The original group consisted of Alvin Pleasant Delaney Carter (A.P.; 1891-1960), his wife, Sara Dougherty Carter (autoharp and guitar; 1898-1979), and Maybelle Addington Carter (guitar; 1909-1978). Maybelle Carter (later popularly known as Mother Maybelle Carter) was married to A.P.'s brother Ezra (Eck) Carter. All three were born and raised in southwestern Virginia where they were immersed in the tight harmonies of mountain gospel music and shape note singing. Maybelle Carter's distinctive and innovative guitar playing style quickly became a hallmark of the group.
The Carters got their start on July 31, 1927 when A.P. convinced Sara and Maybelle (pregnant at the time) to make the journey from Maces Springs, Virginia to Bristol, Tennessee to audition for record producer Ralph Peer who was seeking new talent for the relatively embryonic recording industry. They received $50 for each song they recorded.
In the Fall of 1927 the Victor recording company released a double-sided 78 rpm record of the group performing "Wandering Boy" and "Poor Orphan Child". In 1928 another record was released with "The Storms Are on the Ocean" and "Single Girl, Married Girl". This one proved very popular.
They stopped touring and recording in 1943.
In 1987, the three daughters of Maybelle Carter - June Carter (also known as June Carter Cash, following marriage to Johnny Cash), Helen Carter and Anita Carter, along with June Carter's daughter Carlene Carter, appeared as the Carter Family and were featured on a 1987 television episode of Austin City Limits along with Johnny Cash.
The Carters were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970 and were given the nickname "The First Family of Country Music". In 1988, the Carter Family was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and received its Award for the song "Will the Circle Be Unbroken". In 1993, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative postage stamp honoring A.P., Sara, and Maybelle. In 2001, the group was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. In 2005, the group received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Carter Family III carries on the tradition. The group consists of A.P. Carter and Sarah Carter’s grandson Dale Jett, Maybelle Carter’s grandson John Carter Cash and his wife Laura Cash.
For more details, see the Carter Family biography at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carterfamily/peopleevents/p_carters.html
Fond Affection
The Carter Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All my hopes on you was spent
Till a dark eyed girl persuaded
And you cared no more for me
Go on and leave me if you wish to
Never let me cross your mind
In your heart you love another
Yodel-ay-ee-oh, lay-ee-ay, oh-lay-ee
When I'm dead and in my coffin
And my pale face toward the sun
Will you come and sit beside me
And think of what you have done
Go on and leave me if you wish to
Never let me cross your mind
In your heart you love another
Never on earth will I call you mine
Yodel-ay-ee-oh, lay-ee-ay, oh-lay-ee
When I'm dead and in my coffin
And the shroud about me bound
Will you come and scatter roses
Upon your lover's mound
Go on and leave me if you wish to
Never let me cross your mind
In your heart you love another
Never on earth will call I you mine
Yodel-ay-ee-oh, lay-ee-ay, oh-lay-ee
The Carter Family's song "Fond Affection" is a heartbreaking ballad of lost love and regret. The singer reveals that they were deeply in love with their partner, and their hopes and dreams were tied to this love. However, a dark-eyed girl came along and persuaded their lover to leave them. The singer is left alone and heartbroken, knowing that their love has moved on to someone else. The chorus is a declaration of acceptance and resignation, urging their lover to leave them if they wish to and never to think of them again. The yodeling that punctuates the song adds to the sense of sadness and resignation.
The second verse takes on a slightly different tone, as the singer imagines their own death and burial. They ask if their lover will come and sit beside them, and think about what they've done. This verse adds an extra layer of sorrow to the song, as the singer is aware that their love will never be reciprocated, even in death. The final verse is similarly despairing, as the singer imagines their lover scattering roses on their grave. The song ends with the chorus once more, underlining the singer's acceptance of their abandonment.
Overall, "Fond Affection" is a poignant portrait of a love that was lost, and the pain that comes with it. The lyrics are full of pathos, and the simple melody helps to create an atmosphere of melancholy. The song is a testament to the Carter Family's skill as songwriters and performers, and it remains a classic of the country music genre.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I loved your fond affection
I used to love the care and love you used to show me
All my hopes on you was spent
I had complete trust and faith in you
Till a dark eyed girl persuaded
Until a girl with dark eyes convinced you otherwise
And you cared no more for me
You lost all the love and care you had for me
Go on and leave me if you wish to
You have the freedom to go away if you choose to
Never let me cross your mind
You should never think of me again
In your heart you love another
Your love has shifted to someone else
Never on earth will I call you mine
I will never be able to claim you as mine
When I'm dead and in my coffin
After I pass away and am buried
And my pale face toward the sun
My lifeless face will be directed towards the sun
Will you come and sit beside me
Will you pay me a visit and sit next to my grave
And think of what you have done
And reflect on the pain and hurt you caused me
When I'm dead and in my coffin
After I pass away and am buried
And the shroud about me bound
When the cloth covers me completely
Will you come and scatter roses
Will you come and place roses on my grave
Upon your lover's mound
On top of the burial place of your loved one
Yodel-ay-ee-oh, lay-ee-ay, oh-lay-ee
Refrain for the song
Contributed by Claire A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
GravityAngel
0:17 Once I loved your fond affection
All my hopes on you was spent
Till a dark eyed girl persuaded
And you cared no more for me
0:35 Go on and leave me if you wish to
Never let me cross your mind
In your heart you love another
Never on earth will I call you mine
0:54 Yodel-ay-ee-oh, lay-ee-ay, oh-lay-ee
1:19 When I'm dead and in my coffin
And my pale face toward the sun
Will you come and sit beside me
And think of what you have done
1:37 Go on and leave me if you wish to
Never let me cross your mind
In your heart you love another
Never on earth will I call you mine
1:55 Yodel-ay-ee-oh, lay-ee-ay, oh-lay-ee
2:19 When I'm dead and in my coffin
And the shroud about me bound
Will you come and scatter roses
Upon your lover's mound
2:37 Go on and leave me if you wish to
Never let me cross your mind
In your heart you love another
Never on earth will call I you mine
2:55 Yodel-ay-ee-oh, lay-ee-ay, oh-lay-ee
JILLY RIZZO
Tell me, who improved on their grooves? Been through them all, and nobody comes close, not even in funk.