{"id":3393,"date":"2020-06-04T14:52:07","date_gmt":"2020-06-04T14:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=3393"},"modified":"2024-04-17T14:24:49","modified_gmt":"2024-04-17T14:24:49","slug":"where-theres-a-will-theres-a-way","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/where-theres-a-will-theres-a-way\/","title":{"rendered":"Where there’s a will there’s a way"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Where there’s a will
Whats the use in repining<\/td><\/tr>
1st Pub<\/td>1866<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td>Harry Clifton<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td> Harry Clifton<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN13835<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall performers<\/strong><\/td>Harry Clifton
Fred French<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Source Singers<\/strong>:
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<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
From Hopwood and Crew sheet music ca 1866<\/strong>\n\nThis life is a difficult riddle,\nFor how many people we see...........\nWith faces as long as a fiddle,\nThat ought to look shining with glee.....\nI am sure in this world there are plenty,\nOf good things enough for us all................\nAnd yet there's not one out of twenty,\nBut thinks that his share is too small.........\n     \nThen what is the use of repining,\nFor where there's a will there's a way......\nAnd tomorrow the sun may be shining,\nAlthough it is cloudy to-day..........<\/em>\n\nDid you never hear tell of the spider,\nThat tried up the wall hard to climb......\nIf not just take that as a guider,\nYou'll find it will serve you in time.....\nNine times it tried hard to be mounting,\nAnd every time it stuck fast........\nBut it tried hard again without counting,\nAnd of course it succeeded at last.......\n\nSome grumble because they're not married,\nAnd cannot procure a good wife........\nWhilst others they wish they had tarried,\nAnd long for a bachelor's life..........\nTo me it is very bewild'rin',\nSome grumble it must be in fun.......\nBecause they have too many children,\nAnd others because they have none......\n\nDo you think that by sitting and sighing,\nYou'll ever obtain all you want.......\nIt's cowards alone that are crying,\nAnd foolishly saying \"I can't,\".......\nIt's only by plodding and striving,\nAnd labouring up the steep hill.......\nOf life, that you'' ever be thriving,\nWhich you'll do if you've only the will.....\n\nVersion transcribed from singing of George Fradley in 1984:<\/strong>\nWhy sure in this world there are plenty\nOf good things enough for us all\nBut I don't think there's one out of twenty\nBut what thinks that his share is too small\n\nDid you ever hear tell of the spider\nThat tried up the wall hard to climb\nTwelve times he fell down but undaunted\nHe did it the very last time\n\nNow what is the use of repining,\nFor where there's a will there's a way\nTomorrow the sun may be shining,\nAlthough it looks cloudy to-day<\/em>\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Another motto song from the pen of Harry Clifton<\/a>, first sung and published in 1866. Like so many of his songs it was also sung by  Fred French.<\/a> This is the earliest ad I can find:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The Era – Sunday 11 February 1866<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is one slight wrinkle in the story: a song of the same name, first line Tis said in this world there are plenty<\/em>, 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It has been sung under the title What’s the use of repining?<\/em>  and in the USA it’s been described as a “Mormon folk song”. The lyrics are reprinted in The Long Winter<\/em> by Laura Ingalls Wilder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n