs 4 Release and reception 5 Other recordings 6 Personnel 7 Charts and certifications 7.1 Weekly charts 7.2 Year - end charts 7.3 Certifications 8 References 9 External links Inspiration Coastline of the Kintyre peninsula, where McCartney 's farm High Park is situated. He said he drew inspiration from `` the calm beauty of Scotland '' when writing the song. Paul McCartney said he came up with the title `` The Long and Winding Road '' during one of his first visits to his property High Park Farm, near Campbeltown in Scotland, which he purchased in June 1966. The phrase was inspired by the sight of a road `` stretching up into the hills '' in the remote Highlands surroundings of lochs and distant mountains. He wrote the song at his farm in 1968, inspired by the growing tension among the Beatles. Based on other comments McCartney has made, author Howard Sounes writes, the lyrics can be seen as McCartney expressing his anguish at the direction his personal life was taking in the autumn of 1968, after he had separated from his fiancée Jane Asher, as well as a nostalgic look back at the Beatles ' history. McCartney recalled : `` I just sat down at my piano in Scotland, started playing and came up with that song, imagining it was going to be done by someone like Ray Charles. I have always found inspiration in the calm beauty of Scotland and again it proved the place where I found inspiration. '' Once back in London, McCartney recorded a demo version of `` The Long and Winding Road '' during one of the recording sessions for The Beatles. Later, he offered the song to Tom Jones on the condition that the singer release it as his next single. In Jones ' recollection, he was forced to turn it down since his record company were about to issue `` Without Love '' as a single. The song takes the form of a piano - based ballad, with conventional chord changes. McCartney described the chords as `` slightly jazzy '' and in keeping with Charles ' style. The song 's home key is E-flat major but it also uses the relative C minor. Lyrically, it is a sad and melancholic song, with an evocation of an as - yet unrequited, though apparently inevitable, love. In an interview in 1994, McCartney described the lyric more obliquely : `` It 's rather a sad song. I like writing sad songs, it 's a good bag to get into because you can actually acknowledge some deeper feelings of your own and put them in it. It 's a good vehicle, it saves having to go to a psychiatrist. '' The opening theme is repeated throughout. The song lacks a traditional chorus, and the melody and lyrics are ambiguous about the opening stanza 's position in the song ; it is unclear whether the song has just begun, is in the verse, or is in the bridge. Recording January 1969 The Beatles recorded several takes of `` The Long and Winding Road '' at their Apple Studio in central London on 26 January 1969 and again on 31 January. The line - up on the track was McCartney on lead vocals and piano, John Lennon on bass guitar, George Harrison on electric guitar, Ringo Starr on drums, and guest keyboardist Billy Preston on Rhodes piano. This was during a series of sessions for an album and film project then known as Get Back. Lennon, usually the band 's rhythm guitarist, played bass only occasionally and made several mistakes on the recording. In May 1969, Glyn Johns, who had been asked by the Beatles to compile and mix the Get Back album, selected the 26 January recording. Since the song had been deemed unsuitable for inclusion in the band 's filmed rooftop concert on 30 January, the Beatles also taped a master version of `` The Long and Winding Road '' at Apple the following day. This 31 January version, which had slightly different lyrics from the released take, and was recorded with Johns in an unofficial producer 's role, was used in the film, subsequently titled Let It Be. For the 1969 and 1970 versions of the Get Back album -- both of which were rejected by the Beatles -- Johns used the 26 January mix as released on the Anthology 3 album in 1996. April 1970 In early 1970, Lennon and the Beatles ' manager, Allen Klein, turned over the recordings to American producer Phil Spector with the hope of salvaging an album, which was then