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".

[4] Billboard describes "the Long Run" as "a midtempo rocker with a rather straightforward rhythmic delivery and a catchy lyrical hook towards the end.

[5] Cash Box said that the song is an "upbeat cut" but that "Don Henley's raspy vocals suggest subtle tension with the theme of survival.

"[7] 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 line-up was the same as the studio version, except that Joe Vitale plays the Hammond organ in place of Don Felder, and no electric piano is featured.