Darling Little Joe
The Carter Family Lyrics


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My little darling, oh, how I love you
How I love you none can tell
In your heart you love another
Little darling pal of mine

Many a night while you lay sleeping
Dreaming of your rambler's life
Lay a poor boy brokenhearted
Listening to the wind outside
My little darling, oh, how I love you
How I love you none can tell
In your heart you love another
Little darling pal of mine

Many a day with you I've rambled
Countless hours with you I've spent
Thought I had your heart forever
But I find it only lent
My little darling, oh, how I love you
How I love you none can tell
In your heart you love another
Little darling pal of mine

There is just three things I wish for
That's a casket, shroud, and grave
When I'm dead, don't weep for me
Just kiss those lips that you betrayed
My little darling, oh, how I love you
How I love you none can tell




In your heart you love another
Little darling pal of mine

Overall Meaning

The Carter Family’s “Little Darling Pal of Mine” is a melancholy song about unrequited love. The singer expresses deep affection towards the listener and expresses his difficulty in coping with the fact that the listener loves someone else. The lyrics reveal the singer’s frustration and heartbreak as he struggles to move on from the listener’s love. The song is a poignant expression of love, rejection, and the pain of unrequited affection.


The lyrics of “Little Darling Pal of Mine” are simple and evocative. The song is about the singer’s love, which is unrequited. He expresses his love for the listener, but acknowledges that she loves someone else. The singer is heartbroken and knows that he cannot change the listener’s heart. The song captures the sadness that comes with unrequited love, the longing of wanting to be with someone who does not feel the same way, and the pain of knowing that the person you love is in love with someone else.


Line by Line Meaning

My little darling, oh, how I love you
I have deep affection for you, my dear


How I love you none can tell
The extent of my love for you is indescribable


In your heart you love another
You have given your love to someone else


Little darling pal of mine
You are my dear friend even if you don't love me the same way


Many a night while you lay sleeping
During the nights you slept tranquilly


Dreaming of your rambler's life
Dreaming about your free-spirited lifestyle


Lay a poor boy brokenhearted
I lay there, heartbroken


Listening to the wind outside
Hearing the wind howl in the night


Many a day with you I've rambled
I have spent many days wandering around with you


Countless hours with you I've spent
Endless amounts of time I have enjoyed with you


Thought I had your heart forever
Believed that your love for me would last a lifetime


But I find it only lent
Sadly, your love for me was a temporary feeling


There is just three things I wish for
I only desire three things


That's a casket, shroud, and grave
When I die, I want only a coffin, funeral clothes, and a burial place


When I'm dead, don't weep for me
Do not cry for me when I pass away


Just kiss those lips that you betrayed
Rather, give me one last kiss, even though you broke my heart




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: A.P. CARTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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The Carter Family Channel

This channel was created with admiration and to help keep The Carter Family music alive, and share with the world! please help me do this for as long as possible, no profit is made from this channel but you are welcome to show your love and support to the channel with any donations, https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=8TNJ64TWNH9M2 any questions you have i am always happy to answer :) as the songs and footage are so old, time is spent to remastered them to the best possible quality, thank you Sara, A.P and Maybelle what you started back in 1927, you have meant so much to so many people and will always continue to, we miss you so much but what you left us will never be forgotten :)

Keith McLaughlin

A simple thank u to a fine gift

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