Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line

Subject: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Senoufou
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 11:47 AM

Does anyone else like this song? I keep hearing it on a TV programme which plays 80's music, and there's a video of the Traveling Wilburys playing guitars while on a train.
The thing is, it wrings my heart. The words are so poignant I find myself crying. It's about life and 'getting by', memories down the line and being old & grey but still having something to say.
I might Google the Wilburys in a minute and see what I can learn about them.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 12:01 PM

Yes very much. My sister bought me a Travelling Wilburys boxed set a few years ago and we dig it out to play every few weeks!

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 12:03 PM

Love it. And the whole idea of the Traveling Wilburys.

https://www.travelingwilburys.com/history

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Senoufou
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 12:20 PM

Oh Stilly, thank you for that interesting link! I didn't realise that their name has historical connotations.
And glad to hear you know it too Bonzo. I'd honestly never heard of them, or this song, before the TV channel started playing it often.
I have some tissues at the ready, because something about it makes me sob. Silly old besom!

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 12:41 PM

Senoufou, it’s actually called ‘End of the Line’ and the video is significant for a very special reason. You will see an empty rocking chair in the video, with a guitar on it. It appears during the parts sung by the unique and wonderful Roy Orbison, and the significance Is that, between the recording of the audio track and the filming of the video, Roy had tragically died of a heart-attack.

RIP Roy, you were one of the best.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 01:07 PM

Hugh Jampton was a character in early Goon Shows, played by Peter Sellers. The BBC never cottoned on to the double entendre. Yes I loves the Wilburys, funnily enough the first cassette of theirs I acquired, was bought in Istanbul.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: GUEST,Modette
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 01:18 PM

It's not a double-entendre, Johm, but rhyming slang - huge Hampton, Hampton Wick, etc.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: GUEST,Roger
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 03:22 PM

A bit like Hugh Jarse!!

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Senoufou
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 03:56 PM

Oh yes, sorry Backwoodsman, I got the name wrong. It is indeed 'End Of The Line'. And how sad that Roy Orbison was involved, but died just after the sound recording.
It's such a poignant song.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 04:10 PM

I love them, Sen - great songs, great musicians! Shame there are so few of those guys left now.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: keberoxu
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 06:13 PM

Wonder if we ought to get those lyrics into this thread?

True, Tom Petty and George Harrison left us far too early.
To think that Bob Dylan survived the lot,
and he looked, when he was younger, as though
he was going to flame out, like others of that generation,
and here he is yet.

Subject: ADD: The End of the Line (Wilburys)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Sep 21 - 08:34 PM

I think the Traveling Wilburys were the ultimate "supergroup" - Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeffrey Lynne, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty. Harrison and Lynne came up with the idea, and the band formed in 1988 and released Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 in October 1988. Roy Orbison died in December 1988, and the remaining Wilburys released a second album titled Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3 in October 1990. To my mind, both of these albums were damn near perfect - the best musicians in the business having a really good time together. I never tire of listening to these albums.

END OF THE LINE
(Robert Dylan / George Harrison / Jeff Lynne / Roy Kelton Orbison / Thomas Earl Petty)

Well, it's alright, ridin' around in the breeze
Well, it's alright, if you live the life you please
Well, it's alright, doin' the best you can
Well, it's alright, as long as you lend a hand

You can sit around and wait for the phone to ring (at the end of the line)
Waiting for someone to tell you everything (at the end of the line)
Sit around and wonder what tomorrow will bring (at the end of the line)
Maybe a diamond ring

Well, it's alright, even if they say you're wrong
Well, it's alright, sometimes you gotta be strong
Well, it's alright, as long as you got somewhere to lay
Well, it's alright, everyday is judgment day

Maybe somewhere down the road a ways (at the end of the line)
You'll think of me and wonder where I am these days (at the end of the line)
Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays (at the end of the line)
Purple Haze

Well, it's alright, even when push comes to shove
Well, it's alright, if you got someone to love
Well, it's alright, everything'll work out fine
Well, it's alright, we're going to the end of the line

Don't have to be ashamed of the car I drive (at the end of the line)
I'm just glad to be here, happy to be alive (at the end of the line)
And it don't matter if you're by my side (at the end of the line)
I'm satisfied

Well, it's alright, even if you're old and grey
Well, it's alright, you still got something to say
Well, it's alright, remember to live and let live
Well, it's alright, the best you can do is forgive

Well, it's alright (alright), riding around in the breeze
Well, it's alright (alright), if you live the life you please
Well, it's alright, even if the sun don't shine
Well, it's alright (alright), we're going to the end of the line


Source: LyricFind (lyrics checked for accuracy. I left "alright" stand, although I hate it.)
Songwriters: Robert Dylan / George Harrison / Jeffrey Lynne / Roy Kelton Orbison / Thomas Earl Petty
End of the Line lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Concord Music Publishing LLC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMVjToYOjbM

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/all-right-or-alright-which-is-correct

Both of these classic albums are available on the Traveling Wilburys YouTube Channel

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Senoufou
Date: 13 Sep 21 - 12:36 PM

Oh thank you Joe for posting the words. And thank you Backwoodsman for mentioning the empty rocking chair with the guitar on it. I've just watched the video again on that TV channel, and there was a framed photograph of Roy Orbison on the wall.
I'm mopping up the tears again. Such a lovely song and so very poignant.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Senoufou
Date: 10 Jun 22 - 03:03 AM

Well, they played this again yesterday evening (10th June 2022) on the 'Now 80s' TV channel with the accompanying video, and I unwisely didn't turn off the sound. I cried and cried, it just seemed to break my heart all over again. Another time, I must change the channel until the song is over.
I've never known any song to have this poignant effect on me, apart from 'Will Ye Go Lassie Go?', which a chap played and sang in the Edinburgh folk club when I was a 17yr old student. (I was rather timid, lonely and lost during my first months in Scotland.)
Doesn't music have enormous power to affect ones mood and emotions?

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 10 Jun 22 - 03:57 AM

Still one of my most-played albums, Sen (along with more recent stuff - all of Molly Tuttle’s albums (brilliant young guitarist/singer/writer) and the recent album by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss).

Every song on that Wilbury’s album is so perfect, I never tire of it.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Acorn4
Date: 10 Jun 22 - 04:31 AM

Our band have started to learn it.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 10 Jun 22 - 06:27 AM

I like everything on the CDs. Shows what can happen when musicians and singers get together for nothing more than the sheer enjoyment of making music. Albeit - Handle With Care is my favourite track.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: gillymor
Date: 10 Jun 22 - 07:36 AM

The Wilbury Twist is a fun little ditty.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jun 22 - 10:19 AM

That's one I haven't seen - and another sad reminder of losses. Orbison wasn't in that (and I don't hear him, so they didn't record it before his death). Harrison, Petty, also gone, and in the opening scene, the late actor John Candy responding to the musical commands.

Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Jun 22 - 02:06 AM

Well it was on yet again last night, and I bravely resolved to enjoy it and not weep like a silly baby. It seems to me that they're really good musicians and the 'lead singer' has a very expressive way of delivering the lyrics. It's now become an 'earworm', and is one of my favourite songs!