Theres a long long trail

AKAThere’s a long, long trail a-winding
First Published1914

Writer/composerStoddard King / Zo ElliottRoudRN23525

Music Hall PerformersAda Reeve
Folk performancesCollected from the singing of:
Copper, Jim; England : Sussex ; 1936
Pardon, Walter; England : Norfolk ; 1974
Gavan, Loy; Canada : Quebec; 1978
Hart, Bob; England : Suffolk ;1975-78
Kane, Alice; Northern Ireland : Belfast no date
Modern Performances:
New Victory Band, A Harp and a Monkey
Nights are growing very lonely, days are very long
I'm a-growing very weary only listening for your song
Old remembrances are thronging through my memory
Thronging till it seems the world is full of dreams
Just to call you back to me.

There's a long, long trail a-winding
Into the land of my dreams
Where the nightingales are singing
And a white moon beams
There's a long, long night of waiting
Until all my dreams come true
Till the day when I'll be going down
That long, long trail with you.

All night long I hear you calling, calling sweet and low
Seem to hear your footsteps falling everywhere I go
Though the road between us stretches many a weary mile
Somehow I forget that you're not with me yet
When I think I see your smile.


A sentimental song extremely popular throughout the English-speaking world during World War I. Millions of people fearing for their loved ones found solace in the words and music. In the British Halls it was popularised by Ada Reeve, but it was also sung and recorded by John McCormack. It was written by two young American men while still students at Yale.

The power of the song and its persistent popularity is reflected in the dozens of versions that have been recorded, including ones by Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, The Sons of the Pioneers, and characters in the comedy TV series M*A*S*H

There’s a long long trail has been collected from traditional singers in Canada, England and Ireland and was widely sung by troops from English-speaking countries in World War I. Given its popularity there are many parodies, for example There is a long long worm a-crawling in the Prairie Home Companion Folksong Book.

Three contrasting versions!

A 1915 recording by James Reed and J. F. Harrison, with Bamforth postcards:

The Sons of the Pioneers(1941)

A Harp and a Monkey (2018)

Sources:

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