The band's best-known song was a 1970 cover of Jerry Jeff Walker's folk song "Mr. Bojangles". Their greatest critical acclaim has been for a 1972 album of country and folk standards, recorded in Nashville in collaboration with more traditional country artists, entitled "Will the Circle Be Unbroken".
"Will the Circle be Unbroken" was a collaboration album recorded in 1972 by the Dirt band with traditional artists such as Mother Maybelle Carter, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Roy Acuff, Merle Watson, Jimmy Martin, Junior Huskey, Norman Blake, and Pete Oswald Kirby (known to Grand Ole Opry fans as Bashful Brother Oswald). Vassar Clements, not widely known then, was tapped for fiddle duties which led to greater notoriety and success for him.
"Will the Circle be Unbroken" featured classic bluegrass and folk standards written by A.P Carter, Doc Watson and others. The title comes from the song of the same name but indicates what the Dirt Band was trying to achieve. The long-haired boys from California were making an effort to reach out to the older veterans of American music and unite them in a divided America. Two other editions were released, one in the 1980s and another after September 11, 2001.
In July 1974 The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was one of the headline acts at The Ozark Music Festival, at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, in Sedalia, Missouri. Some estimates have put the crowd count at 350,000 people, which would make this one of the largest music events in history.
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's peak in popularity – at least on the radio — came during the mid- to late-1980s, when they charted a string of successful songs. Among the lot were three No. 1 singles: "Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper's Dream)" (1984); "Modern Day Romance" (1985); and "Fishin' in the Dark" (1987). Other successful songs were "Dance Little Jean" (1983); "I Love Only You" (1984); "High Horse" (1985); "Home Again in My Heart," "Partners, Brothers and Friends" and "Stand a Little Rain" (1986); "Fire in the Sky," "Baby's Got a Hold on Me" and "Oh What a Love" (1987); "Working Man (Nowhere to Go)" and "I've Been Lookin'" (1988); and "Down That Road Tonight" and "When it's Gone" (1989).
The current members are:
* Bob Carpenter - keyboard, accordion, bass, and vocals (1977-present)
* Jimmie Fadden - drums, harmonica,guitar, washtub bass, jug and vocals (1966-present)
* Jeff Hanna - guitar, mandolin, drums, harmonica, bass, washboard, jug and vocals (1966-present)
* John McEuen - banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, accordion washtub bass and vocals (1966-1986 & 2001-present)
Former members:
* Ralph Barr - guitar, clarinet and vocals (1966-1968)
* Merel Bregante - drums and percussion (1977-1979)
* Jackson Browne - guitar and vocals (1966)
* John Cable - guitar, bass and vocals (1976-1977)
* Jackie Clark - guitar, bass and vocals (1976-1977)
* Chris Darrow - fiddle, guitar, mandolin and vocals (1967-1968)
* Michael Gardner - drums (1980-1981)
* Al Garth - saxophone, fiddle, keyboard, percussion and vocals (1977-1981)
* Richard Hathaway - bass and vocals (1977-1981)
* Jimmy Ibbotson - guitar, bass, mandolin, piano, accordion, drums, flute and vocals (1968-1975 & 1982-2004)
* Bruce Kunkel - guitar, kazoo, vocals (1966-1967)
* Bernie Leadon - guitar, banjo, mandolin and vocals (1987-1989)
* Vic Mastrianni - drums (1980-1981)
* Les Thompson - guitar, bass, mandolin and vocals (1966-1973)
How Long
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You were awful lonesome, I was awful cold
You wanted love songs but that’s not enough
So how long must we punish each other
For the sin of falling in love.
You were on the phone, I was on the floor
And the boy was staring out the kitchen door
So how long must we punish each other
For the sin of falling in love?
Well, there’s a whole lot worse that a man can do
There’s greater crimes for women too
Than to give the holy power of love a place to stand.
Now we’re looking back through a cycle, whoa
There’s a boy with a stack of reasons to know
Why we can’t forgive each other a woman and man.
