"The Long Run" is a song written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey and recorded by the Eagles. The sound of the song is viewed as a tribute to the Stax / Memphis rhythm and blues sound. It was the title track of their album The Long Run and was released as a single in November 1979. It reached No. 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in early 1980. It was the second of three singles released from The Long Run album, preceded by "Heartache Tonight," which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1979, and followed by "I Can't Tell You Why," which also reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, in the spring of 1980.

According to Don Henley, "The Long Run" was written in part as a response to press articles that said the Eagles were "passé" as disco was then dominant and punk emerging, inspiring lines such as "Who is gonna make it/ We'll find out in the long run". He also said that irony was part of the inspiration, as the song is about longevity and posterity while the group "was breaking apart, imploding under the pressure of trying to deliver a worthy follow-up to Hotel California".

Billboard Magazine describes "the Long Run" as "a midtempo rocker with a rather straightforward rhythmic delivery and a catchy lyrical hook towards the end." Billboard also praised the "tight, well crafted orchestration. In his book The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made, music critic Dave Marsh called the song a complete ripoff of the 1972 R&B record "Tryin' to Live My Life Without You".

"The Long Run"

I used to hurry a lot, I used to worry a lot I used to stay out till the break of day Oh, that didn't get it It was high time I quit it I just couldn't carry on that way Oh, I did some damage, I know it's true Didn't know I was so lonely, till I found you You can go the distance We'll find out in the long run (In the long run) We can handle some resistance If our love is a strong one (is a strong one) People talkin' about us They got nothin' else to do When it all comes down we will Still come through In the long run Ooh, I want to tell you, it's a long run You know I don't understand why you don't Treat yourself better Do the crazy things that you do 'Cause all the debutantes in Houston, baby Couldn't hold a candle to you Did you do it for love? Did you do it for money? Did you do it for spite? Did you think you had to, honey? Who is gonna make it? We'll find out in the long run (In the long run) I know we can take it If our love is a strong one (Is a strong one) Well, we're scared, but we ain't shakin' Kinda bent, but we ain't breakin' In the long run Ooh, I want to tell you, it's a long run In the long run In the long run ...