Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Arlo Guthrie & Pete Seeger Lyrics


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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

Overall Meaning

The song "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" is a mournful and poignant meditation on the universal theme of death and the desire for an afterlife. The song begins with the singer standing by the window on "one cold and cloudy day" watching as his mother's coffin is taken away in a hearse. The chorus echoes the eternal question of whether the circle of life will continue unbroken in the afterlife. The singer asks the undertaker to drive slowly, as if acknowledging the finality of death and seeking to prolong his last moments with his mother. In the second verse, the singer follows the coffin to the grave and bids farewell to his mother with sorrow and regret. In the third verse, the singer returns home to an empty and lonesome house, left only with memories of his mother and the songs she sang.


The final verse of the song provides some comfort to the mourners, as it affirms the belief in an afterlife and reunification with loved ones in a better home. The hymns of faith sung in childhood and taught by the singer's mother are recalled, and the chorus repeats the question of whether the circle will continue unbroken in the sky. The song is a moving and poetic tribute to the power of faith and the human yearning for transcendence.


Line by Line Meaning

I was standing by my window, On one cold and cloudy day
The singer was looking out the window on a dreary day


When I saw that hearse come rolling For to carry my mother away
The singer saw a hearse carrying the body of their mother


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
The singer wonders if they will be reunited with their mother in the afterlife


I said to that undertaker Undertaker please drive slow For this lady you are carrying Lord, I hate to see here go
The artist asks the undertaker to slow down out of sorrow


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
The artist tried to be strong but eventually broke down when their mother was buried


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
The singer returned to an empty home where everyone was grieving


We sang the songs of childhood Hymns of faith that made us strong Ones that Mother Maybelle taught us Hear the angels sing along
The family sang hymns that their mother had taught them in a tribute to her


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
The artist repeats their wonderment about being united with their mother in the afterlife


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
The artist repeats their wonderment about being united with their mother in the afterlife




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Traditional, Arlo Guthrie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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