Les Paul (Lester William Polsfuss, June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009) and Mary Ford (Iris Colleen Summers, July 7, 1924 – September 30, 1977) were introduced to each other by Gene Autry in 1946 and married in 1949.
They first appeared in the pop charts in 1950. Between the years 1950 and 1954, Les Paul and Mary Ford had 16 top-ten hits. They had five top-ten hits within nine months. "Tennessee Waltz", "Mockin' Bird Hill", "How High the Moon" (#1 for nine weeks), "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise" and "Whispering". From August 1952 to March 1953 they had five more top-ten hits; "My Baby's Coming Home", "Lady of Spain", "Bye Bye Blues", "I'm Sitting on Top of the World" and "Vaya Con Dios" (#1 for 11 weeks). Their 1954 version of "I'm a Fool to Care" went to #6, and was featured in a memorable Southern Comfort commercial in 2013 that got over 1 million views on YouTube.
In 2009, they were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Les Paul and Mary Ford are famous for creating a makeshift recording studio in their garage. In their garage studio, they used multitrack recording to record many of their hits including ‘Lover’, ‘Nola’, ‘Brazil’ and ‘Whispering' with only the two of them.
YouTube has a large selection of clips from their syndicated TV show "Les Paul & Mary Ford At Home" (1954-'55).
Les Paul and Mary Ford divorced acrimoniously in December 1964, which also ended the collaboration between the two.
The duo have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Les Paul had hosted a 15-minute radio program, The Les Paul Show, on NBC in 1950, featuring his trio (himself, Ford, and rhythm player Eddie Stapleton) and his electronics, recorded from their home and with gentle humour between Paul and Ford bridging musical selections, some of which had already been successful on records, some of which anticipated the couple's recordings, and many of which presented dazzling re-interpretations of such jazz and pop selections as "In the Mood," "Little Rock Getaway," "Brazil," and "Tiger Rag." Several recordings of these shows survive among old-time radio collectors today.
The show also appeared on television a few years later with the same format, but excluding the trio and retitled The Les Paul & Mary Ford Show (aka Les Paul & Mary Ford At Home) with "Vaya Con Dios" as a theme song. Sponsored by Warner Lambert's Listerine, it was widely syndicated during 1954–55 and was only five minutes long (one or two songs) on film and therefore used as a brief interlude or fill-in on programming schedules. Since Les created the entire show himself, including audio and video, he maintained the original recordings and was in the process of restoring them to up-to-date quality at the time of his death.
The Lonesome Road
Les Paul & Mary Ford Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before you travel on.
Look down, look down that lonesome road
Before you travel on.
Look up, look up and greet your maker,
For Gabriel blows his horn.
Travelin' down that lonesome road,
Look down, look down that lonesome road
Before you travel on.
Weary totin', it's such a load,
Whike I'm travelin' down, travelin' down that lonesome old road,
Look down, look down that lonesome road
Before you travel on.
"The Lonesome Road" is a classic blues song written by Nathaniel Shilkret and Gene Austin. Les Paul and Mary Ford's version of the song adds a new dimension to the well-known lyrics. The lyrics convey a message of mortality and the need for introspection as one travels through life's pains and struggles. The opening lines of "Look down, look down that lonesome road, before you travel on" provide a solemn reminder of the inevitability of death. The lyric suggests that one should take a moment to pause and consider the cost of life before venturing forward.
The second line, "Look up, look up and greet your maker, for Gabriel blows his horn," is a poignant metaphor for the end of life, and the final judgment day when the archangel blows his horn. The Word "maker" could refer to God, suggesting that life is more than a journey on earth but also spiritual. The lyric also speaks of weariness, "Weary, totin' such a load, traveling down that lonesome road," which could be interpreted as the struggles of life pulling one down. However, the final lines of the song, "Before you travel on," convey a message of hope, emphasizing the importance of living life with an eye on its ultimate meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Look down, look down that lonesome road
Take a moment to reflect upon the path you are about to take, which could lead you down a lonely and desolate road
Before you travel on.
Prior to taking your next steps, consider the potential consequences of the journey ahead
Look up, look up and greet your maker,
Acknowledge your faith and give thanks, for the end of the road may be near
For Gabriel blows his horn.
The trumpet of the archangel Gabriel may signify the end of life
Weary, totin' such a load,
Fatigued and carrying a heavy burden or emotional weight
Travelin' down that lonesome road,
Continuing down an isolated and possibly sad journey
Look down, look down that lonesome road
Reiterate the importance of reflecting on the path ahead and being mindful of its potential challenges
Before you travel on.
Once again, urge the listener to think before advancing down the uncertain road of life
Lyrics © NATHANIEL SHILKRET MUSIC CO. , Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIMMY CARROLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind