HBO's The Last of Us episode 3 caused the song "Long Long Time" to explode in popularity and now, Linda Ronstadt is reacting. The Last of Us episode 3 has garnered widespread acclaim for chronicling a 20-year love story between Bill and Frank, played by Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. One creative choice that has been receiving a lot of attention is the episode's prominent use of the Linda Ronstadt song, "Long Long Time," which has caused the 50-year-old ballad to experience a massive resurgence in popularity.
Now, in a new interview with Billboard, the artist behind the viral song is reacting to its recent resurgence. The 76-year-old Linda Ronstadt has not seen HBO's The Last of Us nor does she follow social media very closely, though the singer has been informed of the song's resurgence and is happy that its writer, Gary White, will get a windfall. Ronstadt no longer owns the rights to her music catalog, meaning she won't receive any kickback from the song's spike in streaming or downloads. Read Ronstadt's full reaction below:
I don’t follow social media or streaming services very closely. I still love the song and I’m very glad that Gary will get a windfall.
Why Linda Ronstadt's "Long Long Time" Has Become So Popular
Linda Ronstadt's "Long Long Time" is a major part of The Last of Us episode 3's storytelling, as the entire episode is masterfully structured around the musical motif. The song first appears during an early scene as Bill and Frank play contrasting renditions of the ballad on piano, the tender moment becoming a catalyst for their relationship throughout the episode. "Long Long Time" resurfaces again at the end of the episode as Joel and Ellie listen to the song on cassette tape as they leave Lincoln in Bill's truck. The song also lends its title to The Last of Us episode 3.
As a result of how perfectly the song underscores Bill and Frank's relationship, "Long Long Time" is experiencing a well-deserved resurgence in popularity as audiences yearn to relive the acclaimed episode through the sound of Ronstadt's mellifluous voice. The song saw nearly a 5000 percent increase on Spotify an hour after The Last of Us episode 3 aired, and almost a 150,000 percent increase the following day. "Long Long Time" is also charting in the Top 5 on iTunes despite only reaching number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time of its original release.
The Last of Us episode 3 is just the latest example of a popular TV show bringing an old hit back to unexpectedly dominate popular culture. Stranger Things season 4 did the same with Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” and more recently, Wednesday with The Cramps' "Goo Goo Muck." While Ronstadt won't benefit from the song's resurgence in popularity, see seems glad that "Long Long Time" is currently reaching a larger audience and connecting with those who appreciate Bill and Frank's tragic but beautiful love story in HBO's The Last of Us.
Source: Billboard