Released: August 8, 1983
Songwriter: Billy Joel
Producer: Phil Ramone
[Intro]
Dum dum dum
[Chorus]
Whoa, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
[Verse 1]
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do?
I'm so inspired by you
That hasn't happened for the longest time
[Verse 2]
Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That's where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven't been there for the longest time
[Chorus]
Whoa, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest
[Verse 3]
I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn't happened for the longest time
[Bridge]
Maybe this won't last very long
But you feel so right and I could be wrong
Maybe I've been hoping too hard
But I've gone this far and it's more than I hoped for
[Verse 4]
Who knows how much further we'll go on?
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time
[Bridge]
I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself, "Hold on to your heart"
Now I know the woman that you are
You're wonderful so far, and it's more than I hoped for
[Verse 5]
I don't care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time
[Outro]
Whoa, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time...
Dum dum dum
[Chorus]
Whoa, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
[Verse 1]
If you said goodbye to me tonight
There would still be music left to write
What else could I do?
I'm so inspired by you
That hasn't happened for the longest time
[Verse 2]
Once I thought my innocence was gone
Now I know that happiness goes on
That's where you found me
When you put your arms around me
I haven't been there for the longest time
[Chorus]
Whoa, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest
[Verse 3]
I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall
And the greatest miracle of all
Is how I need you
And how you needed me too
That hasn't happened for the longest time
[Bridge]
Maybe this won't last very long
But you feel so right and I could be wrong
Maybe I've been hoping too hard
But I've gone this far and it's more than I hoped for
[Verse 4]
Who knows how much further we'll go on?
Maybe I'll be sorry when you're gone
I'll take my chances
I forgot how nice romance is
I haven't been there for the longest time
[Bridge]
I had second thoughts at the start
I said to myself, "Hold on to your heart"
Now I know the woman that you are
You're wonderful so far, and it's more than I hoped for
[Verse 5]
I don't care what consequence it brings
I have been a fool for lesser things
I want you so bad
I think you ought to know that
I intend to hold you for the longest time
[Outro]
Whoa, oh, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time
Whoa, oh, oh (For the longest)
For the longest time...
- An Innocent Man (1983)
- Greatest Hits, Volume I & Volume II (1985)
- The Essential Billy Joel (2001)
- We Didn’t Start the Fire
- Piano Man
- Vienna
- Uptown Girl
- The Longest Time
- She’s Always a Woman
- Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)
- Just the Way You Are
- Only the Good Die Young
- Scenes from an Italian Restaurant
- New York State of Mind
- Allentown
- Honesty
- The Stranger
- Goodnight Saigon
- My Life
- It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me
- Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
- And So it Goes
- Big Shot
- Captain Jack
- An Innocent Man
- Zanzibar
- The Downeaster “Alexa”