The Long Way (song)
single by Brett Eldredge
"The Long Way" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Brett Eldredge for his self-titled third studio album (2017). Matthew J Rogers co-wrote the song, while Ross Copperman co-produced the song with Eldredge. It was first released digitally on May 12, 2017 as a promotional single for the album. "The Long Way" was serviced to American country radio on August 21, 2017 through Atlantic Records and Warner Music Nashville as the second official single from Brett Eldredge.
Content
"The Long Way" is a midtempo country ballad with influences of pop music. The song is "a look into what I want to find in love," according to a press release from Eldredge. Lyrically, the song describes how a lover can get to know their partner on a deeper level by exploring their history and their hometown. "The Long Way" was written at a time when Eldredge was looking for true love and his cowriter, Matt Rogers, was soon to be married, which inspired the romantic lyrics. Certain details were inspired by the writers' upbringings while others were generalized.
Critical reception
Cillea Houghton of Sounds Like Nashville wrote that "The Long Way" is a "standout track" on the album that "allows his voice to shine," and is a "real charmer." Top Country also labelled the song as a highlight of the album, writing, "the emotional melodies intertwine with the lyrics to make the story come to life, like any perfect country song." Taylor Weatherby of Billboard included "The Long Way" on a list of Eldredge's 10 best songs and wrote, "this love song from his latest record proves that he has quite the range -- while also giving further proof that he’s a king at writing lyrics that make you melt."
Music video
The music video was directed by Jim Shea and premiered on CMT, GAC & CMT Music in October 2017.
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