The Carter Family was a country music group that performed and recorded bet… Read Full Bio ↴The Carter Family was a country music group that performed and recorded between 1927 and 1943. Their music had a profound impact on later bluegrass, country, pop and rock musicians, as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s.

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

The Last Thing On My Mind
The Carter Family Lyrics

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It's a lesson too late for the learnin'
Made of sand, made of sand
In the wink of an eye my soul is turnin'
In your hand, in your hand.

Are you going away with no word of farewell
Will there be not a trace left behind
Well, I could have loved you better

Didn't mean to be unkind
You know that was the last thing on my mind.

As we walk on, my thoughts keep tumblin'
Round and round, round and round
Underneath our feet the subways rumblin'
Underground, underground

Are you going away with no word of farewell
Will there be not a trace left behind
Well, I could have loved you better
Didn't mean to be unkind
You know that was the last thing on my mind.

As I lie in my bed in the mornin'
Without you, without you.
Every song in my breast lies a bornin'
Without you, without you.

Are you going away with no word of farewell
Will there be not a trace left behind
Well, I could have loved you better
Didn't mean to be unkind
You know that was the last thing on my mind.

You've got reasons a-plenty for goin'
This I know, this I know.

For the weeds have been steadily growin'
Please don't go, please don't go.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Carter Family's song The Last Thing On My Mind revolve around a narrator who is reflecting on a lost love. The first stanza speaks of the regret and sorrow that come from realizing that the love that the singer had was fleeting and fragile, as delicate as sand. The second stanza talks about how the singer is now trying to make sense of what happened, still unable to comprehend why the lover had left without a word. The chorus repeats the same sentiment, with the singer acknowledging that they could have been a better lover but never intended to cause any pain.

As the song progresses, the third stanza focuses on the aftermath of the split, where the singer is grappling with the loss of that love. The use of the phrase 'Every song in my breast' seems to suggest that music is the only solace left. The final stanza is a plea to the lover not to leave, with the singer recognizing that the other person has reasons for leaving but still hoping against hope that they could stay.

Overall, The Last Thing On My Mind captures the emotions of a person dealing with heartbreak and the complexities of relationships. It shows how love can be both fickle and powerful, and how it can cause immense pain even when it's gone.

The Last Thing On My MindThe Carter Family Lyrics

The Last Thing On My Mind
The Carter Family Lyrics