Album: The Original And Great Carter Family (1935)

• I was standing by my window,
  On one cold and cloudy day
  When I saw that hearse come rolling
  For to carry my mother away
  
  Will the circle be unbroken
  By and by, lord, by and by
  There's a better home a-waiting
  In the sky, lord, in the sky
  
  I said to that undertaker
  Undertaker please drive slow
  For this lady you are carrying
  Lord, I hate to see here go
  
  Will the circle be unbroken
  By and by, lord, by and by
  There's a better home a-waiting
  In the sky, lord, in the sky
  
  Oh, I followed close behind her
  Tried to hold up and be brave
  But I could not hide my sorrow
  When they laid her in the grave
  
  Will the circle be unbroken
  By and by, lord, by and by
  There's a better home a-waiting
  In the sky, lord, in the sky
  
  I went back home, my home was lonesome
  Missed my mother, she was gone
  All of my brothers, sisters crying
  What a home so sad and lone
  
  Will the circle be unbroken
  By and by, lord, by and by
  There's a better home a-waiting
  In the sky, lord, in the sky
  
  We sang the songs of childhood
  Hymns of faith that made us strong
  Ones that mother Maybelle taught us
  Hear the angels sing along
  
  Will the circle be unbroken
  By and by, lord, by and by
  There's a better home a-waiting
  In the sky, lord, in the sky
  
  Will the circle be unbroken
  By and by, lord, by and by
  There's a better home a-waiting
  In the sky, lord, in the sky Lyrics from a song in Public Domain

Comments: 5

• Jessica from UsaThis song is essentially the "Theme" to the video game Bioshock Infinite. In the Game, it's used as a religious Hymn and is sung quite a few times. Ironically, the place "In the Sky" here is not heaven, but the Floating city of Columbia, the setting of the game.
• Budoshi from Sandnessjøen, NorwayThe Nitty Gritty Bands version with Johnny Cash, Roy Acuff, Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris, Levon Helm And The Carter Family.... That's the best one
• Ed from Lake City, Flall these versions are good, but no one does it like gregg allman. he put his own soul on this one
• Erin from Portland, OrAllman Bros are nice, but please listen to the Carter Family and Johnny Cash versions. Probably THE perfect American song - certainly one of the best songs of all time, period.
• Lee from Heath, OhThe song was written in 1907 by Charles H. Gabriel (music) and Ruth Ada Habershon (lyrics). It appeared in "Alexander's Gospel Songs, No. 2" (1910), and, most likely, in earlier forms as well.
  
  
  And I know of at least two recordings that predate the Carter Family's version--both from the late 1920s, on the Brunswick and Columbia labels, respectively. The Carters changed the words and made the verse and chorus melodies identical (they removed the half-cadence at the close of the verse, for example). Oddly enough, gospel and pop versions of "Circle" are just as likely to feature the original words as they are to contain the Carter verses. And they are just as likely to credit A.P. Carter as they are to cite Gabriel and Habershon.
  
  Gabriel also wrote the music (and, sometimes, the words) for "Send the Light," "Higher Ground," "Since Jesus Came Into My Heart," "My Saviour's Love," and "His Eye Is on the Sparrow." "Circle" and "Sparrow" are frequently mistaken for folk songs, of course.
  
  There's a 1936 "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" by James D. Vaughan which has nothing to do with the more famous tune. It appears to have been an attempt to avoid copyright payments to Homer Rodeheaver (who, I believe, owned the song at that point). I have it in a 1943 R.E. Winsett songbook.
  
  Of course, the Carter version of the song represents the ultimate ducking of royalty payments! I have no idea why they weren't sued.
  
  Lee

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