titled Let It Be. McCartney had become estranged from his bandmates at this time, due to his opposition to Klein 's appointment as manager. Several weeks were lost before McCartney replied to messages requesting his approval for Spector to begin working on the recordings. Spector chose to return to the same 26 January recording of `` The Long and Winding Road ''. Spector made various changes to the songs. His most dramatic embellishments occurred on 1 April 1970, the last ever Beatles recording session, when he added orchestral overdubs to `` The Long and Winding Road '', `` Across the Universe '' and `` I Me Mine '' at Abbey Road Studios. The only member of the Beatles present was Starr, who played drums with the session musicians to create Spector 's characteristic `` Wall of Sound ''. Already known for his eccentric behaviour in the studio, Spector was in a peculiar mood that day, according to balance engineer Peter Bown : `` He wanted tape echo on everything, he had to take a different pill every half hour and had his bodyguard with him constantly. He was on the point of throwing a wobbly, saying ' I want to hear this, I want to hear that. I must have this, I must have that. ' '' The orchestra became so annoyed by Spector 's behaviour that the musicians refused to play any further ; at one point, Bown left for home, forcing Spector to telephone him and persuade him into coming back after Starr had told Spector to calm down. Spector succeeded in overdubbing `` The Long and Winding Road '', using eight violins, four violas, four cellos, three trumpets, three trombones, two guitars, and a choir of 14 women. The orchestra was scored and conducted by Richard Hewson, a young London arranger who had worked with Apple artists Mary Hopkin and James Taylor. This lush orchestral treatment was in direct contrast to the Beatles ' stated intentions for a `` real '' recording when they began work on Get Back. On 2 April, Spector sent each of the Beatles an acetate of the completed album with a note saying : `` If there is anything you 'd like done to the album, let me know and I 'll be glad to help... If you wish, please call me about anything regarding the album tonight. '' All four of the band members sent him their approval by telegram. Controversy over Spector 's overdubs According to author Peter Doggett, McCartney had felt the need to accommodate his bandmates when accepting Spector 's version of Let It Be ; but, following his announcement of the Beatles ' break - up in a press release accompanying the release of his solo album, McCartney, on 9 April, he repeatedly listened again to `` The Long and Winding Road '' and came to resent Spector 's additions. On 14 April, with manufacturing underway for Let It Be, he sent a terse letter to Klein, demanding that the harp be removed from the song and that the other added instrumentation and voices be reduced. McCartney concluded the letter with the words : `` Do n't ever do it again. '' Klein attempted to phone McCartney but he had changed his number without informing Apple ; Klein then sent a telegram asking McCartney to contact him or Spector about his concerns. According to Klein, `` The following day, a message was relayed to me ( from McCartney ) that the letter spoke for itself. '' With Let It Be scheduled for release in advance of the similarly titled documentary film, Klein allowed the production process to continue with Spector 's version of `` The Long and Winding Road '' intact. In an interview published by the Evening Standard in two parts on 22 and 23 April 1970, McCartney said : `` The album was finished a year ago, but a few months ago American record producer Phil Spector was called in by Lennon to tidy up some of the tracks. But a few weeks ago, I was sent a re-mixed version of my song ' The Long and Winding Road ' with harps, horns, an orchestra, and a women 's choir added. No one had asked me what I thought. I could n't believe it. '' The Beatles ' usual producer, George Martin, called the remixes `` so uncharacteristic '' of the Beatles, while Johns, who was denied a production credit by Lennon, described Spector 's embellishments as `` revolting... just puke ''. McCartney asked Klein to dissolve the