Where there’s a will there’s a way

AKAWhere there’s a will
Whats the use in repining
1st Pub1866
LyricsHarry CliftonMusic Harry CliftonRoudRN13835
Music Hall performersHarry Clifton
Fred French
Folk performancesSource Singers:
HE, 1930, Norfolk, England
LM Hinton, 1946, Austin, Texas (LOC, rec W Rhodes)
Frank Hinchcliffe, 1970, Yorkshire England
George Fradley, 1984, Derbyshire, England
Gordon Hall, 1992, Sussex, England
From Hopwood and Crew sheet music ca 1866

This life is a difficult riddle,
For how many people we see...........
With faces as long as a fiddle,
That ought to look shining with glee.....
I am sure in this world there are plenty,
Of good things enough for us all................
And yet there's not one out of twenty,
But thinks that his share is too small.........
     
Then what is the use of repining,
For where there's a will there's a way......
And tomorrow the sun may be shining,
Although it is cloudy to-day..........

Did you never hear tell of the spider,
That tried up the wall hard to climb......
If not just take that as a guider,
You'll find it will serve you in time.....
Nine times it tried hard to be mounting,
And every time it stuck fast........
But it tried hard again without counting,
And of course it succeeded at last.......

Some grumble because they're not married,
And cannot procure a good wife........
Whilst others they wish they had tarried,
And long for a bachelor's life..........
To me it is very bewild'rin',
Some grumble it must be in fun.......
Because they have too many children,
And others because they have none......

Do you think that by sitting and sighing,
You'll ever obtain all you want.......
It's cowards alone that are crying,
And foolishly saying "I can't,".......
It's only by plodding and striving,
And labouring up the steep hill.......
Of life, that you'' ever be thriving,
Which you'll do if you've only the will.....

Version transcribed from singing of George Fradley in 1984:
Why sure in this world there are plenty
Of good things enough for us all
But I don't think there's one out of twenty
But what thinks that his share is too small

Did you ever hear tell of the spider
That tried up the wall hard to climb
Twelve times he fell down but undaunted
He did it the very last time

Now what is the use of repining,
For where there's a will there's a way
Tomorrow the sun may be shining,
Although it looks cloudy to-day

Another motto song from the pen of Harry Clifton, first sung and published in 1866. Like so many of his songs it was also sung by Fred French. This is the earliest ad I can find:

The Era – Sunday 11 February 1866

As ever with Clifton’s popular songs, it was widely reprinted in 19th-century songbooks and broadsides on both sides of the Atlantic, although Clifton is rarely credited in either.

There is one slight wrinkle in the story: a song of the same name, first line Tis said in this world there are plenty, was published in 1881, credited to Edward Marshall and Carlo Minnassi. Variants of Clifton’s song have often been credited to them. I have been unable to get hold of the sheet music for their song, but investigating versions credited to Marshall and Minassi, like the one by George Fradley above, have so far all produced variations of the Clifton song.

It has been sung under the title What’s the use of repining? and in the USA it’s been described as a “Mormon folk song”. The lyrics are reprinted in The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. 

Sources:

LM Hinton sings it:

Last Updated on April 17, 2024 by John Baxter | Published: June 4, 2020

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