"Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is a popular Christian hymn written in 1905 by Ada Ruth Habershon with music in 1907 by Charles Hutchinson Gabriel .
In 1905, Charles McCallon Alexander and Reuben Archer Torrey toured the United Kingdom, During the 1905 Torrey-Alexander Mission, Charles Alexander asked Ada Ruth Habershon to write some hymns; within a year, she supplied him with 200, amongst them "Will The Circle Be Unbroken"
Back in the USA, Charles Alexander asked Charles Gabriel to write music to Habershon's hymn.
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" was subsequently contained in "Alexander's Gospel Songs" compiled by Charles Alexander and published in 1908 by the Fleming H. Revell Company.
"Will The Circle Be Unbroken" is song # 6 in that book.
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" is often recorded unattributed and, because of its age, has lapsed into the public domain.
It was first recorded in England in 1911 by William McEwan.
William McEwan, born in Glasgow, Scotland, had learned the song while on a journey to America from 1908 to 1911.
(During this period he also had learned another song penned by Charles Gabriel: "His Eye Is On The Sparrow"--> SEE Joop's Musical Flowers: His Eye Is On The Sparrow (1905 / 1912)
When McEwan came back to England from his journey to America, he immediately recorded the song, amongst 24 other gospelsongs he had learned in the US.
(o) William McEwan (1912) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?")
Recorded November 1911 in London
Released in 1912 on Columbia 1842 (UK)
Also released in 1913 on Columbia A 1364 (USA)
Listen here:
In 1927 William McEwan re-recorded the song.
On 3rd June 1927 he boarded the SS Caronia in New York, bound for Plymouth. Presumably he completed his intended tour of Scotland and Wales during the summer before going back into the studio in London in August.
His 2nd version was released in 1928 on Columbia 4570 (UK)
And released in 1929 on Columbia 1809-D (USA)
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(c) Metropolitan Quartet (1927) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?")
Recorde September 23, 1927 in New York
Released on Edison 52111
(c) Rev. M.L. Gipson (1927) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken")
Recorded circa September 1927, in Chicago, Illinois.
Rev. M. L. Gipson with singing by his Sanctified Congregation; accompanied unknown, guitar. Paramount unissued, matrix: 4794-1.
Finally released in 1995 on Document Records
Listen here:
(c) Frank & James McCravy (1927) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken")
Recorded December 1927.
Released on Brunswick 194 and Brunswick 3779
Or listen here:
(c) Bud Billings (=Frank Luther) and Carson Robison (1928)
(as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?")
Recorded July 26, 1928 in New York.
Released on Victor 21586
Listen here:
In 1928 Rev J.C. Burnett sang a new arrangement of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" (with a tune very similar to another gospelsong: "Since I Laid My Burden Down") (See Note on the bottom of this post)
In 1935 A.P. Carter would use this same arrangement for "his" "Can The Circle Be Unbroken".
(c) Rev. J.C. Burnett and his Quartet (1928) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken")
Recorded November 24, 1928
Released on Columbia 14385-D
Listen here:
Or here:
(c) Silver Leaf Quartet Of Norfolk (1930) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken")
Recorded March 5, 1930 in New York City
Released on Okeh 8777, ARC 6-12-63 and Vocalion 04395
Listen here:
Or here:
(c) Dugald McNeill (1931) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken")
Recorded October 1931
Released on Beltona 1460.
In 1935 AP Carter made "his" arrangement of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", and re-titled it "Can The Circle Be Unbroken".
The AP Carter arrangement is very similar to the 1928 Rev. J.C. Burnett version (SEE ABOVE)
The Carters had acually recorded the song for Victor in 1933, but the company didn't think enough of it to release it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Can_the_Circle_Be_Unbroken_(By_and_By)
(c) Carter Family (1935) (as "Can The Circle Be Unbroken")
A.P. Carter (voc), Maybelle Carter (voc, g), Sara Carter (voc, ah)
Recorded May 6, 1935 in the ARC Studios in New York.
Released July 1935 on Conqueror 8529
Also released on various other labels:
Banner # 33465
Melotone (Canadian) # 92043
Oriole # 8484
Romeo # 5484
Perfect # 13155
Melotone # M13432
Vocalion # 03027
I was standing by the window
On one cold and cloudy day
And I saw the hearse come rolling
For to carry my mother away
Can the circle be unbroken
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
There's a better home a-waiting
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
Lord, I told the undertaker
Undertaker, please drive slow
For this body you are hauling Lord
I hate to see her go
Can the circle be unbroken
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
There's a better home a-waiting
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
I followed close behind her
Tried to hold up and be brave
But I could not hide my sorrow
When they laid her in the grave
Can the circle be unbroken
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
There's a better home a-waiting
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
Went back home Lord, my home was lonesome
Miss my mother she was gone
All my brothers, sisters crying
What a home so sad and lone
Can the circle be unbroken
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
There's a better home a-waiting
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
Listen here:
(c) Monroe Brothers (1936) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken")
Charlie Monroe [vcl/gt], Bill Monroe [vcl/mandolin])
Recorded October 12, 1936 at the Hotel Charlotte, Charlotte, NC
Released on Bluebird 6820 and Montgomery Ward 7142
http://www.discogs.com/Monroe-Brothers-The-Saints-Go-Marching-In-Will-The-Circle-Be-Unbroken/release/6117920
Listen here:
(c) Rouse Brothers (1939) (as "My Family Circle") (Carter arr)
Ervin Rouse [vcl/fiddle], Gordon Rouse [vcl/gt], Jack Rouse [vcl]
Recorded June 14, 1939 New York City
Released on the B-side of "Orange Blossom Special" (Bluebird B-8218)
Listen here:
(c) Swan's Silvertone Singers (1946) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken")
Recorded July 1946 in Cincinatti
Released on the Queen-label (#4143)
After the Queen label was discontinued in 1947, it was reissued on the King label.
