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
No Depression In Heaven
The Carter Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Great Depression now is spreading, God′s word declared it would be so I'm going where there′s no depression, To the lovely land that's free from care I'll leave this world of toil and trouble, My home′s in Heaven, I′m going there
In that bright land, there'll be no hunger, No orphan children crying for bread, No weeping widows, toil or struggle, No shrouds, no coffins, and no death
This dark hour of midnight nearing
And tribulation time will come
The storms will hurl in midnight fear
And sweep lost millions to their doom
The Carter Family's song "No Depression in Heaven" is a poignant and hopeful reflection on the difficult times of the Great Depression and the impending tribulations that the world was facing. The lyrics speak to the fear that people had as they saw the failing hearts of their fellow men during the hardships of the era. The song talks about the Great Depression, which was sweeping across the United States, and attributes it to the predictions of God's word.
However, amidst all these difficulties, the chorus provides a glimmer of hope as the singer longs to go to a place where there will be no depression, hunger, or death. The lines about leaving the world of toil and trouble and finding a lovely land free from care are quite uplifting and show the deep pain and suffering that people were experiencing at that time. The song's final lines are the most haunting, speaking of the approaching tribulation time and the storms that will sweep lost millions to their doom.
Overall, "No Depression in Heaven" is an insightful look at the hopes and fears of a people struggling to make sense of a world that seemed to be collapsing around them. The song is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, there is always the potential for hope and that faith can be a powerful force for overcoming adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
For fear the hearts of men are failing,
Men are getting anxious for what has been happening around them
For these are latter days we know
It is the end of the times as we know it
The Great Depression now is spreading,
The biggest depression of all time is now affecting everything
God′s word declared it would be so
It was foretold that the world would end up in a state of depression
I'm going where there′s no depression,
I am going to a place where there is no sadness or misery
To the lovely land that's free from care
This beautiful land does not worry anyone
I'll leave this world of toil and trouble,
I will depart from this world of hardship and challenges
My home′s in Heaven, I′m going there
I am going to my heavenly abode
In that bright land, there'll be no hunger,
In that radiant place, there will never be a shortage of food or resources.
No orphan children crying for bread,
No orphans will ever cry for food
No weeping widows, toil or struggle,
There will be no widows who suffer from hardship and toil
No shrouds, no coffins, and no death
Death itself is completely absent in that serene place.
This dark hour of midnight nearing
We are slowly approaching a precipice of despair
And tribulation time will come
A testing time is coming to all of us
The storms will hurl in midnight fear
Disaster will strike with such suddenness that it will incite fear
And sweep lost millions to their doom
Millions of people will face their inevitable destruction from this particular event.
Writer(s): A.p. Carter
Contributed by Sadie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lans Lay
Absolutely beautiful and very beautifully done!!👏👍🕎✝️🌹💗🇺🇸💓💕❤️💞☮️🎆🔯🛐✋✡️☸️
SHOTGUNNER
Beautiful song! 🤠🙏🏻
Merri Brownwing
Most excellent! Love the Carters and this is such a timely song! Good work & keep on Keepin ' on dear James, God Bless you tons:)
James Ledrick
I Do Thank You For All Your Nice Comments You Have Been Making.
Troy Waits
Great vidieo and singing by one of the best Carter family. My aunt is 94 and she lived through the depression and she said the family would have starved todeath if it had not been for squirrels and rabbits to eat and what little they could grow in there garden. Great job on video!!
Lian Cassius
A tip : you can watch series at Flixzone. I've been using them for watching loads of movies recently.
Arthur Jamal
@Lian Cassius Yup, I have been using flixzone for years myself =)
Sharron Cato-Ledrick
Jimmy, you did a GREAT job on this video! It is touching people all over! I also love the JFK, Amazing Grace!!
betty stephenson
a great oldie love it thanks
Cool Chic
Always been interested by this time period for some reason. I like movies either set or made in this period of time. A couple years ago I wrote a report for history in school about hobos during the great depression.