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
Give Me Roses While I Live
The Carter Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When they have passed away
Roses adorn their narrow bed
Over the sleeping clay
Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
Let us not wait to do good deeds
Till they have passed away
Now is the time to sow good seeds
While here on earth we stay
Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
After the soul has gone
Kind words are useless when folks lie
Cold in a narrow bed
Don't wait till death to speak kind words
Now should the words be said
Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
After the soul has gone
Give me the roses while I live
Don't wait until I die
To spread the roses over my grave
To see as you pass it by
Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
After the soul has gone
The Carter Family's song Give Me Roses While I Live is a poignant reminder that we should love and cherish those we hold dear while they are still alive. The opening lines of the song acknowledge that people are often praised and appreciated only after they have passed away. The reference to "roses" adorning the "narrow bed" implies that this praise comes in the form of flowers and symbols of sadness, which are more often brought to a funeral than to a person who is still living. However, the singer is asking for flowers, or kindness, while she is still alive, when she can enjoy them and be cheered by them.
The song urges us to act kindly and say kind words to people while they are still alive, so that our words and deeds can have a positive impact on their lives. The singer reminds us that it is useless to wait until someone has passed away to say kind words or bring flowers, as they will not be able to appreciate them. The repetition of the phrase "give me the roses while I live" underscores the importance of this message, emphasizing that we should cherish and show love for those we care about while we still have the chance.
Overall, Give Me Roses While I Live is a touching reminder to appreciate and cherish the people in our lives while they are still with us. The song encourages us to spread kindness and love, and to not just remember the good deeds and words of someone after they have passed away.
Line by Line Meaning
Wonderful things of folks are said
People say wonderful things about others when they have passed away.
Roses adorn their narrow bed
Flowers decorate their grave.
Over the sleeping clay
Their body is buried underground.
Give me the roses while I live
Give me the flowers and praise while I am still alive.
Trying to cheer me on
Trying to make me happy and encouraged.
Useless are flowers that you give
Flowers are pointless to give after I have already passed away.
Let us not wait to do good deeds
We should not wait until someone has died to do good things for them.
Till they have passed away
Until they are no longer alive.
Now is the time to sow good seeds
We should do good things for others while we are still alive.
While here on earth we stay
While we are still alive and living on Earth.
Kind words are useless when folks lie
Saying kind words after someone has died is pointless.
Cold in a narrow bed
Their body is buried in a small space in the ground.
Don't wait till death to speak kind words
Don't wait until someone has died to say kind things about them.
Now should the words be said
Kind words should be said while the person is still alive.
Don't wait until I die
Don't wait until I am dead to do kind things for me.
To spread the roses over my grave
To decorate my grave with flowers.
To see as you pass it by
To be able to see the flowers on my grave as you walk by.
Contributed by Brayden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mary Amelia Taylor
Similar text appears in The Sacred Harp tunebook, with text attributions to James Rowe (1915), rather than tune.
340 Odem (Second)
Tune: T. J. Denson, 1935
Words: James Rowe, 1915
Wonderful things of men are said,
When they have passed away;
Flowers adorn the narrow bed
Over the lifeless clay.
Chorus:
Give me the roses while I live,
Something to cheer me on,
Useless the flowers you may give,
After the soul is gone.
Life is the time for words of praise,
Hands clasp with friendly smile,
Blessings to cheer a pilgrim’s days,
Are always well worthwhile.
(Chorus)
Hubert Geelen
Lyrics: Wonderful things of folks are said
When they have passed away
Roses adorn their narrow bed
Over the sleeping clay
Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
After the soul has gone
Let us not wait to do good deeds
Till they have passed away
Now is the time to sow good seeds
While here on earth we stay
Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
After the soul has gone
Kind words are useless when folks lie
Cold in a narrow bed
Don't wait till death to speak kind words
Now should the words be said
Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
After the soul has gone
Give me the roses while I live
Don't wait until I die
To spread the roses over my grave
To see as you pass it by
Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
After the soul has gone
Ray Unseitig
Give Me Roses While I Live by The Carter Family
LYRICS:
Wonderful things of folks are said
When they have passed away
Roses adorn the narrow bed
Over the sleeping clay
Give me the roses while I live
Trying to cheer me on
Useless are flowers that you give
After the soul is gone
Kind words are useless when folks lie
Cold in a narrow bed
Don't wait till death to speak kind words
Now should the words be said
Let us not wait to do good deeds
Till they have passed away
Now is the time to sow good seeds
While here on earth we stay
Bobby McGuyer
This purity; this quality is unknown in this day . Hang on to this wonderful music as long as you can; I am nourished by it.
Joseph Wahome
I dont know how to quit them
Andrzej Antczak
Ten, kto gra....wie i cieszy się, że to słyszy. Sława tym LUDZIOM! WIECZYSTA!
traylorvh
Mother sang this to my sister and me when we were little. We always sent each other flowers if we couldn't pick them and take them to each other. Lesson well learned. Thank you for this wonderful post
Sherakee
😢😇you have jes made me so happy 🤗🥰💕
docsavage98
One of my favorite old gospel songs and nobody does it better than the Carter's
MormonAll
Truth set to music. Great, pure talent. No lights flashing needed.
glnelson1956
To a modern ear, the Carter Family at first may seem a bit "old" as we are accustomed to 21st Century recording tricks. But, as you listen carefully to the Carters, their songs get into your blood. You realize that modern singers are a fake, superficially perfect mountain stream replica set up in a shopping mall. The Carters are a real mountain stream, pure crystal clear water, with all the rough edges where the dirt natually crumbles away. I'll take the real mountain stream any day.
Sherakee
Crystal, and home in my heart
Dennis Hagans
Amen, this modern stuff is so superficial and designed to please the flesh, I hate it.