Beatles ' partnership, but was refused. Exasperated, he took the case to the High Court in London in early 1971, naming Klein and the other Beatles as defendants. Among the six reasons McCartney gave for dissolving the Beatles was that Klein 's company, ABKCO, had caused `` intolerable interference '' by overdubbing `` The Long and Winding Road '' without consulting McCartney. In his written affidavit, Starr countered this statement by saying that when Spector had sent acetates of Let It Be to each of the Beatles for their approval, with a request also for feedback : `` We all said yes. Even at the beginning Paul said yes. I spoke to him on the phone, and said, ' Did you like it ? ' and he said, ' Yeah, it 's OK. ' He did n't put it down. '' Starr added : `` And then suddenly he did n't want it to go out. Two weeks after that, he wanted to cancel it. '' Speaking shortly after the overdubbing sessions, Spector said that he had asked whether any of the Beatles would like to help him produce the album, but none of them had wanted to. He also said that his hand was forced into remixing `` The Long and Winding Road '' due to the poor quality of Lennon 's bass playing. Others agreed : in his book Revolution in the Head Beatles scholar Ian MacDonald wrote : `` The song was designed as a standard to be taken up by mainstream balladeers.... It features some atrocious bass - playing by Lennon, prodding clumsily around as if uncertain of the harmonies and making many comical mistakes. Lennon 's crude bass playing on ' The Long and Winding Road, ' though largely accidental, amounts to sabotage when presented as finished work. '' Spector said that McCartney was being hypocritical in his criticism : `` Paul had no problem picking up the Academy Award for the Let It Be movie soundtrack, nor did he have any problem in using my arrangement of the string and horn and choir parts when he performed it during 25 years of touring on his own. If Paul wants to get into a pissing contest about it, he 's got me mixed up with someone who gives a shit. '' Release and reception The song was released on the Let It Be album on 8 May 1970. On 11 May, seven days before the album 's North American release, Apple issued `` The Long and Winding Road '' as a single in the United States with `` For You Blue '' on the B - side. In the context of the recent news regarding the Beatles ' split, the song captured the sadness that many listeners felt. On 13 June 1970, it became the Beatles ' twentieth and final number - one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in America and held the top position for a second week. The band thereby set the all - time record for number of chart - topping singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The Beatles achieved this feat in the space of 74 months from their debut US number one, `` I Want to Hold Your Hand '', in February 1964 -- an average of one chart - topping single per 3.7 months, another all - time record. The single 's contemporary US sales were insufficient for gold accreditation by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ). In February 1999, the song was certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of 1,000,000. In 2011, Rolling Stone placed `` The Long and Winding Road '' at number 90 on its list of `` The 100 Greatest Beatles Songs ''. On a similar list compiled by Mojo in 2006, the song appeared at number 27. In his commentary for the magazine, Brian Wilson described it as his `` all time favourite Beatles track '', saying that while the Beatles were `` genius songwriters '', this song was distinguished by a `` heart - and - soul melody ''. Wilson concluded : `` When they broke up I was heartbroken. I think they should have kept going. '' Other recordings Since release in 1970, there have been six additional recordings released by McCartney. The 26 January take, without the orchestration and overdubs, was released on Anthology 3 in 1996. This version included a bridge section spoken, rather than sung, by McCartney. In 2003, McCartney persuaded Starr and Ono ( as Lennon 's widow ) to release Let It Be... Naked, touted as the band 's version of Let It Be remixed by independent producers. McCartney claimed