[Intro - Spoken, gravelly old man's voice] Now, I could tell you how it ends. I've seen the ending more than once. But what's the hurry? [Verse 1] I could take a shortcut through the years, Skip the heartbreak, skip the tears. Jump ahead a thousand days, Miss a thousand different ways. I could find the answer, beat the clock, Walk straight through the final lock. But there's a whole wide world between, The first hello and what it means. [Chorus] I'm taking the long road, Where the wild winds blow. Through a thousand lifetimes, At a thousand miles an hour slow. I don't need the ending, I don't need to know. There's more to a story When you take the long road. [Verse 2] I've stopped in bars that weren't there yet, Met old friends I hadn't met. Watched young stars learn how to shine, Had a drink with the end of time. I've seen the heroes lose their way, Seen the villains save the day. And every turn I've ever known, Led somewhere I hadn't gone. [Chorus] I'm taking the long road, Where the wild winds blow. Through a thousand lifetimes, At a thousand miles an hour slow. I don't need the ending, I don't need to know. There's more to a story When you take the long road. [Verse 3 - Gritty guitar riff] Now some folks want to skip ahead, See the final page before it's read. They want the prize without the race, The destination without the place. But I like the rain along the way, The songs you hear, the games you play. The stranger who becomes a friend, The road that takes a crooked bend. [Bridge - Half-time, spoken] You see, I've met the ending. Nice enough fellow. Bit of a dull conversation, though. Never had much to say about the journey. And that's the trouble with knowing everything... You forget there's something wonderful About finding out. [Instrumental Break - Extended electric blues guitar solo, Hammond organ and stomping drums] [Verse 4 - Warm, reflective] So let the centuries roll on by, Let the comets cross the midnight sky. I've got my guitar, I've got my time, And another strange old tale to find. There's another bar beyond that star, Another friend somewhere afar. And if the road goes on forever, Well, I couldn't ask for better. [Final Chorus - Full band, powerful] I'm taking the long road, Where the wild winds blow. Through a thousand lifetimes, With a thousand miles to go. I don't need the ending, I don't need to know. There's more to a story When you take the long road. Take the long road! Let the good times roll! Every twist and turn Is another piece of the soul! [Outro - Guitar drops to a slow blues shuffle] [Spoken] Besides... If you skip straight to the ending, You miss all the good stories. And then what would I have to tell you? [Chuckles] Now, bartender... One more for the road. [Final harmonica phrase, fading electric slide guitar]
