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| "End of the Line" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byTraveling Wilburys | ||||
| from the albumTraveling Wilburys Vol. 1 | ||||
| B-side | "Congratulations" | |||
| Released | 23 January 1989 | |||
| Genre | Folk rock,country rock | |||
| Length | 3:30 | |||
| Label | Wilbury | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| Traveling Wilburys singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "End of the Line" onYouTube | ||||
"End of the Line" is a song by the British-Americansupergroup theTraveling Wilburys. It was the final track on their debut albumTraveling Wilburys Vol. 1, released in October 1988. It was also issued in January 1989 as the band's second single. The recording features all the Wilburys exceptBob Dylan as lead singers;George Harrison,Jeff Lynne andRoy Orbison sing the choruses in turn, whileTom Petty sings the verses. The song was mainly written by Harrison and was assigned to his publishing company, Umlaut Corporation.[2] However, all five members of the group received a songwriting credit in keeping with the collaborative concept behind the Wilburys project.[3]
In the United States, the single peaked at No. 63 on theBillboard Hot 100 chart and at No. 2 on theAlbum Rock Tracks chart, blocked from the top spot by both "Driven Out" byThe Fixx and "Working on It" byChris Rea. In the United Kingdom, the single peaked at No. 52 on theUK Singles Chart.[4]
Themusic video for "End of the Line" was directed by Willy Smax and filmed in Los Angeles in December 1988. Set in a moving passenger carriage pulled by asteam locomotive, it features Dylan, Harrison, and Lynne playing guitar, Petty playing bass, and session musicianJim Keltner (credited as Buster Sidebury on the albums) playing drums withbrushes.[5] As Orbison had died after recording his vocals but before the video was shot, his guitar is shown sitting in a rocking chair inside the carriage, and a photo of Orbison is shown when his vocals are heard.[6]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Number One |   [7] |
The song was used over the end credits of thefinal episode of the British sitcomOne Foot in the Grave and the American comedyParks and Recreation.
Acover version sung byDennis Waterman was used as the theme for two episodes of the BBC seriesNew Tricks, then replaced by a closepastiche.
"End of the Line" appeared in the George Harrison-produced cult comedyChecking Out.
The song has also been included in TV spots for the 2004 filmThe Terminal, as well as the trailer for the 2007 hit comedyKnocked Up.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers played this song live during their 2008 North American tour.
Harrison was honoured in the parody song "No Where Near the End of My Time" by radioon-air personalityBob Rivers.
The song was used on the end credits of the 2016 Australian family comedy filmRed Dog: True Blue and for an episode of HBO'sCrashing in 2018.
It was also used in the trailer for the 2023Tom Hanks movie,A Man Called Otto.
The song is used in the 2024 filmSonic the Hedgehog 3 during a scene set in 1974 depicting the friendship between Maria Robotnik andShadow the Hedgehog. However, due the song being released 1989, it is considered to be an example ofanachronism.
7" single, cassette single
12" single, 3" CD single
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[20] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Compilations | |
| Songs and singles | |
| Related | |
