When The Beatles drifted apart, after "The White Album", they were all unhappy. Paul probably the most, and he took on a leadership desperately tryinbg for the group to get back to the joy and productivity, they had earlier. Thus the "Get Back" project, which just estranged him more from the others, especially from John who in his mind mainly had Yoko and heroin at the time.
The Long and Winding Road expresses his pain and desperation. It expresses his longing to get back to his partnership with John who did not respond, did not "lead him to the door". The lines "Many times I've been alone and many times I've cried / Anyway, you'll never know, the many ways I've tried" makes me cry every time I hear it.
Paul knows, it is over, but he does not know how to fix it. The pain is visceral. I do not think it ever went away.
When The Beatles drifted apart, after "The White Album", they were all unhappy. Paul probably the most, and he took on a leadership desperately tryinbg for the group to get back to the joy and productivity, they had earlier. Thus the "Get Back" project, which just estranged him more from the others, especially from John who in his mind mainly had Yoko and heroin at the time. The Long and Winding Road expresses his pain and desperation. It expresses his longing to get back to his partnership with John who did not respond, did not "lead him to the door". The lines "Many times I've been alone and many times I've cried / Anyway, you'll never know, the many ways I've tried" makes me cry every time I hear it. Paul knows, it is over, but he does not know how to fix it. The pain is visceral. I do not think it ever went away.