that his long - standing dissatisfaction with the released version of `` The Long and Winding Road '' ( and the entire Let It Be album ) was in part the impetus for the new version. The new album included a later take of `` The Long and Winding Road '', recorded on 31 January. With no strings or other added instrumentation beyond that which was played in the studio at the time, it was closer to the Beatles 's original intention than the 1970 version. This take is also the one seen in the film Let It Be and on the Beatles ' 2015 video compilation 1. Starr said of the Let It Be... Naked version : `` There 's nothing wrong with Phil 's strings ( on the 1970 release ), this is just a different attitude to listening. But it 's been 30 - odd years since I 've heard it without all that and it just blew me away. '' McCartney and producer George Martin re-recorded `` The Long and Winding Road '' with instrumentation incorporating a lead saxophone, for the soundtrack to McCartney 's 1984 film, Give My Regards to Broad Street. A second new studio recording of the song was made by McCartney in 1989 and used as a B - side of single releases from his Flowers in the Dirt album, starting with the `` Postcard Pack '' vinyl format of `` This One ''. `` The Long and Winding Road '' became a staple of McCartney 's post-Beatles concert repertoire. On the 1976 Wings Over the World Tour, where it was one of the few Beatles songs played, it was performed on piano in a sparse arrangement using a horn section. On McCartney 's 1989 solo tour and since, it has generally been performed on piano with an arrangement using a synthesiser mimicking strings, but this string sound is more restrained than on the Spector recorded version. The live performance recording of the Rio de Janeiro concert in April 1990 is on the album Tripping the Live Fantastic. McCartney also played the song to close the Live 8 concert in London. Several other artists have performed or recorded `` The Long and Winding Road ''. As McCartney had envisaged, Ray Charles recorded a cover version, which was released on his 2006 album Ray Sings, Basie Swings. In the US, a recording by Billy Ocean peaked at number 24 on Billboard 's Adult Contemporary chart. Other versions include a 1999 Royal Albert Hall performance by George Michael, a 1977 single release by Melba Moore, a 1978 recording by Peter Frampton, and a 2010 performance at the White House by Faith Hill when Barack Obama gave McCartney the Gershwin Prize. In 2002, British Pop Idol series one contestants Will Young and Gareth Gates recorded a version released as a double A-side with Gates ' version of `` Suspicious Minds '' ; the single peaked atop the UK Singles Chart and the Scottish Singles Chart. The duet by itself also reached number four in Ireland. Personnel According to Walter Everett : The Beatles Paul McCartney -- vocal, piano John Lennon -- six - string bass George Harrison -- electric guitar Ringo Starr -- drums Additional musicians Billy Preston -- Fender Rhodes Uncredited orchestral musicians -- 18 violins, 4 violas, 4 cellos, harp, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 2 guitars, 14 female voices Richard Hewson -- orchestral arrangement John Barham -- choral arrangement Charts and certifications Weekly charts Chart ( 1970 ) Peak position Australian Go - Set National Top 60 6 Australian Kent Music Report 7 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 8 Canadian RPM 100 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 11 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 8 US Billboard Hot 100 US Billboard Easy Listening US Cash Box Top 100 West German Musikmarkt Singles 26 Year - end charts Chart ( 1970 ) Rank Canadian RPM Top Singles 11 US Cash Box 36 US Billboard Year - End 41 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales United States ( RIAA ) Platinum 1,000,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone References Jump up ^ Whitburn 2000. ^ Jump up to : Merritt, Mike ( 16 November 2003 ). `` Truth behind ballad that split Beatles ''. Sunday Herald. Archived from the original on 27 April 2006. Retrieved 18 October 2017. ^ Jump up to : Sounes 2010, p. 181. Jump up ^ Miles 2001, p. 234. ^ Jump up to : Duca, Lauren ( 13 June 2014 ). `` ' The Long And Winding Road ' Led To The Beatles ' Final No. 1 Single ''. The Huffington Post. Retrieved 19 October 2017. Jump up ^ Sounes 2010, pp. 239 -- 40. Jump up ^ Lewisohn 2005, p. 156. Jump up ^ Owens, David ( 3 June 2012 ). `` Sir Tom Jones reveals the Beatles hit that was written for him ''. WalesOnline. Retrieved 21 February 2017. ^ Jump up to : Pollack, Alan W. ( 1999 ). `` Notes on ' The Long and Winding Road ' ''. Soundscapes. Retrieved 19 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` Let It Be ''. The Beatles Interview Database. 