Carter Family Sources by Date of Recording 1927-1934 RCA Victor RecordingsRECORDING DATE & PLACE--RECORD COMPANY--TITLE--DATE OF (or Approximate date of) ORIGIN--AUTHOR(S)--OTHER TITLES--REFERENCES AND INFO
Established in 1901, RCA Victor was the wealthy and successful label. Country Music began in 1922 and following Dalhart’s smash hit “Wreck of the Old 97” backed by “Prisoner’s Song” hired Ralph Peer in 1925 to get "Country Music" recordings. Peer accepted a nominal salary of just one dollar a year, but he assumed control of all copyrighted work created under his supervision and administered his publishing portfolio via his Southern Music Publishing firm. He learned that by managing the artists he could better control the copyrights and his interests.
Beginning in 1925 he signed Ernest Stoneman to an exclusive contract. After Stoneman had a hit with “The Titanic” Peer began signing other groups. Peer hit the motherlode at the 1927 Bristol Sessions by signing his most important artists: Jimmie Rodgers and The Carter Family. By the end of the 1920s Peer was making $250,000 a quarter year on royalties alone! Today this would translate into a salary of around $50 million a year in royalties.
August 1, 1927 Bristol, TN (Victor- Bristol Sessions) Bury Me Beneath The Willow 1909 Belden- traditional folk song.
August 1, 1927 Bristol, TN (Victor- Bristol Sessions) Little Log Cabin By the Sea 1903- song by W.C. Hapley titled "Bible in the Cabin by the Sea"
August 1, 1927 Bristol, TN (Victor- Bristol Sessions) Poor Orphan Child 1874 (Meade)- Traditional. The first recording was made in 1928 by Buell Kazee.
August 1, 1927 Bristol, TN (Victor- Bristol Sessions) Storms Are on The Ocean 1800s- Variant of the large "True Lover's Farewell" folk song family (Child #76) originating in British Isles ("The Lass of Roch Royal") also called: "Fare You Well, My Own True Love" and the "Ten Thousand Miles." The first collected version in the US is 1906 (Belden). The Carters verses are found in Sharp No. 114 A. Carters- 1927 and 1936
August 2, 1927 Bristol, TN (Victor- Bristol Sessions) Single Girl, Married Girl Late 1800s- Traditional song; According to the Carters biography the song came from Mollie Carter, A.P.'s mother and it was a well-known old song. Also Carters-1935
August 2, 1927 Bristol, TN (Victor- Bristol Sessions) Wandering Boy 1884- R.S. Hanna song "Somebody's Boy is Homeless Tonight"
May 9, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) Meet Me By Moonlight, Alone circa 1812- Traditional song. Evolved from lyrics by J. Augustine Wade, also titled "The Prisoner's Song" as recorded by Vernon Dalhart, his version became one of the all-time early Country hits.
May 9, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) Little Darlin’, Pal Of Mine Early 1900s- Traditional lyrics melody is the spiritual "When The World's On Fire." It's also titled "Little Sweetheart Pal Of Mine" or "My Little Girl."
May 9, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) Anchored in Love 1911-"Anchored in Love Divine" James Rowe & James Vaughan
May 9, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) John Hardy Was A Desperate Little Man Late 1800s- Traditional song arranged by the Carter Family.
May 9, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) I Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow Early 1900s- Traditional song arranged by The Carter Family.
May 10, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone? Circa 1900- Gospel song by Rev. George Beebe and H.E. McAfee also name of the definitive biography about the Carters, Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone by Marc Mark Zwonitzer and Charles Hirshberg. Carters recorded this again in 1935.
May 10, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) River Of Jordan 1800s (1915 recording)- Listed under "Some of These Days" [Me III-C 27]. Other names include: "God's Gonna Set This World On Fire" and "Jacob's Ladder." Shelton Brooks song titled "Some of These Days" is a different song as is the Poplin Family's "River Of Jordan." Carters recorded the song again in 1934.
