The Carter Family – Can The Circle Be Unbroken (Guitar Tab)
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Chords
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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
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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