The Long Way Home is the seventh studio album by Canadian
Mercury Nashville, and signed with BNA, recording what was supposed to be her seventh album My Next Life. After only two singles ("Dirty Girl" and "In My Next Life") were released, she left the label and the album was shelved. The album was released through Capitol Records Nashville/EMI Canada
and BareTrack Records.
The album received critical acclaim. Four singles were released, none of which charted on the US Hot Country Songs chart. The album's first two singles however, "Gypsy Boots" and "If You Want Fire", were both top ten Canadian country hits. "The One You Love" was originally released on her fifth studio album, Pain to Kill, but was re-recorded for The Long Way Home to include Vince Gill on background vocals. Clark previously recorded ‘Tough with Me’ and ‘Gypsy Boots’ in 2007 for her unreleased debut for BNA records.