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
When the Roses Bloom in Dixieland
The Carter Family Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am coming back to you
When the birds are singing music grand
To the sweetest girl I ever knew
I am saving up my money
To buy a little cabin home for two
When the roses bloom in Dixieland
I am coming back to you
I just got a letter from the sunny south
From my girl in Tennessee
She said she loved me like she used to do
And was waiting there for me
I answered back her letter
Though I am far away
When the roses bloom in Dixieland
I am coming back to stay
When the roses bloom in Dixieland
I am coming back to you
When the birds are singing music grand
To the sweetest girl I ever knew
I am saving up my money
To buy a little cabin home for two
When the roses bloom in Dixieland
I am coming back to you
When I left my honey at the railroad train
I said, honey, wait for me
I'm going to make a lot of money up north
Then it's me for old Tennessee
When the roses bloom in Dixieland
I am coming back to you
When the birds are singing music grand
To the sweetest girl I ever knew
I am saving up my money
To buy a little cabin home for two
When the roses bloom in Dixieland
I am coming back to you
The lyrics of When the Roses Bloom in Dixieland describe the journey of a man who leaves his home in search of work up North, promising his girl in Tennessee that he will soon return to her with enough money to buy a cabin home for them both. The song is a representation of hope, longing and distance, as the singer writes letter after letter to his sweetheart, telling her of his adventures and expressing his yearning to reunite with her.
The lyrics highlight a sense of yearning for a place called Dixieland, where the roses bloom, and the birds sing music grand. The song refers to the South, which is often romanticized for its beauty, warmth and the lifestyle that it represents. The singer, away from his home and his true love, longs for the comforts of Southern life and the woman he left behind.
The song highlights the theme of separation and the hope for a reunion. The singer promises his girl that he will save up enough money to buy a little cabin home for them both. The repeated promise of coming back to her when the roses bloom in Dixieland, tells of his intention to return to his true love when he has achieved his goals. The lyrics leave a feeling of hope for the reunion of the two lovers, while emphasizing the importance of home, love and promising to stick together through hard times.
Line by Line Meaning
When the roses bloom in Dixieland
I will return to you when the roses bloom in Dixieland
I am coming back to you
I will return to you
When the birds are singing music grand
I will return to you when the birds are singing grand music
To the sweetest girl I ever knew
I will return to the sweetest girl I have ever known
I am saving up my money
I am putting aside money
To buy a little cabin home for two
To purchase a small cabin for the two of us
I just got a letter from the sunny south
A letter was recently received from the South
From my girl in Tennessee
The letter was from my girl in Tennessee
She said she loved me like she used to do
She expressed her love for me as she used to do
And was waiting there for me
She is waiting for me in Tennessee
I answered back her letter
I replied to her letter
Though I am far away
Despite being far away
When I left my honey at the railroad train
When I left my lover at the train station
I said, honey, wait for me
I asked my lover to wait for me
I'm going to make a lot of money up north
I am going to make a lot of money in the North
Then it's me for old Tennessee
Then I will return to Tennessee
Contributed by Nicholas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Stoned Crow
God, do I love these old original Carter Family recordings. What a treasure trove of songs.
David Buttram
I soooooo love the early days when A.P. was still alive, I believe they are unsurpassed! 🙂
Wayne Hoobler
In the old days, back before Mother Maybelle, people didn't understand what to do with a guitar. Most people just banged on them like a drum and when they weren't doing that they used them for door stops. Well. Except for El Kabong who hit bad guys over the head with his. LOL