Doc played guitar in both flatpicking and fingerpicking style, but was best known for his flatpick work. His virtuosity combined with his authenticity as a mountain musician made him a highly influential figure during the folk music revival. He pioneered the fast and flashy bluegrass lead guitar style which has been adopted and extended by others such as Clarence White and Tony Rice. He was also an accomplished banjo player and in the past had accompanied himself on harmonica as well.
In 1986 he received the North Carolina Award and in 2000 he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. In 1997, Doc received the National Medal of the Arts from President Clinton.
He was generally joined on stage by his grandson and Merle's son Richard as well as his musical partner of twenty years, Jack Lawrence.
He was host to the annual MerleFest music festival held every April at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The festival features a vast array of acoustic style music focusing on the folk, bluegrass, blues and old time music genres. It's named in honor of Merle Watson and is one of the most popular acoustic music festivals in the world, drawing over 85,000 music fans each year.
In late May 2012, Watson was listed in critical condition but was responsive at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after undergoing colon surgery. Watson had fallen early in the week. Watson did not break any bones, but an underlying condition prompted the surgery. Watson died on May 29, 2012 at the medical center at the age of 89.
The House Carpenter
Doc Watson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We’ve met, we’ve met, said he
I’ve just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee
I could have married the King’s daughter fair
She would have married me
But I’ve forsaken her crown of gold
Come in, come in, my old true love
Come in, she said to him
For it’s been three fourths of a long, long year
Since together we have been
No, I can’t come in, nor I can’t sit down
For I have but a moment’s time
And they say that you’re married to a house carpenter
And your heart will never be mine
Will you come with me, my old true love?
Oh come with me, said he
And I’ll take you to where the grass grows green
On the banks of Bittery
Then she picked up her sweet little babe
And kisses she gave it three
Sayin', stay at home my darlin’ little babe
And keep your papa company
Then he jumped on a milk white steppe
And her on a dapple grey
They rode until they came to the banks of a sea
Three hours before the break of day
They had not been on the ship two weeks
I’m sure it was not three
Until his true love began to weep and to mourn
And she wept most bitterly
Oh, is it for my silver you weep?
Is it for my store?
Or is it for that house carpenter
Whose face you’ll never see no more?
It’s neither for you silver I weep
And neither for your store
But it’s all for the sake of my sweet little babe
Whose face I’ll never see no more
Then a curse, a curse to the sailor she cried
A curse, a curse, she swore
You’ve robbed me of my house carpenter
Whose face I’ll never see no more
They had not been on the ship three weeks
I’m sure it was not four
Till they sprang a leak in the bottom of the ship
And it sunk for to rise no more
Doc Watson's song The House Carpenter tells the story of an old true love reunited after a long period of separation. The male protagonist has just returned from a long journey across the sea, all for the love of his partner who he forsakened. He tells her that he could have married the King’s daughter, but he chose to leave her crown of gold all because of the love he has for his partner. It is evident that the female protagonist has moved on and gotten married to a house carpenter, but the male protagonist still holds a torch for her.
In the second verse, the female protagonist invites the male protagonist into her home, but he refuses due to a lack of time. He goes on to explain that he heard that she has married a house carpenter, and her heart can never be his. He urges her to come with him to the Banks of Bittery, but she refuses, staying back with her child. The two rode together for weeks, but the woman starts to weep and mourn after two weeks, and when questioned by the man, she responds that she weeps not for his wealth or store but for the sake of her child, whose face she will never see again.
The song takes a dramatic twist when the woman ends up cursing the sailor and the ship, and they sink and get lost at sea. This song captures the intense feeling of love and desperation to be with someone, even if it means giving up everything else that one could have.
Line by Line Meaning
We’ve met, we’ve met, my old true love
The singer is addressing his true love, whom he has met again.
We’ve met, we’ve met, said he
The true love replies, confirming that they have indeed met.
I’ve just returned from the salt, salt sea
The singer has returned from his travels at sea.
And it's all for the love of thee
The reason for his return is his love for his true love.
I could have married the King’s daughter fair
The singer had the opportunity to marry a king's daughter.
She would have married me
The king's daughter was willing to marry him.
But I’ve forsaken her crown of gold
The singer chose to give up the opportunity, represented by the crown of gold, to be with his true love.
And it's all for the love of thee
Again, he reiterates that his love for his true love is the reason for his actions.
Come in, come in, my old true love
The singer's true love welcomes him inside.
Come in, she said to him
The true love invites the singer to come inside.
For it’s been three fourths of a long, long year
It has been a long time since they have seen each other.
Since together we have been
They have not been together for a while.
No, I can’t come in, nor I can’t sit down
The singer cannot stay for long.
For I have but a moment’s time
He only has a short amount of time.
And they say that you’re married to a house carpenter
The singer's true love has reportedly married a house carpenter.
And your heart will never be mine
The singer is resigned to the fact that he will never be with his true love.
Will you come with me, my old true love?
The singer asks his true love to come away with him.
Oh come with me, said he
His true love agrees to go with him.
And I’ll take you to where the grass grows green
He promises to take her to a better place.
On the banks of Bittery
This place is called Bittery.
Then she picked up her sweet little babe
The singer's true love has a child.
And kisses she gave it three
She gives her child three kisses goodbye.
Sayin', stay at home my darlin’ little babe
She tells her child to stay at home.
And keep your papa company
She asks her child to keep its father company.
Then he jumped on a milk white steppe
The singer mounts a white horse.
And her on a dapple grey
His true love rides a grey horse.
They rode until they came to the banks of a sea
They ride to the sea.
Three hours before the break of day
They arrive three hours before dawn.
They had not been on the ship two weeks
Two weeks after starting their journey on the ship.
I’m sure it was not three
It had not been a full three weeks yet.
Until his true love began to weep and to mourn
The singer's true love begins to cry and grieve.
And she wept most bitterly
She cries a lot and is very sad.
Oh, is it for my silver you weep?
The singer asks why his true love is crying.
Is it for my store?
He asks if it's because he lost his wealth.
Or is it for that house carpenter
He asks if it's because of the house carpenter.
Whose face you’ll never see no more?
He asks if it's because his true love will never see the house carpenter again.
It’s neither for you silver I weep
His true love responds, saying it's not about his wealth.
And neither for your store
It's not about his belongings either.
But it’s all for the sake of my sweet little babe
She reveals that she's crying because of their child.
Whose face I’ll never see no more
She laments that she'll never see their child again.
Then a curse, a curse to the sailor she cried
His true love curses the sailor who took them away.
A curse, a curse, she swore
She swears the curse upon the sailor.
You’ve robbed me of my house carpenter
She blames the sailor for taking her away from her husband.
Whose face I’ll never see no more
She repeats that she'll never see her husband again.
They had not been on the ship three weeks
Another week passes on the ship.
I’m sure it was not four
It's not been a full month yet.
Till they sprang a leak in the bottom of the ship
The ship's hull is breached.
And it sunk for to rise no more
The ship sank and was lost forever.
Contributed by Declan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.