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The Parting Song (Journey’s End)

[ Roud - ; Judy (Judith) B. Goodenough (1942-1990)]

Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy sang Judy B. Goodenough’s poem The Parting Song (Journey’s End), set to music by Tommy Makem, in 1978 on their Blackbird album Two for the Early Dew which was produced by Archie Fisher.

Gordon Bok sang The Parting Glass on his 1998 album Gatherings. He noted:

Judy [Goodenough] would send her “extra” songs to various singers; sometimes because the songs needed a tune, sometimes because they might fit the singer. This one came round through Anne Dodson and Matt Szostak, via Archie Fisher.

Heidi Talbot sang The Parting Song in 2008 on her Navigator album In Love + Light.

Archie Fisher sang The Parting Glass in 2015 on his Greentrax album A Silent Song. He noted:

The finale song that I joined in on during my time with Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy in the late 70s, with an added middle verse for the lads and my late buddy Allan Barty.

The Teacups sang Journey’s End (The Parting Song) in 2015 on their Haystack album Of Labour and Love. They noted:

We chose this song partly because it’s beautiful, but partly to symbolise the closing of an important chapter of our lives, individually and collectively, and the beginning of a new one. Originally a poem by Judy B. Goodenough, it was set to music by renowned Irish traditional musician Tommy Makem.

Lyrics

Tommy Makem sings The Parting Song (Journey’s End)

The fire is out; the moon is down;
The parting glass is dry and done,
And I must go and leave this town
Before the rising of the sun.
And long’s the road and far’s the mile
Before I rest my soul again,
With girls that weep and girls that smile
And all the words and ways of men.

For some there are who may not bide,
But wander to the journey’s end,
Nor take a girl to be a bride,
Nor keep a man to be a friend.
And when I’m done with wandering,
I’ll sit beside the road and weep
For all the songs I did not sing,
And promises I did not keep.

Gordon Bok sings The Parting Glass

The fire is out; the moon is down;
The parting glass is dry and done,
And I must go and leave this town
Before the rising of the sun.
Long’s the road and many’s the mile
Before I rest my soul again,
With the girls that weep and girls that smile
At all the words and ways of men.

And some there are who may not hide
But wander ’til their journey’s end,
Or take a girl to be a bride
Or keep a man to be a friend.
When I’m done with wandering
I will sit beside the road and weep
For all the songs I did not sing,
And promises I did not keep.