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Can the Circle be Unbroken - The Carter Family
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This tab is for the song "Can the Circle be Unbroken" as
played by the Carter Family on disc 6 of the In the Shadow
of Clinch Mountain boxset.
The song is in the Key of Ab on the album. This song is originally played in
the C position with the guitar tuned down two whole steps. It can also be
played in the G position with a capo on the first fret, although you will
miss the low 5th in the bass. I have included each version.
The second instrumental break is similar to the last 4 bars of
the first break.
Chords/Frets are relative to the capo/tuning.
Tuning: Standard (down two whole steps CFA#D#GC)
Instrumental Break (C position):
C C
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e|-------|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|----0-0------0-0----0-0---------|
B|-------|----1-1----1-1----1-1-----------|----1-1------1-1----1-1---------|
G|-------|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|----0-0------0-0----0-0---------|
D|-------|-----------------------2-0------|---------0h2------2-----2-0-----|
A|--0-2--|--3------3------3---------------|--3-----------------------------|
E|-------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
F C
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e|----1-1----1-1----1-1----1-1----|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|
B|----1-1----1-1----1-1----1-1----|----1-1----1-1----1-1-----------|
G|----2-2----2-2----2-2----2-2----|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|
D|---------0----------------------|--------------------------------|
A|--3-------------3------0--------|-----------------------0-2------|
E|--------------------------------|--3------3------3---------------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
C C
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|----0-0------0-0----0-0---------|
B|----1-1----1-1----1-1-----------|----1-1------1-1----1-1---------|
G|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|--0-0-0------0-0----0-0---------|
D|-----------------------2-3------|---------0h2------2--------0----|
A|--3------3------3---------------|-------------------------3------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
C G C
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e|----0-0----0-0------3-3----3-3--|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|
B|----1-1----1-1------0-0----0-0--|----1-1----1-1----1-1-----------|
G|----0-0----0-0------0-0----0-0--|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|
D|--2----------------------0------|--------------------------------|
A|---------3------0h2-------------|--3--------------------0-2------|
E|--------------------------------|---------3------3---------------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
C
I was standing by the window
F C
On one cold and cloudy day
And I saw the hearse come rolling
G C
for to carry my mother away
Chorus:
C
Can the circle be unbroken
F C
by and by, Lord, by and by
There's a better home a-waiting
G C
in the sky, Lord, in the sky
[Insturmental Break]
C
Lord, I told the undertaker
F C
Undertaker, please drive slow
For this body you are hauling
G C
How I hate to see her go
C
I followed close beside her
F C
Tried to hold up and be brave
But I could not hide my sorrow
G C
When they laid her in the grave
[Instrumental Break]
C
Went back home my Lord my home was lonesome
F C
missed my mother she was gone
All my brothers sisters crying
G C
What a home so sad and 'lone
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Alternate Version
__________________________________________________________________________
Tuning: Standard (Capo on first fret)
Instrumental Break (G position):
G G
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e|-------|----3-3----3-3----3-3-----------|----3-3------3-3----3-3---------|
B|-------|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|----0-0------0-0----0-0---------|
G|-------|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|----0-0------0-0----0-0---------|
D|-------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A|-------|-----------------------2-0------|---------0h2------2-----2-0-----|
E|--0-2--|--3------3------3---------------|--3-----------------------------|
4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
C G
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e|----0-0----0-0----0-0----0-0----|----3-3----3-3----3-3-----------|
B|----1-1----1-1----1-1----1-1----|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|
G|----0-0----0-0----0-0----0-0----|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|
D|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A|---------0----------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3-------------3------0--------|--3------3------3------0-2------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G G
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e|----3-3----3-3----3-3-----------|----3-3------3-3----3-3---------|
B|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|----0-0------0-0----0-3---------|
G|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|----0-0------0-0----0-0---------|
D|--------------------------------|--0-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------2-3------|---------0h2------2--------0----|
E|--3------3------3---------------|-------------------------3------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G D G
V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^ V ^
e|----3-3----3-3------2-2----2-2--|----3-3----3-3----3-3-----------|
B|----0-0----0-0------1-1----1-1--|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|
G|----0-0----0-0------2-2----2-2--|----0-0----0-0----0-0-----------|
D|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
A|--2----------------------0------|--------------------------------|
E|---------3------0h2-------------|--3------3------3------0-2------|
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G
I was standing by the window
C G
On one cold and cloudy day
And I saw the hearse come rolling
D G
for to carry my mother away
Chorus:
G
Can the circle be unbroken
C G
by and by, Lord, by and by
There's a better home a-waiting
D G
in the sky, Lord, in the sky
[Insturmental Break]
G
Lord, I told the undertaker
C G
Undertaker, please drive slow
For this body you are hauling
D G
How I hate to see her go
G
I followed close beside her
C G
Tried to hold up and be brave
But I could not hide my sorrow
D G
When they laid her in the grave
[Instrumental Break]
G
Went back home my Lord my home was lonesome
C G
missed my mother she was gone
All my brothers sisters crying
D G
What a home so sad and 'lone