2004. Retrieved 11 September 2004. Jump up ^ Miles 2001, p. 333. Jump up ^ Sulpy & Schweighardt 1999, pp. 301, 307 -- 08. Jump up ^ Spizer 2003, pp. 74 -- 75. Jump up ^ Doggett 2011, pp. 115 -- 16. 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Jump up ^ `` Live 8 Rocks the Globe ''. The New York Times. 3 July 2005. Retrieved 19 October 2017. Jump up ^ Tamarkin, Jeff. `` Ray Charles Ray Sings, Basie Swings ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 8 January 2010. Jump up ^ Whitburn 1993, p. 178. Jump up ^ Womack 2014, p. 570. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 29 September 2002 - 05 October 2002 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 29 September 2002 - 05 October 2002 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` TOP 50 SINGLES, WEEK ENDING 26 September 2002 ''. GfK Chart Track. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Everett 1999, p. 229. Jump up ^ Lewisohn 2010, p. 349. Jump up ^ `` Go - Set Australian charts -- 19 September 1970 ''. poparchives.com.au. Retrieved 19 October 2017. Jump up ^ Kent, David ( 2005 ). Australian Chart Book ( 1940 -- 1969 ). Turramurra : Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0 - 646 - 44439 - 5. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- The Beatles -- The Long and Winding Road '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 16 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Top Singles -- Volume 13, No. 18 : Jun 20, 1970 ''. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- The Beatles -- The Long and Winding Road '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved 16 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- The Beatles -- The Long and Winding Road ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` The Beatles Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved 16 May 2016. Jump up ^ Whitburn 1993, p. 25. Jump up ^ Hoffmann, Frank ( 1983 ). The Cash Box Singles Charts, 1950 - 1981. Metuchen, NJ & London : The Scarecrow Press, Inc. pp. 32 -- 34. Jump up ^ `` Offizielle Deutsche Charts '' ( Enter `` Beatles '' in the search box ) ( in German ). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 16 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` RPM 's Top 100 of 1970 ''. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 October 2017. Jump up ^ Cash Box Year - End Charts : Top 100 Pop Singles, December 26, 1970 Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits of 1970 / Top 100 Songs of 1970 '', musicoutfitters.com ( retrieved 12 June 2016 ). Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- The Beatles -- Long and Winding Road ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 14 May 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Sources Badman, Keith ( 2001 ). The Beatles Diary Volume 2 : After the Break - Up 1970 -- 2001. London : Omnibus Press. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7119 - 8307 - 6. The Beatles ( 2000 ). The Beatles Anthology. San Francisco : Chronicle Books. ISBN 0 - 8118 - 2684 - 8. Calkin, Graham ( 2001a ). `` Give My Regards to Broad Street ''. Graham Calkin 's Beatles Pages. Retrieved 2 February 2010. Castleman, Harry ; Podrazik, Walter J. ( 1976 ). All Together Now : The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961 -- 1975. New York, NY : Ballantine Books. ISBN 0 - 345 - 25680 - 8. Cross, Craig ( 2005 ). The Beatles : Day - by - Day, Song - by - Song, Record - by - Record. iUniverse, Inc. ISBN 978 - 0 - 595 - 34663 - 9. Cross, Craig ( 2006 ). `` ' The Long and Winding Road ' American single ''. Retrieved 15 February 2012. Doggett, Peter ( 2011 ). You Never Give Me Your Money : The Beatles After the Breakup. New York, NY : It Books. ISBN 978 - 0 - 06 - 177418 - 8. Everett, Walter ( 1999 ). The Beatles as Musicians : Revolver Through the Anthology. New York, NY : Oxford University Press. ISBN 0 - 19 - 512941 - 5. Lewisohn, Mark ( 1996 ). The Complete Beatles Chronicle. Chancellor Press. ISBN 0 - 7607 - 0327 - 2. Lewisohn, Mark ( 2005 ) ( 1988 ). The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions : The Official Story of the Abbey Road Years 1962 -- 1970. London : Bounty Books. