Music Friday: Tomorrow Brings a Diamond Ring in Traveling Wilburys’ ‘End of the Line’

Welcome to Music Friday when we bring you classic songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today we feature 1989’s “End of the Line” by the Traveling Wilburys, a supergroup composed of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty.

The hopeful, upbeat song about how everything will be all right in the end includes a key jewelry reference in the verse sung by Petty: “You can sit around and wait for the phone to ring / Waiting for someone to tell you everything / Sit around and wonder what tomorrow will bring / Maybe a diamond ring.”

Characterized by its driving, riding-on-the-rails rhythm, “End of the Line” features all of the Wilburys (except for Dylan) on lead vocals. Harrison, Lynne and Orbison take turns singing the chorus, while Petty sings the verses.

Each legendary artist delivers a tidbit of sagely advice — from doing the best you can and always lending a hand, to remembering to live and let live and doing your best to forgive.

The official music video for “End of the Line” was shot in December 1988, just weeks after the death of Orbison. The Wilburys are having a jam session in what seems to be a vintage rail car, with Orbison represented by a guitar sitting in a rocking chair.

The song appeared as the final track on the group’s debut album, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1, which sold more than 4 million copies and charted in 12 countries, including a #3 position on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and the #1 spot on the Canadian RPM 100 Albums chart. The album also earned a 1990 Grammy award for “Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.”

Of the original Wilburys, only the 72-year old Lynne and the 79-year-old Dylan are still alive. Orbison passed away in 1988 at the age of 52, Harrison died in 2001 at the age of 58 and Petty passed in 2017 at the age of 66.

The supergroup’s unusual name is credited to Harrison, who used “wilbury” as a slang term to describe recording errors caused by faulty equipment. Harrison had recommended “The Trembling Wilburys” as the group’s name, but Lynne came up with “Traveling Wilburys,” and the rest is history.

We hope you enjoy the official video for “End of the Line.” It has been viewed on YouTube more than 54 million times and the lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“End of the Line”
Written by Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. Performed by the Traveling Wilburys.

Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, doing the best you can
Well it’s all right, as long as you lend a hand

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

Well it’s all right, even if they say you’re wrong
Well it’s all right, sometimes you gotta be strong
Well it’s all right, As long as you got somewhere to lay
Well it’s all right, everyday is Judgement Day

Maybe somewhere down the road aways
You’ll think of me, and wonder where I am these days
Maybe somewhere down the road when somebody plays
Purple haze

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

Don’t have to be ashamed of the car I drive
I’m just glad to be here, happy to be alive
It don’t matter if you’re by my side
I’m satisfied

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

Well it’s all right, riding around in the breeze
Well it’s all right, if you live the life you please
Well it’s all right, even if the sun don’t shine
Well it’s all right, we’re going to the end of the line

Credits: Screen capture via YouTube.com. Fender Statocaster photo by Andrew King / CC BY-SA.