May 10, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) Chewing Gum 1800s- songbook entitled "A Collection of Favorite Songs as Sung by Ben Maginley." Traditional verses arranged by Carters.
May 10, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) Wildwood Flower 1860- "I'll Twine Mid the Ringlets" by Maud Irving and J.P. Webster.
May 10, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) I Have No One To Love Me But The Deep Blue Sea 1839- British Ballad "Sweet William." Also known as “Captain Tell Me True” and first recorded in 1924 by Gid Tanner as "Sailor Boy."
May 10, 1928 Camden, NJ (Victor) Forsaken Love 1800s- Traditional, arranged by Carters.
February 14, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) Sweet Fern 1876- Song by Thomas Westendorf and George Persley titled "Sweet Bird." According to Charles Wolfe "Sweet Fern" was a song A.P. found in his collecting trips into the east Tennessee hills.
February 14, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) My Clinch Mountain Home Circa 1911- Family members recall that he wrote his first song while he rode the train back to Virginia, "My Clinch Mountain Home." The chorus and sentiment are based on James A. Bland's 1878 song "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny." The verse is the melody of the "Battleship of Maine."
February 14, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) God Gave Noah The Rainbow Sign 1800s, Early 1900s- Traditional African-American Spiritual usually named "I Got A Home the Rock." From Leslie Riddle-Pauline Gray.
February 14, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) I’m Thinking Tonight Of My Blue Eyes 1800s- Traditional song arranged by The Carter Family. Other names include "In the Shadow of the Pines" and "Broken Ties." The Carters recorded the song again in 1941.
February 14, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) Little Moses Circa 1871- traditional gospel ballad about story of Moses harmonized by G.R. Street. Collected by Belden in 1905.
February 14, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) Lulu Wall 1800s (Jan. 1888 Meade); "Lulu Walls" Wehman's Collection of Songs. Unknown author from 1800s. Carters recorded this again in 1935.
February 14, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) Grave On The Green Hillside 1875- Gospel song by Aldine Kieffer.
February 15, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) Don’t Forget This Song 1910- Traditional based on "Bad Companions" or "Young Companions" Carters recorded this song again in 1935.
February 15, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) Foggy Mountain Top Early 1900s- Traditional, based on earlier folk song. Collected in 1916 by Cecil Sharp.
February 15, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) Bring Back My Blue-Eyed Boy To Me 1800s- Collected by Louise Pound in 1922; Traditional folk song.
February 15, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) Diamonds In The Rough 1897- C.W. Byron (words) and L.L. Pickett (music). Carters recorded this again in 1935.
February 15, 1929 Camden, NJ (Victor) Engine One-Fourty-Three 1915 by Cox- traditional ballad also called the "Wreck on the C & O" based on the Oct 23, 1890 death of engineer George Alley when the FFV train on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad was wrecked by a landslide near Hinton, West Virginia.
November 22, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Homestead On The Farm 1909- "I Wonder How The Old Folks Are At Home" by Lambert and Vandersloot. Carter's also recorded it ARC in 1935.
November 22, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Cyclone Of Ryecove May 2, 1929, an unusually violent storm struck the little community of Rye Cove, located in the mountains of Scott County. Song is attributed to A.P. Carter and recorded in 1929.
November 22, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Motherless Children 1904- S.C. Brown (words) and Charles Dryscoll (Music) Motherless Children is also traditional from African-American sources. They probably learned this song from Leslie Riddle and associates.
November 24, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) When The Roses Bloom In Dixieland 1913- Song by George "Honeyboy" Evans. Carters-1929
November 24, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) No Telephone In Heaven 1899 Werner's Readings and Recitations; Meade sites Delaney's Recitations #3 (Willian W. Delaney Circa 1910); Arranged Carters.
November 24, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Western Hobo Late 1800s- Traditional song "Wild and Reckless Hobo" or "The Railroad Bum." The Carters 1929 title is surely to avoid copyright issues. Meade lumps the song into the vast "Ten Thousand Miles from Home" group which is Laws H2. The famous Jimmie Rodgers song "Waiting For the Train" is one of the best known versions.
