End of the road, The

Every road through life is a long, long road
Filled with joys and sorrows too
As you journey on how your heart will yearn
For the things most dear to you
With wealth and love 'tis so
But onward we must go.

Keep right on to the end of the road
Keep right on to the end
Though the way be long, let your heart be strong
Keep right on round the bend
Though your tired and weary still journey on
Till you come to your happy abode
Where all the love you've been dreaming of
Will be there at the end of the road.

With a big stout heart to a long steep hill
We may get there with a smile
With a good kind thought and an end in view
We may cut short many a mile
So let courage every day
Be your guiding star always.

Perhaps Harry Lauder’s most famous song, written in 1924 when he was still coming to terms with the death of his son in World War 1. The song seems to have had an immediate and profound impact on his audience – see report of the song’s debut below.

Many comedians ended their act with a serious song and for the rest of his career, no Lauder performance would be complete without this song. It was played at his funeral.

Sir Harry Lauder had a great reception at the Victoria Palace, London, on Monday night, when he sang a new sentimental song entitled “Keep straight on to the end of the road.” A man rose in the audience and said it was a sermon on the stage, while a woman said she was just home from visiting her son’s grave France, and the song sung by Sir Harry would inspire her to live her life to the end. Sir Harry, who was much affected these tributes, stated that he composed the song in a train on the night of his arrival in England.

Motherwell Times, 02/5/1924 (see Daily News 29/4/1924 for fuller report)

Sources:

• VWML entry
• Kilgarrif Sing Us
• Lyrics: monologues.co.uk
• UK Sheet Music Cover: SirHarryLauder.com
• Sheet Music: Digital Commons at Connecticut College
• British Newspaper Archive, various reports
• How it became a Birmingham City AFC chant
• See also article published by Western Front Association

Last Updated on May 23, 2023 by John Baxter | Published: May 23, 2023