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
Lovers Return
The Carter Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And say the old love's growing yet
You've tried through all these weary years
You've tried too vainly to forget
No, no, I cannot take your hand
God never gives us back our youth
The loving heart you slighted then
Farewell, farewell now we must part
You never meant to do me wrong
God sent this anguish to my heart
To teach me to be brave and strong
No, no, I cannot take your hand
God never gives us back our youth
The loving heart you slighted then
Was yours, my friend, in perfect truth
Farewell, I think I love you yet
As friend to friend, God bless you, dear
And guide you through these weary years
To where the skies are always clear
No, no, I cannot take your hand
God never gives us back our youth
The loving heart you slighted then
Was yours, my friend, in perfect truth
In this song, The Carter Family describes a bittersweet encounter between former lovers. The singer in the song is approached by their old flame who confesses that their love for the singer has been rekindled. However, the singer cannot reciprocate the feelings and admits that they cannot take the hand of the person who slighted them in the past. The singer recognizes that while their former lover’s advances are tempting, they cannot go back to a time when they were young and in love. They refuse to be hurt again as they grow old.
The singer conveys to the former lover that God never gives back youth and that the loving heart they had once slighted was always theirs to have. As they part, the singer acknowledges that they may still love the old flame as a friend and blesses them to be guided to a future of happiness and clear skies. Through the anguish they have experienced, the singer has gained the courage and strength to move on.
Overall, the song describes a painful but liberating moment in which the singer acknowledges that love can be fleeting but personal growth can last forever.
Line by Line Meaning
And so you have come back to me
You returned to me, after all this time.
And say the old love's growing yet
You claim that our love from before is still alive and growing.
You've tried through all these weary years
You've attempted for years to forget me and move on.
You've tried too vainly to forget
Your efforts have been in vain, and you can't seem to forget me.
No, no, I cannot take your hand
I can't forgive you and move on.
God never gives us back our youth
We can't go back to the way things were in our youth.
The loving heart you slighted then
You hurt me in the past, and I can't forget that.
Was yours, my friend, in perfect truth
But I truly loved you then, and that's something you can't deny.
Farewell, farewell now we must part
This is goodbye; we must go our separate ways.
You never meant to do me wrong
You didn't intentionally hurt me.
God sent this anguish to my heart
Perhaps this pain was a lesson for me from God.
To teach me to be brave and strong
To learn to be courageous and resilient through tough times.
Farewell, I think I love you yet
Even though we're saying goodbye, I still have feelings for you.
As friend to friend, God bless you, dear
As friends, I wish you all the best and God's blessings.
And guide you through these weary years
May God guide you and give you strength through life's challenges.
To where the skies are always clear
To a place where life is peaceful and free from struggles.
No, no, I cannot take your hand
I can't forgive you and move on.
God never gives us back our youth
We can't go back to the way things used to be.
The loving heart you slighted then
You hurt me before, and that stays with me.
Was yours, my friend, in perfect truth
But I genuinely cared for you, and that won't change.
Contributed by Layla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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 :)
phononut
And so you have come back to me
And say the old love's growing yet
You've tried through all these weary years
You've tried too vainly to forget
No, no, I cannot take your hand
God never gives us back our youth
The loving heart you slighted then
Was yours, my friend, in perfect truth
Farewell, farewell now we must part
You never meant to do me wrong
God sent this anguish to my heart
To teach me to be brave and strong
No, no, I cannot take your hand
God never gives us back our youth
The loving heart you slighted then
Was yours, my friend, in perfect truth
Farewell, I think I love you yet
As friend to friend, God bless you, dear
And guide you through these weary years
To where the skies are always clear
No, no, I cannot take your hand
God never gives us back our youth
The loving heart you slighted then
Was yours, my friend, in perfect truth
Keith McLaughlin
Another Carter masterpiece