WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY
   Written by Harry Clifton. [by 1866]
   Arranged by M. Hobson.
   (Tempo di Valse.)

1
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.........
      Chorus
   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..........
2
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.......
3
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......
4
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.....


Source: Period sheet music published by Hopwood & Crew.
Lyrics transcription prepared by Steve Gardham.
ABC transcription and MIDI prepared by Artful Codger.
Lots of information on other Clifton songs in this thread: "Help: Harry Clifton songwriter"

Steve Gardham's notes:

The copy was sent to me by Robert Pammant who is Clifton's great grandson.

WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY
Litho, bust of Clifton (can't make out the lithographer's name.)
SERIO-COMIC SONG
ALSO SUNG BY FRED FRENCH
Written and sung by Mr. HARRY CLIFTON
At his popular concerts
in GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
London, Hopwood & Crew

Inside
"WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY"
Written by Harry Clifton            Arranged by M. Hobson
Stock Number H & C 952

[Per Mudcatter] Sminky: The Era gives it as 1866.

It is still sung traditionally in the west Sheffield villages by singers who have learnt it from the singing of Arthur Howard.

ABC transcription of the melody (piano intro, verse and chorus):

X:1
T:Where There's a Will, There's a Way
C:Written by Harry Clifton.
C:Arranged by M. Hobson.
S:Period sheet music.
N:Music provided to Steve Gardham by Robert Pammant; HC was his maternal
N:great-grandfather.
R:waltz
M:3/4
Q:3/4=64
L:1/4
K:A
%
%   Piano introduction
e | e^de | (ac'e') | (f3 | b)za | gBc |
(dgf) | e3- | ez (c/d/) | e^de | (ac'e') |
(f3 | b)za | (g^^f)g | (c'2b | a3- |a2) ||
%
%   Verse
E | E^DE | Ace | (F3 | B)zA | GB,C | DGF | E3- |
w: This life is a dif-fi-cult rid-dle, For how ma-ny peo-ple we see
%
EzE | E^DE | Ace | (F3- | B)zA | G^^FG | Gc>B |
w: * With fa-ces as long as a fid-dle, That ought to look shi-ning with
%
A3- | AzG/A/ | Gc^d | feB | (^d3 | c)z(^d/c/) |
w: glee.* I am sure in this world there are plen-ty Of*
%
cFG | A^d>c | B3- | Bz(G/A/) | Bc^d | feB |
w: good things e-nough for us all* And yet there's not one out of
%
(^d3 | c)z (B/A/) | GF^E | FAG | E3- | [E2e2] ||
w: twen-ty But* thinks that his share is too small*
%
%   Chorus
"^Chorus" E | E^DE | Ace | (F3 | B)zA | GB,C | DG>F |
w: Then what is the use of re-pi-ning, For where there's a will there's a
E3- | Ez(C/ D/) | E^DE | Ace | (F3 | B)zA |
w: way* And to-mor-row the sun may be shi-ning, Al-
G^^FG | GcB | A3- | A2 z/ || (c/d/) | e^de |
w: though it is clou-dy to-day.*
(ac'e') | f3 |bza | (g^^f)g | (c'c'>b | a3- | a2 z ||


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