{"id":20792,"date":"2023-05-23T04:50:57","date_gmt":"2023-05-23T04:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=20792"},"modified":"2025-12-10T06:51:03","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T06:51:03","slug":"end-of-the-road-the","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/end-of-the-road-the\/","title":{"rendered":"End of the road, The"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Keep right on to the end of the road<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1924<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Harry Lauder & William Dillon<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN23917, V36003<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Harry Lauder<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Phillips, Cyril; England : Sussex; 1966
Modern performances<\/strong>
Kenneth McKellar<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Every road through life is a long, long road\nFilled with joys and sorrows too\nAs you journey on how your heart will yearn\nFor the things most dear to you\nWith wealth and love 'tis so\nBut onward we must go.\n\nKeep right on to the end of the road\nKeep right on to the end\nThough the way be long, let your heart be strong\nKeep right on round the bend\nThough your tired and weary still journey on\nTill you come to your happy abode\nWhere all the love you've been dreaming of\nWill be there at the end of the road.<\/em>\n\nWith a big stout heart to a long steep hill\nWe may get there with a smile\nWith a good kind thought and an end in view\nWe may cut short many a mile\nSo let courage every day\nBe your guiding star always.\n\n<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Perhaps Harry Lauder’<\/a>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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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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.<\/p>\nMotherwell Times, 02\/5\/1924 (see Daily News 29\/4\/1924 for fuller report)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
A recording or download of this song can be purchased from Windyridge CDs.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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