November 24, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Carter’s Blues 1800s- Rewrite of the traditional folk song "As I Walked Out One Morning Fair" and is related to "Love Has Brought Me to Despair." The title would need to be changed to avoid copyright issues.
November 24, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Wabash Cannonball 1882-Originally from "The Great Rock Island Route" credited to J. A. Roff. It rewritten in 1904 as "Wabash Cannon Ball," perhaps by William Kindt. Cohen suspects the rewrite preceeded Kindt's 1904 publication, and common tune is not the same as either Roff's or Kindt's.
November 25, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Distant Land To Roam 1902- L.M. Bandy's song "Leaving Home"
November 25, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Jimmie Brown The Newsboy 1875 song by William Shakespeare Hays “Jimmie Brown (The Paper Boy)”.
November 25, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Kitty Waltz 1872 music; lyrics 1926 Al Hopkins- arranged by the Carter Family.
November 25, 1929 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Fond Affection 1800s- traditional arranged by Carters Carters.
May 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Cannon-ball, The Early 1900s- Traditional song learned from Leslie Riddle based on earlier song. Carters recorded this also in 1935.
May 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Lover’s Farewell, The 1849- "Thou Hast Learned to Love Another" or "Farewell, Farewell, Forever" by Charles Slade. "We Have Met and We Have Parted" which is dated by Meade as circa 1870s.
May 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) There’s Someone Awaiting For Me Pre-1861 (Meade)- Unknown parlor song "There's Somebody Waiting For Me." Not to be confused with the Von Tilzer song by the same title from 1902.
May 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Little Log Hut In The Lane, The 1879- Thomas Westendorf (Going From De Cottonfields) usally titled, "I'm Going From the Cottonfields."
May 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) When The Springtime Comes Again 1856- Based on Stephen Foster's "Gentle Annie." This is not the song by C.W. Baker with that title. Charles Wolfe notes: "the song was one she [Sara] knew as "Little Annie". She learned it from a neighbor of A.P.'s who gave them the ballet for it (ie the written and printed lyrics)."
May 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) When The World’s On Fire 1800s- Spiritual from the African-American tradition. The Carters use the same melody in "Little Darling Pal of Mine." Recorded as "Rock of Ages" by Blind Willie Davis, a black singer-guitarist from McComb, Mississippi in 1928. Probably they learned his version from Leslie Riddle, who showed Maybelle slide guitar which she plays on this selection.
May 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) I Have An Aged Mother 1882- Broadside by I.M. Williams titled "Ten Thousand Miles Away" also known as "On The Banks of A Lonely River."
May 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Dying Soldier, The 1800s- based on an unknown song; the title may be used.
May 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Worried Man Blues Early 1900s- Traditional blues song. The first recording is by Sam Collins with a vocal John D. Fox in 1927 on Gnt 6352. The song is made up of traditional verses (Charlie Patton's "Down the Dirt Road Blues") arranged by the Carters probably from Leslie Riddle/Brownie McGee/Sam Lyons group. Carters also recorded the song in 1935.
November 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Lonesome Valley 1800s- Traditional spiritual from both white and black sources. The song was probably from Leslie Riddle but popular versions by both Dalhart and Jenkins had been circulating. Carters recorded the song again in 1935.
November 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) On The Rock Where Moses Stood 1800s- Traditional spiritual also known as "Crying Holy Unto The Lord." It's perhaps derived from the spiritual "Elijah Rock." First recorded by the Norfolk Jubilee Quartet in 1924 as "Crying to the Lord."
November 24, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Room In Heaven For Me Circa 1900- James Vaughan song titled "Is There Room for Me?"
November 25, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Lonesome Pine Special circa 1930- Railroad song attributed to Sara Carter by Janette Carter in a talk to a music class at Warren Wilson College. Janette is the daughter of Sara and A.P. Carter.