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(c) Jerry Lee Lewis (1957) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
Recorded late 1956 or early 1957 Sun Studio, 706 Union Ave., Memphis, TN.
Released in 1970 on the album "Sunday Down South"
Listen here:
(c) Staple Singers (1960) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
Released April 1960 on a 45: Vee Jay 885.
And on the album of the same name:
Listen here:
(c) John Lee Hooker (1974) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
John Lee Hooker (v,g), Lefty Bates (g), poss. Roebuck "Pop" Staples (g), Quinn Wilson (b), Earl Phillips (d)
Recorded Jan. 4, 1961 in Chicago IL
Released in 1974 Dynasty DST-4501 (45 RPM)
And on the album "In Person" (Dynasty-label #7301)
Listen here:
(c) Bob Dylan (1961) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
Recorded May 2, 1961 at Bonnie Beecher's Appartment, Minneapolis, MN (or maybe some coffeehouse)
Bob Dylan vocal, guitar, harmonica.
Released on the bootleg "Minnesota Party Tape 1961"
Listen here:
(c) Bob Dylan and The Band (1967) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, Garth Hudson, Levon Helm
Recorded summer 1967 in Byrdcliffe or West Saugherties, NY
Song #8 on Disc #6 of the Bootleg Series Vol. 11.
Listen here:
Or to a sample on the next link:
Dylan also sang the song in 1975 in an allstar band.
Recorded March 23, 1975 K101-FM S.N.A.C.K. Benefit Concert Broadcast, Kezar Stadium, Golden Gate Park San Francisco, CA.
This was a one-day festival in aid of Bill Graham's S.N.A.C.K. (Students Need Athletics, Culture and Kicks) organization. Neil Young, with his regular sidemen Ben Keith and Tim Drummond, performed together with Bob Dylan, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson and Levon Helm.
Listen here:
In 1968 Johnny Cash sang a few lines from the chorus of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" in his #1 C&W hit "Daddy Sang Bass".
(c) Johnny Cash (1968) (incorporated in "Daddy Sang Bass")
Recorded July 30, 1968 in the Columbia Studios in Nashville.
with the Carter Family and the Statler Brothers on vocals and Carl and Luther Perkins on guitar
Listen here:
(c) Joan Baez (1968) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
Recorded September 1968 in the CBS Studios in Nashville.
Released May 1969 on "David's Album"
Listen here:
(c) Pentangle (1971) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
Recorded March 1971 in London
Released on the album "Reflection"
Listen here:
(c) Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1972) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
Mother Maybelle Carter, vocals
Recorded August 1971 in Nashville, TN
Released as the title-song of their 1972 concept-album "Will The Circle Be Unbroken"
Listen here:
Or here:
Much later, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band recorded two subsequent albums, Will the Circle Be Unbroken Volume Two (1989) and Will the Circle Be Unbroken Volume III (2002), in an attempt to repeat the process with other historically significant musicians.
Listen here:
Listen here:
(c) Neville Brothers (1989) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
Released on the album "Yellow Moon".
Listen here:
(c) Jeff Beck With The Kingdom Choir (2002) (as "Will The Circle Be Unbroken") (Carter arr)
On a tribute album to John Lee Hooker, who had recently passed away.
Listen here:
A beautiful choral version was sung in the Bioshock Infinite HD game (2013)
Listen here:
Much more versions here:
The melody for this number is the same tune used for "Since I Laid My Burden Down" (a fixture at New Orleans "jazz" funerals). Two songs concerning death/funerals, one most common in white communities, the other among black folks, each with its own traditional instrumentation and arrangements ~ same tune.
But which song was the first one to use that common tune.
As we can hear in the ORIGINAL version by William McEwan, in the beginning of this post, that version uses a slightly different melody-line.
Around 1928 a version of "Will The Circle Be Unbroken"and "Since I Laid My Burden Down" use the same tune, which, as we saw, was also used by AP Carter in "his" arrangement of "Can The Circle Be Unbroken".
And there's yet another gospelsong, which uses this same melody: "I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me". SEE: Joop's Musical Flowers: I'm Gonna Live So God Can Use Me (1928) / I Want To Live So God Can Use Me (1934) Why Don't You Live So God Can Use You Anytime (1929) / You Got To Live so God Can Use You (1937)
