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
I'm so Lonesome I Could Cry
The Carter Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He sounds too blue to fly
The midnight train is whining low
I'm so lonesome I could cry
I've never seen a night so long
When time goes crawling by
The moon just went behind a cloud
Did you ever see a Robin weep
When leaves begin to die?
That means he's lost his will to live
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky
And as I wonder where you are
I'm so lonesome I could cry
I'm so lonesome I could cry
The Carter Family's song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is a melancholic ballad that expresses the sentiment of intense loneliness and isolation. The song starts with a description of a lonesome whip-poor-will, which seems to be weighed down by the weight of its own sadness. This sets the tone for the song, and the verses that follow paint a vivid picture of a deserted and desolate landscape.
As the song progresses, the singer describes the passage of time, the fading of the moon and the falling of a star, and through these natural occurrences, the singer's feeling of isolation only intensifies. The third verse discusses a robin that weeps when the leaves start to die, which is a metaphor for losing the will to live. The singer compares the robin's sadness to their own, expressing that they are so lonesome that they could cry.
The final verse is a haunting description of a purple sky lit up by a falling star. The singer wonders where their loved one is, feeling lost and abandoned. This verse is filled with emotional longing and desperation, emphasizing the depth of the singer's loneliness.
Overall, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is a deeply emotional and poignant song that resonates with anyone who has experienced loneliness or heartbreak.
Line by Line Meaning
Hear that lonesome whip-poor-will?
Did you hear that lonely bird? It sounds so sad that it can't even bring itself to fly.
He sounds too blue to fly
The bird's song is so sorrowful that it seems like it can't muster the energy to take off into the air.
The midnight train is whining low
A train in the distance is making a mournful sound as it rolls through the night.
I'm so lonesome I could cry
I am overcome with loneliness to the point that I feel like I could burst into tears.
I've never seen a night so long
This night seems interminable; its minutes are dragging by.
When time goes crawling by
The passage of time feels slow and painful, like it's dragging itself along on hands and knees.
The moon just went behind a cloud
The moon was out, but now it has moved behind a cloud, perhaps as if in sadness.
To hide its face and cry
The moon seems to be hiding and crying, as if it shares in my sadness.
Did you ever see a Robin weep
Have you ever watched a robin cry?
When leaves begin to die?
It's typically in the fall, when leaves start to turn brown and fall from the trees.
That means he's lost his will to live
A robin crying over fallen leaves is a sign that it has essentially given up on life.
I'm so lonesome I could cry
I am overcome with loneliness to the point that I feel like I could burst into tears.
The silence of a falling star
The sound of a shooting star is inaudible, like a moment of silence.
Lights up a purple sky
When it passes, however, it creates a momentary flash of light that illuminates the sky a faint shade of purple.
And as I wonder where you are
As I ponder where you might be, and why you're not here with me.
I'm so lonesome I could cry
I am so alone, I feel like I could weep uncontrollably.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hank Williams, Sr.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind