New from Mike & Marty: “Keep On The Sunny Side”

Here is an upbeat song for your day – Mike and Marty just released a new one called “Keep On The Sunny Side”. This tune was originally written in the late 1800s by Ada Blenkhorn, and later recorded by the Carter family.

The story behind its writing is moving:

In 1899 Ada Blenkhorn was inspired to write the Christian hymn by a phrase used by her nephew. Blenkhorn’s nephew was disabled and always wanted his wheelchair pushed down “the sunny side” of the street.

So I suppose this song helped popularize the well-known expression to “keep on the sunny side of the street”, even though those precise words don’t appear in it.

Marty sings lead on this one. One thing that struck me is that she sounds a lot like her sister Rose in this one, even more so, I think, than in other songs they’ve put out. Here are the lyrics:

“Keep On The Sunny Side” Lyrics

There’s a dark and a troubled side of life;
There’s a bright and a sunny side, too;
Though we meet with the darkness and strife,
The sunny side we also may view.

Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life;
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way,
If we keep on the sunny side of life.

Tho’ the storm in its furies rage today,
Crushing hopes that we cherished so dear,
The clouds and storms will in time pass away,
And the sun again will shine bright and clear.

Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life;
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way,
If we keep on the sunny side of life.

Let us greet with a song of hope each day,
Though the moments be cloudy or fair;
Let us trust in our Savior always,
He’ll keep us everyone in His care.

Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life;
It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way,
If we keep on the sunny side of life.

The video was filmed at a pond on an appropriately sunny spring day. Enjoy a listen here: