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
River of Jordan
The Carter Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, yes
I'm going down to the river of Jordan
Some of these days (hallelujah)
I'm going down to the river of Jordan
I'm going down to the river of Jordan
Some of these days
Oh, yes
I'm going to eat at the welcome table
Some of these days (hallelujah)
I'm going to eat at the welcome table
I'm going to eat at the welcome table
Some of these days
I'm going to sing in the heavenly choir
Oh, yes
I'm going to sing in the heavenly choir
Some of these days (hallelujah)
I'm going to sing in the heavenly choir
I'm going to sing in the heavenly choir
Some of these days
I'm going to put on the silvery slippers
Oh, yes
I'm going to put on the silvery slippers
Some of these days (hallelujah)
I'm going to put on the silvery slippers
I'm going to put on the silvery slippers
Some of these days
I'm going to sit down by my Jesus
Oh, yes
I'm going to sit down by my Jesus
Some of these days (hallelujah)
I'm going to sit down by my Jesus
I'm going to sit down by my Jesus
Some of these days
The Carter Family's song "River of Jordan" takes the listener on a journey towards the ultimate goal of every religious believer: to reunite with God. The river of Jordan, in this context, symbolizes spiritual renewal and rebirth. The first stanza talks about going down to the river of Jordan, which signifies the cleansing of one's soul in the river of faith. The structure of this stanza is repetitive, highlighting the importance of the river of Jordan as the ultimate destination for the singer. The hallelujah at the end of this stanza can be interpreted as a sign of hope and anticipation for a better future.
The next stanzas portray different aspects of the afterlife, such as feasting at the welcome table, singing in the heavenly choir, wearing the silvery slippers, and finally, sitting down by Jesus. These verses are structured similarly to the first verse and represent different phases of the singer's journey towards salvation. The overall message of the song is to live a virtuous life and to have faith in the hope of eternal reunification with God.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm going down to the river of Jordan
I am heading towards the River of Jordan
Oh, yes
Emphatically agreeable
Some of these days (hallelujah)
Someday in the near future, with great joy and celebration
I'm going to eat at the welcome table
I will dine at the table of welcome
I'm going to sing in the heavenly choir
I will join the chorus of heaven
I'm going to put on the silvery slippers
I will adorn my feet with shiny slippers
I'm going to sit down by my Jesus
I will sit close to Jesus
Contributed by Peyton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Suh Synched
A near religious experience when THESE voices join together. Soul feels exalted.
Dan D. Dirges
Simply doesn't get much better than this!
Muffs 55mercury
Really takes a person back to 1928. Love it! The melodies of their older songs is great.
coyotesong
as has been noted, simple and honest. Beautiful sounds of these melodic voices.
fscofi
Maybelle played a C chord formation and moved the capo around to play in different keys. A and A flat were common on many songs because it fit Sara's vocal range.
Tom Adams
Love the way The Carter Family can take a very basic run-of-the-mill 12-bar blues and tweak it one way or another to make it unique and special. This one is a fine example of that. If I'm not mistaken it was not written by A.P., but is one they learned from a contemporary whose name I can't remember so its hard to say if the "original" added the fifth measure (which transformed it into a "13-bar blues") to get the Hallelujah in there, or whether the Carters introduced that. Same with the short E-minor chord at the end of the third line. But another example of how they modify the basic blues form to great effect is Bear Creek Blues which was written by A.P. and which on the instrumental breaks they play as a straightforward 12-bar blues, but on the vocals they make the first line 5 bars instead of 4, then the same with the second line and the third. I really like the way John Prine covers this song, and introduces electric guitar which I imagine some people will say is blasphemous, but I think the Carter Family would approve. Of course, he also changes the line "One drink of that water, you'll be drinkin' it all the time" to "One drink of that water, you'll stay drunk all the time". That they might not approve of !!
David Cunningham
Love A.p coming in with the hallelujah shout
TheShafenator1
Simple and honest. The way music should be.
Payador Perseguido
Loved it, one can feel the southern at "jerd'n"
cheers from brazil
i diggywaterworkss2
Thank YALL from the Land of Lincoln Illinois, America