You were in the air, I was in the sea
Boy was in the basket with friends on the beach
It don’t take much asking to receive that stuff
So how long must we punish each other
For the sin of falling in love?
Oh, how long must we punish each other
For the sin of falling in love?
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's song How Long is a poignant reflection on the complexities and challenges of love. The lyrics tell the story of a couple who are struggling to maintain their relationship, despite their obvious feelings for each other. The opening lines of the song immediately set the scene, with the singer acknowledging that they are both physically distant and emotionally isolated from each other. The repetition of the phrase "You were… I was…" highlights the gulf between them, and emphasises the isolation and loneliness they are experiencing.
The second verse introduces their son into the picture, adding another layer of complexity to their relationship. The tension and conflict between the couple is clearly having an impact on their child, and he is becoming increasingly affected by their arguments. The third verse of the song shifts the focus to a more philosophical perspective, suggesting that falling in love is not a sin, but a powerful force that can be both beautiful and destructive. The final verse sees the couple reflecting on their relationship from a distance, with the singer acknowledging that there are many reasons why it has faltered, but ultimately concluding that the punishment they are inflicting on each other is unnecessary and counterproductive.
Overall, the lyrics to How Long paint a vivid picture of the challenges of maintaining a relationship, particularly in the face of conflict and disconnect.
Line by Line Meaning
You were on your own, I was on the road
You were lonely and on your own, while I was constantly traveling and away from you.
You were awful lonesome, I was awful cold
You felt lonely and unloved, while I was emotionally distant and unavailable.
You wanted love songs but that’s not enough
You desired romantic gestures and affection, but they were not sufficient to sustain our relationship.
So how long must we punish each other
We are causing each other pain and hurt, and we need to stop this cycle of punishment.
For the sin of falling in love.
We fell in love and started this relationship, but now it seems to be causing more pain than joy.
You were on the phone, I was on the floor
You were talking to someone else, while I was feeling defeated and helpless on the ground.
And the boy was staring out the kitchen door
Our child is watching our arguments and struggles, and it's affecting him emotionally.
He hears our fighting and he takes it rough
Our child is distraught and upset when he overhears our arguments and fights.
Well, there’s a whole lot worse that a man can do
There are much greater sins and wrongs that a man can commit, compared to falling in love and trying to make a relationship work.
There’s greater crimes for women too
Women have to deal with many bigger problems and injustices, and a difficult relationship is not the worst of them.
Than to give the holy power of love a place to stand.
Despite the challenges, love still has a powerful and divine impact on our lives, and it's important to honor and respect that.
Now we’re looking back through a cycle, whoa
We are stuck in a repetitive cycle of fighting and hurting each other, and it's getting harder and harder to break out of it.
There’s a boy with a stack of reasons to know
Our child is growing up witnessing our problems and conflicts, and he has many reasons to doubt the strength of our love and commitment.
Why we can’t forgive each other a woman and man.
We need to learn to forgive each other and move forward, despite the challenges of being a man and woman in a relationship.
You were in the air, I was in the sea
You were far away, traveling and unreachable, while I was struggling and feeling lost in a confusing and difficult situation.
Boy was in the basket with friends on the beach
Our child was enjoying his time with friends, while we were struggling with our problems and conflicts.
It don’t take much asking to receive that stuff
Sometimes, all we need to do is ask for love and affection, and it can be a powerful force in our lives and relationships.
So how long must we punish each other
We need to stop punishing each other and instead work together to heal and grow as individuals and as a couple.
For the sin of falling in love?
We fell in love, and that's not a sin in itself, but we need to address the challenges and struggles that come with being in a relationship.
Oh, how long must we punish each other
The cycle of punishment and pain continues, and it's time for us to break free from it and find a healthier way to be together.
For the sin of falling in love?
We need to acknowledge the difficulties and struggles that come with being in love and use them as opportunities to grow and strengthen our relationship.
Contributed by Bella O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.