The brothers adopted the name Louvin Brothers in the 1940s as they began their career in gospel music. Their first foray into secular music was the minor hit "The Get Acquainted Waltz", recorded with Chet Atkins. Other hits included "Cash on the Barrelhead" and "When I Stop Dreaming". They joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1955 and stayed there until breaking up in 1963.
Their songs were heavily influenced by their Baptist faith and warned against sin. Ira Louvin was notorious for his drinking, womanizing, and short temper. He was married four times; his third wife Faye shot him four times in the chest and twice in the hand after he allegedly beat her. Although seriously injured, he survived. When performing and drinking, Ira would sometimes become angry enough on stage to smash his mandolin; otherwise his style was heavily influenced by Bill Monroe.
As of 1963, Charlie was making enough money that he was able to start a solo career, and Ira also went on his own.
Ira died on June 20, 1965, at the age of 41. He and his fourth wife, Anne Young, were on the way home from a performance in Kansas City when they came to a section of construction on Highway 70 outside of Williamsburg, Missouri where traffic had been reduced down to one lane. A drunken driver struck their car head-on, and both Ira and Anne were killed instantaneously.[4] At the time, a warrant for Ira's arrest had been issued on a DUI charge.
Country-rock band The Byrds recorded the Louvin-penned "The Christian Life" for their 1968 release Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
In 2001, the Louvin brothers were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The tribute CD Livin', Lovin', Losin': Songs of the Louvin Brothers, produced by Carl Jackson and Kathy Louvin and released in 2003, won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Country Album.
Although the brothers are still remembered today for their musical talent, they are also remembered for the unusual cover used for their 1959 album, Satan Is Real. Designed by Ira Louvin, the cover features the brothers standing in a rock quarry in front of a 12-foot-tall (3.7 m) plywood rendition of the Devil as several hidden tires soaked in kerosene burn behind them as fire and brimstone. While some reviewers count this as being one of the "greatest iconic album covers of all time", the cover can also be found today on several Web sites celebrating unusual or bizarre album covers. The cover has also become an Internet meme on a number of Web sites such as Fark.com, where it has been posted in discussion threads as an example of religious views of the era.
The opening bars of the album's title track "Satan is Real" can be heard at the beginning of Hank Williams III's "Medley: Straight to Hell / Satan is Real", on his Straight to Hell album of 2006. It is also excerpted in Will Ferrell's 2009 one-man Broadway show, You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush.
Katie Dear
The Louvin Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you can be a bride of mine
If she says yes come back and tell me
If she says no we'll run away
Oh Willie dear there's no use in asking
She's in her room a takin' rest
And by her side is a silver dagger
Oh Katie dear go ask your father
If you can be a bride of mine
If he says yes come back and tell me
If he says no we'll run away
Oh Willie dear, there's no need in asking
He's in his room a takin' rest
And by his side is a golden dagger
To slay the one that I love best
So he picked up that golden dagger
And stove it through his troubled heart
Saying goodbye Katie goodbye darlin'
At last the time has come to part
So she picked up that bloody dagger
And stove it through her lily-white breast
Saying goodbye papa goodbye mama
I'll die with the one that I love best
In the Louvin Brothers' song "Katie Dear," the lyrics depict a tragic love story between Willie and Katie. Willie asks Katie to seek approval from her parents in becoming his bride. However, Katie is hesitant as she knows her mother keeps a silver dagger by her side to slay the ones she loves. When Katie finally asks her father for permission to be with Willie, she discovers he has a golden dagger to protect her from him. In the end, Willie takes the dagger and stabs himself, saying his final goodbyes to Katie before passing away. Katie, not wanting to live without him, takes the golden dagger and stabs herself, saying goodbye to her parents before joining Willie in death.
