Tune Tuesday – I’m On My Way

For Tune Tuesday we celebrate the 62nd birthday of the Reid Brothers (Charlie and Craig) of The Proclaimers. The group was formed in 1983, but it wasn’t until 1987 that their song “Letter from America” was a top 5 hit in the UK.

In 1988, the group released their best known album, Sunshine on Leith, which included their smash hit I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) and the song I want to feature today. In 1989, Rolling Stone magazine called it “a wonderfully guileless treasure of an album.”

I admit that I only stumbled onto “I’m On My Way” because it was featured in the first Shrek movie. I was familiar with I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), but did not realize that it was the same band. My oldest son loved the Shrek movie, so I bought the soundtrack to play in the car on car trips. The more that song played, the more I liked it. The song was released as a follow up to I’m Gonna Be, but it never charted in the US, even though there were some pop stations that played it.

When I was going through my divorce, I was driving to work with my iPod plugged into the car. I was feeling very depressed and music always seemed to help. When the song began and the first line of the song was sung, it really hit me. “I’m on my way from misery to happiness today,” they proclaimed (pun intended)! It was just what I needed to be reminded of. I was in a miserable situation and so unhappy! I was in the process of moving forward from misery to happiness.

This song still brings a smile to my face every time I hear it. Happy Birthday, Charlie and Craig!

I’m On My Way

I’m on my way from misery to happiness today
I’m on my way from misery to happiness today
I’m on my way to what I want from this world
And years from now you’ll make it to the next world
And everything that you receive up yonder
Is what you gave to me the day I wandered

I took a right, I took a right turning yesterday
I took a right, I took a right turning yesterday
I took the road that brought me to your home town
I took the bus to streets that I could walk down
I walked the streets to find the one I’d looked for
I climbed the stair that led me to your front door

And now that I don’t want for anything
I’d have Al Jolson sing “I’m sitting on top of the world”

I’ll do my best, I’ll do my best to do the best I can
I’ll do my best, I’ll do my best to do the best I can
To keep my feet, from jumping from the ground dear
To keep my heart, from jumping through my mouth dear
To keep the past, the past and not the present
To try and learn when you teach me a lesson

And now that I don’t want for anything
I’d have Al Jolson sing “I’m sitting on top of the world”

I’m on my way from misery to happiness today
I’m on my way from misery to happiness today
I’m on my way to what I want from this world
And years from now you’ll make it to the next world
And everything that you receive up yonder
Is what you gave to me the day I wandered

I’m on my way to what I want from this world
And years from now you’ll make it to the next world
And everything that you receive up yonder
Is what you gave to me the day I wandered

I’m on my way, I’m on my way,
I’m on my way, I’m on my way,
I’m on my way, I’m on my way,