Keep on the Sunny Side

DESCRIPTION: "There's a dark and a troubled side of life, There's a bright and a sunny side too"; even when one faces trouble, one should "Keep on the sunny side of life... It will help us every day." Troubles will eventually pass if one remains hopeful
AUTHOR: Words: Ada Blenklorn / Music: J. Howard Entwhistle (source: McNeil, editor, _Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music_)
EARLIEST DATE: 1912 (Young People' Hymnal #2, according to McNeil)
KEYWORDS: hardtimes nonballad
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Brumley-LamplitinTimeInTheValley 45, "Keep On the Sunny Side of Life" (1 text, 1 tune)
DT, SUNSIDE
Roud #10082
RECORDINGS:
The Carter Family, "Keep on the Sunny Side" (Victor 21434) (Bluebird 5006) (Conqueror 8692)
The A. P. Carter Family, "Keep on the Sunny Side" (Acme 996)
Mac Wiseman, "Keep on the Sunny Side" (Dot 1224)
NOTES [180 words]: The Digital Tradition lists this as by "A.P. Carter and Gary Garett," but of course A. P. Carter claimed copyright on everything the Carter Family sang except things where he could expect to be sued over the claim. I don't know with certainty if Entwhistle wrote the common tune, but I'm pretty sure Blenklorn wrote the (banal) words. (Note: Earlier editions of the index spelled both names wrong, based on Brumley-LamplitinTimeInTheValley. I've now corrected them to match W. K. McNeil, editor, Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, Routledge, 2005, p. 68, since Brumley's book has repeatedly proved inaccurate.)
Steve Roud appears to lump this with "The Happy Sunny Side of Life," a song very well known in bluegrass circles (where its harmonies, which often put the melody in the lower rather than the higher voice, are much appreciated), but it is a separate song; hymnary.org reports that it was written by Tillit S. Teddlie in 1918.
There was also a 1906 pop song, "Keep on the Sunny Side" (words by Jack Drislane, music by Theodore F. Morse). It too is a separate song. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.5
File: ABLT045

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography