Vintage Audio: There's A Long, Long Trail A-Winding
Updated - Sunday, 17 November, 2002

Reproduced below are the lyrics to the popular sentimental anthem, There's A Long, Long Trail A-Winding.  Written in 1915, its words were penned by Stoddard King and its music by Alonzo "Zo" Elliott; the song proved popular among America's newly-departed Doughboys.

Click here to listen to a version of the song recorded by John McCormack on 7 June 1917, coincidentally the opening day of the Battle of Messines (MP3 format 751kb)

There's a Long, Long Trail A-Winding

Nights are growing very lonely,
Days are very long;
I'm a-growing weary only
List'ning for your song.
Old remembrances are thronging
Thro' my memory.
Till it seems the world is full of dreams
Just to call you back to me.

Chorus:
There's a long, long trail a-winding
Into the land of my dreams,
Where the nightingales are singing
And a white moon beams:
There's a long, long night of waiting
Until my dreams all come true;
Till the day when I'll be going down
That long, long trail with you.

All night long I hear you calling,
Calling sweet and low;
Seem to hear your footsteps falling,
Ev'ry where I go.
Tho' the road between us stretches
Many a weary mile.
I forget that you're not with me yet,
When I think I see you smile.

Chorus:
There's a long, long trail a-winding
Into the land of my dreams,
Where the nightingales are singing
And a white moon beams:
There's a long, long night of waiting
Until my dreams all come true;
Till the day when I'll be going down
That long, long trail with you.

A "Dixie" (from the Hindi degci) was an army cooking pot.

Original Material © Michael Duffy 2000-09, SafeSurf Rated