1989 Anthem by 'Greatest Rock Supergroup of All Time' Became the Ultimate Road Trip Classic
Of all the supergroups in rock history, it's safe to say that the Traveling Wilburys weren't simply one of the most successful, but one of the most beloved (if not the most beloved).
It makes sense, of course. All the members of the group were already incredibly popular on their own: George Harrison, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison (who tragically died just a couple of months after the release of the band's 1988 masterpiece, The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1).
But the Traveling Wilburys, as a band, were even greater than the sum of their parts - that's why they were ranked the "Greatest Rock Supergroup of All Time" by Collider in 2025 - and for proof, one needn't look any further than the last track on Vol. 1, "End of the Line."
Written primarily by Harrison but credited to everyone in the band, "End of the Line" features the former Beatle, Lynne, Orbison and Petty taking turns on lead vocals and Dylan singing backups. The driving melody and hopeful lyrics make the song a perfect soundtrack to any type of journey, even all these years later:
Well, it's all right even when push comes to shove
Well, it's all right if you got someone to love
Well, it's all right, everything'll work out fine
Well, it's all right, we're going to the end of the line
Don't have to be ashamed of the car I drive (at the end of the line)
I'm just glad to be here, happy to be alive (at the end of the line, of the line)
It don't matter if you're by my side (at the end of the line)
I'm satisfied
In his 1988 review of the album, David Wild of Rolling Stone described "End of the Line" as "a movingly upbeat ride-off-into-the-sunset song for these middle-aged rock & roll cowboys: Maybe somewhere down the road a ways/You'll think of me and wonder where I am these days/Maybe down the road when somebody plays/'Purple Haze.'"
The song took on even more meaning after Orbison's sudden death from a heart attack, which happened before the band had a chance to film a music video for "End of the Line." When they finally made the now-iconic video, which takes place on a train, the remaining Wilburys honored their late friend and bandmate by showing a rocking chair with a guitar in it as Orbison's vocals played.
Related: Fans Rediscover Iconic '80s Supergroup That Formed on a Whim: 'The Greatest of All Time'
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 8:16 PM.