On The Path Of Glory
Petula Clark Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Blessed are the meek, they say
They shall win where others lose
But when man is forced to stay,
He is never asked to choose

He must fight for his country,
Fight for what he thinks is right
He'll defend his wife and children
On the path of glory

Red or yellow, white or brown
All alike, one thought in mind
Who will wear the victor's crown?
Never mind the lame and blind

In the pride of their country,
Good will triumph in the end
Evil will be brought to justice
On the path of glory

Big or little, fat or thin
All are heroes in the end
Unforgivable, the sin
To submit, they don't pretend

They will die for their country
They will die for you and me
Amid the pungent smell of death
That's on the path of glory

Why should man be forced to kill?
Why should they be made to die,
Shattered on some peaceful hill
Torn and bleeding where they lie?

Far away from their country,
Ask yourself the question now




Why should they be forced to set out
On the path of glory?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Petula Clark's song On The Path Of Glory convey a strong anti-war message, questioning why individuals are forced to fight and die for their country. The first verse talks about the idea of meekness being rewarded, but during times of war, this is not the case - individuals are not given a choice, but rather forced to fight, putting their lives on the line. The second verse speaks of the idea that during war, we should all have one thought in mind, that of winning, regardless of race or ethnicity. The bridge acknowledges that all individuals who fight in the war become heroes, regardless of their physical appearance or background.


However, the song then goes back to questioning the reasons behind war and the devastating impact that it has on people's lives. It questions why individuals are required to kill or be killed, and why they are forced to leave their homes and families to fight for their country. The last line of the song "why should they be forced to set out on the path of glory?" is particularly poignant, with the concept of glory being used in a sarcastic manner, highlighting the true horrors of war.


Overall, the song is a powerful statement about the futility and tragedy of war, its impact on individuals and society, and the need for unity and peace.


Line by Line Meaning

Blessed are the meek, they say
They say the humble will be rewarded


They shall win where others lose
They will succeed where others fail


But when man is forced to stay,
When a person is compelled to go to war


He is never asked to choose
He has no choice in the matter


He must fight for his country,
He is required to fight for his nation


Fight for what he thinks is right
Defend what he believes is just


He'll defend his wife and children
He will protect his family


On the path of glory
In the path of honor


Red or yellow, white or brown
Regardless of race or ethnicity


All alike, one thought in mind
Everyone has the same purpose


Who will wear the victor's crown?
Who will be the winner?


Never mind the lame and blind
Disregard the weak and vulnerable


In the pride of their country,
With a sense of national pride


Good will triumph in the end
Goodness will prevail


Evil will be brought to justice
Wrongdoers will face the consequences


On the path of glory
In the path of honor


Big or little, fat or thin
Regardless of body size


All are heroes in the end
Everyone is considered a hero


Unforgivable, the sin
Unpardonable, the wrongdoing


To submit, they don't pretend
They will not pretend to surrender


They will die for their country
They are willing to sacrifice their lives for their nation


They will die for you and me
They will die for the people


Amid the pungent smell of death
In the midst of the strong odor of death


That's on the path of glory
That's in the honorable pathway


Why should man be forced to kill?
Why should a person be compelled to kill?


Why should they be made to die,
Why should they be sent to their deaths?


Shattered on some peaceful hill
Broken on a tranquil hill


Torn and bleeding where they lie?
Injured and bleeding where they fall?


Far away from their country,
Distant from their nation


Ask yourself the question now
Reflect upon this inquiry


Why should they be forced to set out
Why should they be compelled to depart


On the path of glory?
In the path of honor?




Contributed by Daniel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@SUPERCOCKROACH666

B.C. extra told Hallmark movies wonโ€™t show interracial couples. September 25, 2018
A Carousel Christmas starring Kathie Lee Gifford, a film based on the popular Christian Godwinks book series.
โ€œIt was very Christmas-y, very beautiful, very typical of a Hallmark movie,โ€ said Lesley Horat, who signed up to be an extra with friends.

When a scene called for a number of couples to linger behind romantically, Horat was told to sit it out.
Horat, who has first-hand experience with racial segregation, chose not to come back for the second day of filming.

@sabrinamessenger

I love the story of how Petula and her husband/manager Claude Wolff stood up to the Networks and refused to edit this part! Very beautiful and history making performance.

@billboth4814

My understanding was that they had two other takes showing Petula and Harry standing apart destroyed. That left only this take. It was prerecorded for subsequent broadcast & the broadcast date just happened to be shortly after Dr. King was shot. The ratings were enormous and it won some awards.

@sueh273

I remember the hubbub back in the day & seeing this beautiful performance.

@ViejoFeo56

It was more than that. They ruined all other footage to keep others from editing it

@randolphpatterson5061

Chrysler was the show's main sponsor, and it was a Chrysler rep who'd made the demand. According to wiki, the show aired four days after Martin Luther King Jr's assassination, and the show got high ratings, critical acclaim, and a prime time Emmy nomination. And best of all, the Chrysler rep was terminated.

@inkyguy

@Sabrina Messenger, It wasnโ€™t โ€œthe networks.โ€ (It was produced for a single television network, NBC.) It was the showโ€™s sponsor representative from Chrysler Corp., who ultimately lost his job over his attempt to keep the show segregated.

She and her husband did stand up to him and only delivered the finished product we see today, having destroyed the alternate film takes with the two of them separated from one another.

5 More Replies...

@harrycohen3632

Thank you Petula and Harry for this beautiful number and for breaking barriers.
Rest well, Mr. Belafonte.

@marinalevantovsky9832

Rest in peace Harry Belafonte 1927-2023

@tmhgdh

Petula Clark should be Dame Petula. She is one of the great female British singers and obviously from this incident, a wonderful person. She deserves every recognition.

More Comments

More Versions