Flashback Friday: Linda Ronstadt - Long, Long Time | The gay mushroom zombie apocalypse anthem

Another popular TV show includes an old song thematically in a standout scene, which means another old song plucked from obscurity to become a streaming sensation. Although unlike Kate Bush who got PAID as a result of Stranger Things using her song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”, Linda Ronstadt ain’t seeing a penny, as she is not credited as a writer on “Long Long Time”, nor does she own the masters of it.

So, those of you who have been watching The Last of Us would have watched episode 3 on Sunday. And if you felt like most felt, you probably got emotional and cried at the end of that shit.

The first 2 episodes of The Last of Us have been incredibly faithful to the video game. Almost too much. I tend to think the show shines brightest when it deviates from the game. So I fully welcomed episode 3 creating this whole new story which didn’t exist in the game at all.

We do meet Bill in the game, and his characterisation is the same in the show. And we get a couple of passing remarks that he is a gay. But by the time we meet his partner, Frank, he’s already dead. We see nothing of their relationship. And of what we do hear about their relationship, it sounds toxic as hell. Where-as the show has us meet Frank, fleshes out his and Bill’s relationship, and has it built completely on unconditional love. And Linda Ronstadt’s song finds itself at the start of the love story, the end of the love story, and is kinda the heart of it.

When Ron Swanson Bill started singing Linda Ronstadt’s “Long, Long Time” at the piano, I said ‘Oh Lawd’. But then I became enthralled with the earnestness of how he sounded singing it, even though he didn’t have the best voice. And then it quickly became apparent that this wasn’t just some song in a book to Bill. It was a song that meant something to him.

And “Long, Long Time” really does play into the story of The Last of Us. Love is great when you have it (Bill & Frank). But when you lose it (Joel & Sarah), it changes you in a way that nothing else quite does. And this is also very much a theme which carries through into The Last of Us Part II as well.

“Long, Long Time” is a song which stirs. I’ve never experienced an unrequited love, but Linda got me standing at my window upset about it regardless.

One thing about the 60s / early 70s, it was a decade of melancholy love songs; which I am a big sucker for. It’s why I gravitate towards depressing as hell throwbacks to the 60s. Shout outs to “Love is a Losing Game” by Amy Winehouse, and Janelle Monáe’s “57821”. There is something about love songs in the 60s that Charlie-Murphy-kicks me in my chest. It’s the warmth and imperfections of the microphones which provides this level of intimacy. The drama of the music. And that singers during the this time period truly gave performances when they sang.

The use of “Long, Long Time” in the context of The Last of Us is beautifully layered. Because whilst the theme of the episode is finding purpose in living for the person that you love, the song itself is about an unrequited love, which is not a part of Bill and Frank’s relationship at all. And Frank’s jaunty interpretation of the song is what makes it humourous, aside from him not being able to sing - because his outlook on life and how he sees love is fun, bright and amazing. Where-as Bill’s interpretation of the song is melancholic and completely aligns with the sentiment of how Linda performs the song.

It’s nice to see old songs find new audiences, and potentially broaden the tastes of younger generations. It also helps potentially see how far back influences go. Because decades latter, and I see and hear Linda Ronstadt in the likes of Adele, Kacey Musgraves and Lana Del Rey.

A Linda Ronstadt song in a mushroom zombie apocalypse show. I bet that wasn’t on Linda’s bingo card.