Can the Circle Be Unbroken
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken" is a 1907 hymn that A. P. Carter reworked in 1935 as "Can the Circle Be Unbroken". The Carter version became a country and folk standard, and the 1972 album named after it brought old-time and bluegrass players together.
- Original hymn
- 1907, words by Ada R. Habershon, music by Charles H. Gabriel
- Carter version
- "Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By)", 1935
- Landmark album
- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, 1972
From hymn to standard
Ada R. Habershon and Charles H. Gabriel published the hymn in 1907. In 1935 the Carter Family released A. P. Carter's reworking, intended as a funeral song, which keeps the music and structure but has new verses and a changed chorus. The Carter version is the one most people know today.
The 1972 album
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's 1972 album Will the Circle Be Unbroken brought the band together with older stars including Mother Maybelle Carter, who led the title song, and Doc Watson, whose "Tennessee Stud" on the album became widely known. Norman Blake played dobro on it.
Other versions
| Year | Artist |
|---|---|
| 1936 | Bill and Charlie Monroe (Bill Monroe) |
| 1960 | The Staple Singers |
| 1967 | Bob Dylan and The Band (released 2014) |
| 1979 | George Jones with The Staple Singers |
| 1989 | The Neville Brothers, on Yellow Moon |
The song is sung every year at the Country Music Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies.
We describe this song rather than print its words: versions differ from singer to singer, and many of the best-known texts come from particular recordings.
More Carter Family songs: Wildwood Flower · Keep on the Sunny Side