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7537 - 2545 - 0. Lewisohn, Mark ( 2010 ). The Complete Beatles Chronicle : The Definitive Day - By - Day Guide to the Beatles ' Entire Career. Chicago, IL : Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978 - 1 - 56976 - 534 - 0. MacDonald, Ian ( 2005 ). Revolution in the Head : The Beatles ' Records and the Sixties ( Second Revised ed. ). London : Pimlico ( Rand ). ISBN 1 - 84413 - 828 - 3. Madinger, Chip ; Easter, Mark ( 2000 ). Eight Arms to Hold You : The Solo Beatles Compendium. Chesterfield, MO : 44.1 Productions. ISBN 0 - 615 - 11724 - 4. Miles, Barry ( 2001 ). The Beatles Diary Volume 1 : The Beatles Years. London : Omnibus Press. ISBN 0 - 7119 - 8308 - 9. Rodriguez, Robert ( 2010 ). Fab Four FAQ 2.0 : The Beatles ' Solo Years, 1970 -- 1980. Milwaukee, WI : Backbeat Books. ISBN 978 - 1 - 4165 - 9093 - 4. Sounes, Howard ( 2010 ). Fab : An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney. London : HarperCollins. ISBN 978 - 0 - 00 - 723705 - 0. Spitz, Bob ( 2005 ). The Beatles : The Biography. Boston : Little, Brown. ISBN 0 - 316 - 80352 - 9. Spizer, Bruce ( 2003 ). The Beatles on Apple Records. New Orleans : 498 Productions. ISBN 0 - 9662649 - 4 - 0. Sulpy, Doug ; Schweighardt, Ray ( 1999 ). Get Back : The Unauthorized Chronicle of The Beatles ' Let It Be Disaster. New York, NY : St. Martin 's Griffin. ISBN 0 - 312 - 19981 - 3. Whelan, John ( 2005 ). `` The Beatles Timeline ''. Retrieved 15 March 2006. Whitburn, Joel ( 1993 ). Joel Whitburn 's Top Adult Contemporary, 1961 -- 1993. Menomonee Falls, WI : Record Research. ISBN 978 - 0 - 898200997. Whitburn, Joel ( 2000 ). 40 Top Hits. Billboard Books. Womack, Kenneth ( 2014 ). The Beatles Encyclopedia : Everything Fab Four. Santa Barbara, CA : ABC - CLIO. ISBN 978 - 0 - 313 - 39171 - 2. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : Let It Be Alan W. Pollack 's Notes on `` The Long and Winding Road '' Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Let It Be Let It Be ( film ) Let It Be... Naked Songs Side one `` Two of Us '' `` Dig a Pony '' `` Across the Universe '' `` I Me Mine '' `` Dig It '' `` Let It Be '' `` Maggie Mae '' Side two `` I 've Got a Feeling '' `` One After 909 '' `` The Long and Winding Road '' `` For You Blue '' `` Get Back '' Non-album B - side `` Do n't Let Me Down '' `` You Know My Name ( Look Up the Number ) '' Outtakes `` All Things Must Pass '' `` Another Day '' `` The Back Seat of My Car '' `` Gimme Some Truth '' `` Hear Me Lord '' `` Let It Down '' `` Teddy Boy '' `` Watching Rainbows '' Related articles Rooftop concert Break - up of the Beatles Billy Preston Phil Spector Let It Be ( Laibach album ) Kum Back Let It Be ( musical ) Let It Be... Naked The Beatles discography Please Please Me With the Beatles A Hard Day 's Night Beatles for Sale Help ! Rubber Soul Revolver Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band Magical Mystery Tour The Beatles ( White Album ) Yellow Submarine Abbey Road Let It Be Past Masters The Beatles singles discography UK and US ( all labels ) 1963 `` Please Please Me '' / `` Ask Me Why '' `` From Me to You '' / `` Thank You Girl '' `` She Loves You '' / `` I 'll Get You '' 1964 `` Ca n't Buy Me Love '' / `` You Ca n't Do That '' `` I Feel Fine '' / `` She 's a Woman '' 1965 `` Ticket to Ride '' / `` Yes It Is '' `` Help ! '' / `` I 'm Down '' `` We Can Work It Out '' / `` Day Tripper '' 1966 `` Paperback Writer '' / `` Rain '' `` Yellow Submarine '' / `` Eleanor Rigby '' 1967 `` Penny Lane '' / `` Strawberry Fields Forever '' `` All You Need Is Love '' / `` Baby, You 're a Rich Man '' `` Hello, Goodbye '' / `` I Am the