November 25, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) No More The Moon Shine On Lorena circa 1889- Song by Louis Staab. The song has been recorded titled as "Lorena" "Lorina" and "Lorrainna" according to Meade. The other song is the Civil War song "Lorena" which is a different yet similar song.
November 25, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) On My Way To Canaan’s Land 1800s- Traditional spiritual usually known as "I'm on my Way to Canaan's Land" or just "I'm On My Way." According to one author, Bernice Johnson Reagon, the song come from the traditional "If You Go Don't Hinder Me." The Pace Jubilee Singers 1927 recording was titled "I'll Journey On." The Carter's recording surely came from Leslie Riddle/Pauline Gary. During the 60s Civil Rights movement the song was changed to "I'm on my Way to Freedom Land."
November 25, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Where Shall I Be? Late 1800s (1908)- African-American spiritual and Pentecostal hymn recorded in 1927 by Blind Lemon Jefferson (as Deacon Bates) and also by the Norfolk Jubilee Quartet. Carters learned traditional Pentecostal hymn arranged by R.E. Winsett in a 1908 hymnal "Songs of Pentecostal Power."
November 25, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Sow ‘Em On The Mountain 1800s- Traditional spiritual "Sowing on the Mountain." May be based on the verse of the 1874 hymn "Bringing in the Sheaves." There is also a relationship in form and content to "This Train is Bound for Glory.
November 25, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Darling Nellie Across The Sea 1800s- Based on an unknown song. Per Charles Wolfe, Sara wrote much of the song herself (implying an antecedent).
November 25, 1930 Memphis, TN (Victor) Birds Were Singing of You, The Unknown date; based on an unknown song by A.P. Carter.
May 25, 1931 Charlotte, NC (Victor) Weary Prodigal Son 1889- Gospel song "Calling the Prodigal" by Charles H. Gabriel.
May 25, 1931 Charlotte, NC (Victor) My Old Cottage Home Circa 1880- Song by R.A. Glenn;
May 25, 1931 Charlotte, NC (Victor) When I’m Gone 1874- Delehanty and Hengler's song "You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone," first recorded by Blind Alfred Reed in 1928. The Carters may have based their version on his.
May 25, 1931 Charlotte, NC (Victor) Sunshine In The Shadows Early 1900s- "Heavenly Sunshine" by Lucy Eddie Campbell from Duck Hill, Mississippi. First recorded by Laura Henton in the 1920s. The Carters probably got this gospel song from Leslie Riddle or Pauline Gray.
May 25, 1931 Charlotte, NC (Victor) Let The Church Roll On 1800s-Traditional African-American gospel song from Leslie Riddle/Pauline Gray arranged by The Carter Family.
May 26, 1931 Charlotte, NC (Victor) Lonesome For You 1918- song "I Know What It Means To Be Lonesome" by Brockman and Vincent (words) and Kendis (music).
May 26, 1931 Charlotte, NC (Victor) Can’t Feel At Home 1919- Traditional folk hymn and spiritual.
June 10, 1931 Louisville, KY (Victor/ Jimmie Rodgers) Why There’s A Tear In My Eye 1928- Song by Carson Robison (An Old Man's Story) that the Carters played with Jimmie Rodgers at their 1931 session in Louisville, KY.
June 10, 1931 Louisville, KY (Victor/ Jimmie Rodgers) Wonderful City Circa 1931- Song attributed to Jimmie Rodgers and was recorded with the Carter family in their joint 1931 session in Louisville KY. Rodgers usually appropriated material for his songs so the lyrics probably are based on another song. This is even more likely because this was the only gospel song Rodgers recorded.
June 12, 1931 Louisville, KY (Victor/ Jimmie Rodgers) Jimmie Rodgers Visits The Carter Family 1931- Song-and-spoken-word skit by The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers.
June 12, 1931 Louisville, KY (Victor/ Jimmie Rodgers) Carter Family And Jimmie Rodgers In Texas 1931 skit and songs featuring the Carters with Jimmie Rodgers.
