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

11 Sep 21 - 11:47 AM (#4119589)
Subject: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Senoufou

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.


11 Sep 21 - 12:01 PM (#4119591)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Bonzo3legs

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!


11 Sep 21 - 12:03 PM (#4119592)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Stilly River Sage

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

https://www.travelingwilburys.com/history


11 Sep 21 - 12:20 PM (#4119596)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Senoufou

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!


11 Sep 21 - 12:41 PM (#4119601)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Backwoodsman

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.


11 Sep 21 - 01:07 PM (#4119606)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: John MacKenzie

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.


11 Sep 21 - 01:18 PM (#4119609)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: GUEST,Modette

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


11 Sep 21 - 03:22 PM (#4119615)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: GUEST,Roger

A bit like Hugh Jarse!!


11 Sep 21 - 03:56 PM (#4119621)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Senoufou

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.


11 Sep 21 - 04:10 PM (#4119622)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: Backwoodsman

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


11 Sep 21 - 06:13 PM (#4119636)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'
From: keberoxu

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.


11 Sep 21 - 08:34 PM (#4119655)
Subject: ADD: The End of the Line (Wilburys)
From: Joe Offer

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


13 Sep 21 - 12:36 PM (#4119841)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Senoufou

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.


10 Jun 22 - 03:03 AM (#4143891)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Senoufou

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?


10 Jun 22 - 03:57 AM (#4143895)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Backwoodsman

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.


10 Jun 22 - 04:31 AM (#4143897)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Acorn4

Our band have started to learn it.


10 Jun 22 - 06:27 AM (#4143914)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: SPB-Cooperator

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.


10 Jun 22 - 07:36 AM (#4143923)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: gillymor

The Wilbury Twist is a fun little ditty.


10 Jun 22 - 10:19 AM (#4143938)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Stilly River Sage

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.


17 Jun 22 - 02:06 AM (#4144621)
Subject: RE: Traveling Wilburys 'It's Alright'- End of the Line
From: Senoufou

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!