Walrus '' 1968 `` Lady Madonna '' / `` The Inner Light '' `` Hey Jude '' / `` Revolution '' 1969 `` Get Back '' / `` Do n't Let Me Down '' `` The Ballad of John and Yoko '' / `` Old Brown Shoe '' `` Something '' / `` Come Together '' 1970 `` Let It Be '' / `` You Know My Name ( Look Up the Number ) '' 1978 `` Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band / With a Little Help from My Friends '' / `` A Day in the Life '' 1982 `` The Beatles Movie Medley '' / `` I 'm Happy Just to Dance with You '' 1995 `` Free as a Bird '' / `` Christmas Time ( Is Here Again ) '' `` Real Love '' / `` Baby 's in Black '' UK only ( Parlophone, Apple ) 1962 `` My Bonnie '' / `` The Saints '' `` Love Me Do '' / `` P.S. I Love You '' 1963 `` I Want to Hold Your Hand '' / `` This Boy '' 1964 `` Ai n't She Sweet '' / `` If You Love Me, Baby '' `` A Hard Day 's Night '' / `` Things We Said Today '' 1976 `` Yesterday '' / `` I Should Have Known Better '' `` Back in the U.S.S.R. '' / `` Twist and Shout '' US only ( Vee - Jay, Swan, Tollie, Capitol, Apple ) 1963 `` I Want to Hold Your Hand '' / `` I Saw Her Standing There '' 1964 `` Twist and Shout '' / `` There 's a Place '' `` Do You Want to Know a Secret '' / `` Thank You Girl '' `` Love Me Do '' / `` P.S. I Love You '' `` Sie liebt dich '' / `` I 'll Get You '' `` I 'll Cry Instead '' / `` I 'm Happy Just to Dance with You '' `` And I Love Her '' / `` If I Fell '' `` A Hard Day 's Night '' / `` I Should Have Known Better '' `` Matchbox '' / `` Slow Down '' 1965 `` Eight Days a Week '' / `` I Do n't Want to Spoil the Party '' `` Yesterday '' / `` Act Naturally '' 1966 `` Nowhere Man '' / `` What Goes On '' 1970 `` The Long and Winding Road '' / `` For You Blue '' 1976 `` Got to Get You into My Life '' / `` Helter Skelter '' `` Ob - La - Di, Ob - La - Da '' / `` Julia '' Other countries ( Odeon, Parlophone, Apple ) 1963 `` All My Loving '' / `` This Boy '' ( Canada ) 1964 `` Komm, gib mir deine Hand / Sie liebt dich '' ( Germany ) 1965 `` Rock and Roll Music '' / `` I 'm a Loser '' ( Europe, Australia ) 1966 `` Norwegian Wood ( This Bird Has Flown ) '' / `` Nowhere Man '' ( Australia ) `` Michelle '' / `` Girl '' ( Europe ) 1968 `` Ob - La - Di, Ob - La - Da '' / `` While My Guitar Gently Weeps '' ( Europe, Japan, Australia ) `` Ob - La - Di, Ob - La - Da '' / `` I Will '' ( Philippines ) `` Back in the U.S.S.R. '' / `` Do n't Pass Me By '' ( Sweden ) 1969 `` You 're Going to Lose That Girl '' / `` Tell Me What You See '' ( Japan ) 1970 `` Oh ! Darling '' / `` Here Comes the Sun '' ( Japan ) 1972 `` All Together Now '' / `` Hey Bulldog '' ( Europe ) 1978 `` Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band / With a Little Help from My Friends '' / `` Within You Without You '' ( Germany ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Long_and_Winding_Road&oldid=854669318 '' Categories : 1970 singles 1970s ballads 2002 singles Songs written by Lennon -- McCartney The Beatles songs Will Young songs Gareth Gates songs Cissy Houston songs Andy Williams songs Nancy Wilson ( jazz singer ) songs Song recordings produced by Phil Spector Songs published by Northern Songs Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Apple Records singles Rock ballads Pop ballads Songs about loneliness Johnny Mathis songs The Corrs songs 1970 songs Number - one singles in Scotland UK Singles Chart number - one singles Hidden categories : CS1 German - language sources ( de ) Use British English from July 2011 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Belgium ( Flanders ) Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart called without song Certification Table Entry usages for United States All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from April 2018 Articles with permanently dead external links Featured articles Use dmy dates from September 2012 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Français Italiano ქართული Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Sicilianu Suomi Svenska ไทย Tiếng Việt 8 more Edit links This page was last edited on 13 August 2018, at 00 : 43 ( UTC ). 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Question: when was the long and winding road written
Answer: 1968