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
Happy or Lonesome
The Carter Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Come back to me once more
Come with the love light gleaming
As in the days of yore
I wonder if you still love me
And if your heart is still true
When the spring roses are blooming
Then i'll come back to you
Somewhere a heart is breaking
Calling me back to you
Memories of loved ones waiting
Each happy home and you
Absence makes my heart fonder
Is it the same with you
Are you still happy, I wonder
Or do you feel lonesome, too
When the sun is sinking
In the golden west
And the birds and flowers
They have gone to rest
Come tell me that you still love me
And that your heart is still true
When the spring roses are blooming
Then I'll come back to you
Somewhere a heart is breaking
Calling me back to you
Memories of loved ones waiting
Each happy home and you
Absence makes my heart fonder
Is it the same with you
Are you still happy, I wonder
Or do you feel lonesome, too
The Carter Family's song Happy or Lonesome is a sentimental ballad that speaks about a person who is missing their love and home. The lyrics strike an emotional chord as they convey the sense of yearning and longing for someone who may have moved away from the singer. The lyrics "Come back to me in my dreaming" and "Come with the love light gleaming" indicate that the person being sung to is now far away and the singer is waiting for that person to come back to them, even if it is just in their dreams.
The second verse mentions "Somewhere a heart is breaking", which could be interpreted as the hearts of loved ones being left behind by the person who has gone away. The line "Absence makes my heart fonder, is it the same with you" suggests that the singer is wondering if the other person is also missing them just as deeply. In the final verse, the lyrics "When the sun is sinking in the golden west, and the birds and flowers have gone to rest" convey a sense of time slowing down and the world being at peace, as if it is the perfect time for the two of them to reunite. However, the question remains: are they still happy or have they become lonesome too in each other's absence?
Overall, the song Happy or Lonesome is a poignant and emotive composition that highlights the complexities of love and separation. The lyrics echo a sense of isolation and the deeply held desire to be reunited with one's love and home.
Line by Line Meaning
Come back to me in my dreaming
I wish to see you in my dreams once again
Come back to me once more
I long for your return
Come with the love light gleaming
Bring back the love that once shone between us
As in the days of yore
As in the times long gone by
I wonder if you still love me
I am unsure if your love for me still remains
And if your heart is still true
And if you are still loyal to me
When the spring roses are blooming
At the time when flowers bloom in spring
Then i'll come back to you
I shall return to you at that time
Somewhere a heart is breaking
Someone's heart is aching for their loved one
Calling me back to you
Making me yearn for your return
Memories of loved ones waiting
Thinking of those who are eagerly waiting for their loved ones
Each happy home and you
Every happy household and the thought of being with you
Absence makes my heart fonder
Distance from you only increases my love for you
Is it the same with you
Do you feel the same way about our separation
Are you still happy, I wonder
Are you still in a state of joy and contentment
Or do you feel lonesome, too
Or do you also feel lonely and sad like I do
When the sun is sinking
When the sun is setting
In the golden west
In the golden horizon of the west
And the birds and flowers
When the birds and flowers settle down
They have gone to rest
They have retired for the night
Come tell me that you still love me
Express to me that you still hold affection for me
And that your heart is still true
And that your love and loyalty for me remain steadfast
When the spring roses are blooming
Once again, when the flowers blossom in spring
Then I'll come back to you
That's when I shall return to you, my beloved
Contributed by Kayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Celeste Choto
I feel like a dick chiming im but seriously?.........
1 comment? This song is a masterpiece
imanuglyfrogtoo
Lonesome .....sniff ';:-(
Celeste Choto
We get it bro