In 1951, Anita scored two Top Ten hits with "Down the Trail of Achin' Hearts" with Hank Snow at No. 2 and "Blue Bird Island" at No. 4. She reached the Top Ten again in 1968 with "I Got You" with Waylon Jennings at No. 4 and recorded several folk albums in the late 1960s. In 1962, Anita recorded a song co-written by her sister June called "Ring of Fire". After hearing the record, her future brother-in-law Johnny Cash reportedly dreamed of hearing Mexican horns on the record and told Anita that if her song did not hit in five or six months he would record it "the way I feel about it." After the song failed to make the charts, Cash recorded it in March 1963 with the horns and the Carter Sisters (along with mother Maybelle Carter). The revised song went on to gain wide international popularity and became one of the biggest hits of his career.
Anita married fiddler Dale Potter in 1950 (div.), session musician Don Davis in 1953 (divorced and then re-married), and Bob Wootton (lead guitarist for Johnny Cash's band The Tennessee Three) in 1974 (divorced). She had two children, Lorrie Frances and John Christopher.
Anita Carter died at the age of 66 after several years of poor health, a year after eldest sister Helen and four years before middle sister June.
Farewell
Anita Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm leaving in the first hour of the morn
I'm bound off for the bay of Mexico
Or maybe the coast of Californ
So it's fare thee well my own true love
We'll meet another day another time
It's not the leaving that's grieving me
Oh the weather is against me and the wind blows hard
And the rain she's a turning into hail
I still might strike it lucky on a highway going west
Though I'm travelinh on the path-beaten trail
So it's fare thee well my own true love...
I will write you a letter from time to time
As I'm rambling you can travel with me too
With my head in my heart and my hands my love
I will send what I learned back home to you
So it's fare thee well my own true love...
I'll tell you of the laughter and the troubles too
Be their somebody else's or my own
With my hands in my pocket and my coat collar high
I will travel unnoticed and unknown
So it's fare thee well my own true love...
The lyrics of Anita Carter's Farewell is about a lover who is leaving her true love behind to explore and travel to places like the Bay of Mexico or the coast of California. Despite the sadness of leaving, it's the thought of leaving her true love behind that's making her grieve. The lyrics explain how the weather is against her, and the wind is blowing hard, rain turning into hail, but she remains hopeful following the path-beaten trail. The song speaks of the idea of writing letters and communicating through them while traveling as a way to still feel connected to her true love. She mentions that with her head and heart filled with experiences, she'll gladly share the laughter and the troubles she encounters and let her true love travel with her through her letters.
The song Farewell is about the idea of exploring and traveling despite the hardships and challenges that come with the journey. It's a hopeful and optimistic take on wanderlust that's driven by a deep connection with her true love. It's not just about the desire to explore and seek new experiences but also a need to share the joy, the laughter, the troubles, and the learning that comes with traveling. The song speaks about the importance of communication and how even being far away, you can still be connected through letters.
Line by Line Meaning
It's fare thee well my darling true
Goodbye, my dear beloved
I'm leaving in the first hour of the morn
I'm departing early in the morning
I'm bound off for the bay of Mexico
I'm heading towards the bay of Mexico
Or maybe the coast of Californ
Or perhaps towards the coast of California
We'll meet another day another time
We'll cross paths again someday
It's not the leaving that's grieving me
It's not the act of departing that's saddening me
But my true love whose bound to stay behind
Rather, it's the thought of my beloved staying back that's troubling me
Oh the weather is against me and the wind blows hard
The weather conditions are unfavorable with strong winds blowing
And the rain she's a turning into hail
Rain is transforming into hail
I still might strike it lucky on a highway going west
But I may still encounter good fortune while traveling west
Though I'm travelinh on the path-beaten trail
Even though I'll be traveling on a well-trodden path
I will write you a letter from time to time
I'll keep you updated through occasional letters
As I'm rambling you can travel with me too
While I'm wandering, you can come along with me in spirit
With my head in my heart and my hands my love
I'll move forward with both my mind and my emotions, my love
I will send what I learned back home to you
I'll share what I've gained from this journey with you back at home
I'll tell you of the laughter and the troubles too
And I'll narrate everything to you, the joys and the difficulties alike
Be their somebody else's or my own
Whether the challenges belonged to me or someone else
With my hands in my pocket and my coat collar high
With my hands tucked inside my pockets and my coat's collar pulled up high
I will travel unnoticed and unknown
I'll travel anonymously, unknown to many
Writer(s): Bob Dylan Copyright: Special Rider Music
Contributed by Gavin W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hazen Sweeney
She was truly "the Appalachian angel".A beautiful voice and a beautiful woman .
Leo Suazo
One of the great voices of all time
Thomas Kelly
Brilliant voice....beautiful
Shapulak
I love it
Thomas Kelly
Beautiful
Marcus Larinen
Great song, but I prefer the version they released as a single for Columbia - more uptempo, and Helen's and Anita's voice blending beautifully. Have you ever heard it?
mrblindfreddy9999
That would be the one Recorded by The Carter Sisters w/Anita Leading on 3 Feb 1965 No one's posted it and I have not heard it and can't find it Cheers Dave
Peter Telleus
Varför fick hon inte
Leva så länge
Anita carter