56 Years Ago, The Beatles' 'The Long and Winding Road' Hit No. 1 Despite Mixed Reviews

The Beatles are, unequivocally, the biggest and most influential musical act of all time. The four-piece rock outfit cemented their legacy as titans of popular music amid their 10-year run. They were also quite prolific during that decade, releasing 13 studio albums and 216 songs. One of their last singles, "The Long and Winding Road," peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on this day 56 years ago, where it reigned for two weeks.

Released on May 11, 1970, three days after the debut of their final studio album, Let It Be, the pop ballad was written by Paul McCartney but credited to Lennon-McCartney. The single's debut also came just over one month after McCartney announced the band's breakup.

McCartney penned the tune in 1968, fueled by the divisiveness between the Beatles. The group recorded it in January 1969. Initially, the song boasted a simple arrangement, but producer Phil Spector added choral and orchestral overdubs.

McCartney later grew unhappy with Spector's embellishments and sent a letter to manager Allen Klein, in which he ordered that "The Long and Winding Road" be "altered" to meet his requirements. McCartney ended the letter with "Don't ever do it again." (Baller move, to be honest.) McCartney even cited the treatment of his song as one of the reasons for the Beatles' dissolution before the group legally disbanded in 1975.

Let It Be as a whole received poor reviews, particularly Spector's additions on "The Long and Winding Road." Rolling Stone reviewer John Mendelsohn claimed that Spector rendered the track "virtually unlistenable with hideously cloying strings and a ridiculous choir." Another review stated that "Paul's songs seem to be getting looser and less concise" and that the strings "intrude badly near the end and the harps are too much."

However, reappraisals of "The Long and Winding Road" have softened over the decades. Rolling Stone ranked it at No. 90 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Beatles Songs." The Beach Boys' Brian Wilsoncalled it his favorite Beatles track, declaring that the song stands out from its contemporaries for its "heart-and-soul melody."

Where would you rank "The Long and Winding Road" in the Beatles' versatile catalog?

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 6:39 PM.