1992 Power Ballad, Named No. 1 Hit Song for 13 Weeks, Was Written for a Hit Film
"Although we've come to the end of the road, still I can't let go."
On a summer day in June 1992, "End of the Road" by the American R&B group Boyz II Men was released as a single for the film Boomerang. Written by Babyface, Antonio L.A. Reid and Daryl Simmons, the ballad has been defined by its heart-wrenching lyrics about holding on, heartbreak and desperate love.
The track was released after their debut album, Cooleyhighharmony, had been put out. Three weeks after its release, it landed a spot on the Billboard Hot 100. By the end of summer, "End of the Road" was the No. 1 song and held its spot on the chart for 13 weeks before "How Do You Talk to an Angel" by the Heights took its place in mid-November.
In addition, the song was placed on Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Singles of 1992, and was ranked as the music publication's sixth most successful song of the decade 1990–1999.
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"End of the Road" was originally intended to be kept by Babyface for himself, but after hearing the group's version, he knew theirs was superior. In a podcast episode that is hosted by Boyz II Men member Shawn Stockman, he asked the producer why he decided to give away the hit.
"When I finished the song, I thought it was really good, and I thought, 'Damn, I wanna keep this one for myself,' and I was really considering it," Babyface, whose real name is Kenneth Brian Edmonds, admitted. "I listened to [Boys II Men] and I thought that it would be fun to do it with you guys. What I didn't know, was how good you really were."
"End of the Road" is featured during the climactic emotional scenes near the end of the romcom when Marcus (Eddie Murphy) realizes he truly loves Jacqueline (Robin Givens) and subsequently faces the heartbreak of their relationship ending. Boomerang follows Marcus Graham, a cocky and womanizing advertising executive who gets a taste of his own medicine when his new boss, Jacqueline, treats him with the indifference he shows women.
Formed in 1985, Boyz II Men is an American vocal harmony group from Philadelphia that consisted of Stockman, Michael McCary, Nathan Morris and Wanyá Morris. McCary, the group's bassist, left in 2003 due to health issues. The group first saw commercial success with the release of Cooleyhighharmony in 1991, which included the singles "Motownphilly" and "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday," both of which peaked within the top five of the Billboard Hot 100.
So far, the R&B trio has released 14 studio albums, with their most recent being Under the Streetlight in 2017. Winning four Grammy Awards in the 1990s, their discography is frequently cited as influential on the R&B genre, and Boyz II Men have been listed among the greatest doo-wop vocal groups of all time.
"End of the Road" and Boyz II Men's entire discography can be listened to on streaming platforms. Meanwhile, Boomerang is available to stream on Netflix, Philo, MGM+ and Paramount+ Essential, as well as rented or purchased via Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango At Home.
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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 6:32 PM.