February 23, 1932 Atlanta, GA (Victor) 'Mid The Green Fields Of Virginia 1898- song by Charles K. Harris.
February 23, 1932 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Happiest Days of All 1875- Will Thompson song "Gathering Shells From the Seashore."
February 23, 1932 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Picture On The Wall Circa 1927- Song by Bud Landress of Georgia Yellow Hammers. Wolfe says Sara recalled that they had learned it 'from an old record'. He credits Carters song to Landress and almost certainly they learned from the 1927 Yellow Hammers hit recording.
February 23, 1932 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Amber Tresses 1874-"Amber Tresses Tied in Blue," Words Samuel M. Mitchell, Music H. P. Danks
February 24, 1932 Atlanta, GA (Victor) I Never Loved But One 1865 song by Armand titled "Those Dark Eyes" also known as "Dark Eyes."
February 24, 1932 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Tell Me That You Love 1866- Will S. Hayes (Levy Collection) The Carters title was probably to prevent copyright problems as the song had already been recorded by Stoneman and Kincaid as "We Parted By The Riverside."
February 24, 1932 Atlanta, GA (Victor) Where We’ll Never Grow Old Early 1920s- Gospel song by James C. Moore. Frequently called "Land Where We'll Never Grow Old" it was first recorded by the Jenkins Family in 1926;
February 24, 1932 Atlanta, GA (Victor) We’ll March Through The Streets Of The City 1800s- Gospel song based in existing lyrics from revival hymns and shape-note hymns. The first verse is also well known in the African-American church.
October 12, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) Sweet As The Flowers In May time 1800s (Randolph collected a version learned prior to 1900)- Traditional song usually known as "My Mother/Mama Scolds Me For Flirting." First recorded by the Carolina Tar Heels in 1927. The Carters extra verse is taken from the chorus of the 1867 song "Where There's A Will There's A Way."
October 12, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) Will The Roses Bloom In Heaven 1911- Song by Charles K. Harris.
October 12, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) My Little Home in Tennessee 1926- Song by Carson Robison.
October 12, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) Sun Of The Soul, The 1917- Southern gospel song by Curtis Williams titled "When the Lights Have gone Out In Your Soul." Recorded in 1927 by Ernest Phipps and his Congregation for Victor "If the Lights Gone Out of Your Soul."
October 12, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) If One Won’t Another One Will 1887 Wehman's Collection of Songs; Collected by Belden in 1904- Traditional song also titled "The Lonesome (Stormy) Scenes of Winter" [Laws H12].
October 12, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) Broken Hearted Lover 1800s- Arrangement of an unknown traditional song; Carters recorded the song again in 1935.
October 13, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) Two Sweethearts 1897- Popular parlor song by E.P. Morgan (words) and J. Fred Helf (music).
October 13, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) Winding Stream, The Unknown date (1932 by Carters)- Meade calls this a parlor song from the 1800s and calls the song, "Give To Me a Winding Stream."
October 13, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) I Wouldn’t Mind Dying 1800s Traditional African-American gospel song arranged by The Carter Family. It's also titled "Bye and Bye We're Going To See The King."
October 13, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) Spirit Of Love Watches Over Me circa 1840-gospel song by George Lindley(1798-1865), the original title was "Thou Art Gone from My Gaze."
October 13, 1932 Camden, NJ (Victor) Church In The Wildwood 1857 William P. Pitts; rewrite 1911 James Rowe; based on gospel song "Little Brown Church in the Vale."
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor) Give Me The Roses While I Live 1925- James Rowe (lyrics) R. H. Cornelius (music).
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor- BB) I Never Will Marry 1864 song "Oh, My Love's Gone," 1906 Belden. Other names are "The Shells of the Ocean" and "Down by the Sea Shore."
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor) On The Sea Of Galilee Circa 1709- Isaac Watts (Two Verses)- Spiritual recorded by the Carters in 1933 for Victor and then they changed the name to avoid copyright issue and recorded the song for ARC in 1935 as "Sea of Galilee."