The song's theme of forbidden love and violence was common in traditional country music. The Louvin Brothers' harmonies are an essential element of their style and can be heard in "Katie Dear." The melancholic melody of the song perfectly complements the tragic narrative. The story's ending is tragic, but it is a testament to the power of love. The lyrics discuss the consequences of disobedience, and in this case, it leads to the lovers' demise.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Katie dear go ask your mother
Will you marry me? Ask your mother and let me know the answer
If she says yes come back and tell me
If she says yes, I will be waiting for your return
If she says no we'll run away
If she says no, we will escape together
Oh Willie dear there's no use in asking
Don't bother asking my mother, she is already plotting against us
She's in her room a takin' rest
She's laying down, pretending to be asleep
And by her side is a silver dagger
She has a weapon to harm you if you come closer
To slay the one that I love best
She intends to kill the one I love the most
Oh Katie dear go ask your father
Let's ask your father instead
If he says yes come back and tell me
If he permits our marriage, let me know
If he says no we'll run away
If he says no, we will flee the house
Oh Willie dear, there's no need in asking
My father won't permit our marriage either
He's in his room a takin' rest
He is also pretending to sleep
And by his side is a golden dagger
He also has a weapon to harm you with
To slay the one that I love best
My father wants to eliminate the one I love
So he picked up that golden dagger
He chose to take his own life
And stove it through his troubled heart
He stabbed himself in the heart with the dagger
Saying goodbye Katie goodbye darlin'
He bids farewell to his beloved
At last the time has come to part
Their time together is over
So she picked up that bloody dagger
She followed his lead and took the dagger
And stove it through her lily-white breast
She stabbed herself in the chest, causing a fatal wound
Saying goodbye papa goodbye mama
She says her final goodbyes to her parents
I'll die with the one that I love best
She chooses to die with her beloved instead of living without him
Contributed by Christopher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Caleb Bunch
Oh Katie dear go ask your mother
If you can be a bride of mine
If she says yes come back and tell me
If she says no we'll run away
Oh Willie dear there's no use in asking
She's in her room a takin’ rest
And by her side is a silver dagger
To slay the one that I love best
Oh Katie dear go ask your father
If you can be a bride of mine
If he says yes come back and tell me
If he says no we'll run away
Oh Willie dear, there's no need in asking
He’s in his room a takin’ rest
And by his side is a golden dagger
To slay the one that I love best
So he picked up that golden dagger
And stove it through his troubled heart
Saying goodbye Katie goodbye darlin'
At last the time has come to part
So she picked up that bloody dagger
And stove it through her lily-white breast
Saying goodbye papa goodbye mama
I'll die with the one that I love best
Caleb Bunch
Oh Katie dear go ask your mother
If you can be a bride of mine
If she says yes come back and tell me
If she says no we'll run away
Oh Willie dear there's no use in asking
She's in her room a takin’ rest
And by her side is a silver dagger
To slay the one that I love best
Oh Katie dear go ask your father
If you can be a bride of mine
If he says yes come back and tell me
If he says no we'll run away
Oh Willie dear, there's no need in asking
He’s in his room a takin’ rest
And by his side is a golden dagger
To slay the one that I love best
So he picked up that golden dagger
And stove it through his troubled heart
Saying goodbye Katie goodbye darlin'
At last the time has come to part
So she picked up that bloody dagger
And stove it through her lily-white breast
Saying goodbye papa goodbye mama
I'll die with the one that I love best
Donald Neumann
I grew up listening to this song. My mom would put stacks of records on the phonograph and I would hear songs like this. Along with Hank Williams Sr, and Hank Snow, and Porter Wagoner. They don't make music like this anymore. Thank goodness for YouTube preserving this classic music.
LOOUUUD
People still do, it's just live. Don't worry, the spirit lives on.
KaEsAr88MN
nice version!
John Connor
this is lovely, really is
Tori Langille
very good song
thessalonician
Fine versions as well can be found by the old crow medicine show, and blue sky boys!
peter van dijk
And The Country Gentlemen
Lee Michaels
...And Ian & Sylvia!!!
Leroyfis
So it's about 2 people committing suicide because the girls parents wont let them marry, right?