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor- MW) Home By The Sea 1800s- Possible rewrite of "Dear Old Home Beyond the Sea" by A. Hamilton Sims and William A. Keller written in 1887. For now it's based on an unknown song.
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor-RCA) When The Roses Come Again 1874- Song by Arthur W. French and George W. Persley.
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor) I Loved You Better Than You Knew 1893 song by Johnny Carroll.
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor) This Is Like Heaven To Me 1903- J.E. French's gospel song with the same title.
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor) See That My Grave Is Kept Green 1879- Gus William's song Speculation about Williams song being the the source for Blind Lemon Jefferson's "see that my Grave is Kept Clean" is unfounded and only the title itself appears to have been used.
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor- MW) Over The Garden Wall 1879- Written by the minstrel showmen Harry Hunter and George D. Fox. Sara Carter said "that was an old ballet given to us by an old lady in Tennessee."
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor) Gold Watch And Chain 1879- Traditional chorus based on the Reuben's Train songs. The verses are from 1879 Westendorf song, "Is There No Kiss For Me Tonight, Love."
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor- MW) School House On The Hill 1907- Gospel song by Aldine Kieffer (1840– 1904) titled "The School House On The Hill."
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor- MW) Will My Mother Know Me There? 1906- Song from Johnson Oatman and William Golden included in Songs of the Kingdom: The Camp Meeting Specialý by Robert Emmet Winsett 1911, 200 pages.
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor- issued later RCA) Faded Flowers 1851- song by James Powers and J.H. Brown;
June 17, 1933 Camden, NJ (Victor- RCA) Poor Little Orphaned Boy 1874 (Meade)- Traditional. The first recording was made in 1928 by Buell Kazee.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) On A Hill Lone And Gray 1894- Southern gospel song (There's A Hill Lone and Grey) written by Beverly Francis Caradine and appears in Truths and Triumphs for Revivals.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Cowboy Jack 1893- Western rewrite of "Your Mother Prays for You Jack" by F. M. Eliot. Lyrics not by Carters.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) I’ll Be All Smiles Tonight 1879 song by T.B. Ranson
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Away Out On Old Saint Sabbath 1872 Chorus, Verses unknown date- A rewrite of an unknown song based on "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" from a ballet (lyrics) set to music by the Carter Family.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Darling Little Joe 1866- Song by V. E. Marsten "Death of Little Joe." Also recorded as "Little Joe" in 1938.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Happy Or Lonesome 1913 Dick Burnett songster- Traditional song "Are You Happy or Lonesome" arranged by Carter Family.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) One Little Word 1899- Song written by Gussie Davis.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Darling Daisies 1882- "Down by the Garden Wall" by Max Vernor.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) East Virginia Blues 1800s- Traditional Arranged by Carters
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Lover’s Return 1800s- Traditional folk song usually called "Too Late" or "Too Late You Have to Come Back to Me."
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) It’ll Aggravate Your Soul Song by A.P. Carter based on one verse of traditional lyrics.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Hello Central, Give Me Heaven 1901- Gospel song by Charles K. Harris.
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) I’m Working On A Building Traditional African-American gospel song from Pauline Gray arranged by The Carter Family
May 8, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) You’ve Been Fooling Me Baby Circa 1930- Song by Allen Brothers "When You Leave You Leave Me Sad" recorded in 1930.
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Longing For Old Virginia 1915- E. Clinton Keithley song "I'm Longing for Old Virginia and You."
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) March Winds Goin’ To Blow My Blues Away 1900s- Rewrite of traditional blues lyrics associated with "Trouble in Mind" and "I Know You Rider": "The sun's gonna shine in my back door some day (2X) Wind's gonna rise and blow my blues away."
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) There’ll Be Joy, Joy, Joy 1800s- Spiritual usually known as "In My Father's House." It was recorded first by the Four Wanderers in 1929. A version (In My Father's House) is printed in Carl Sandburg's 1927 American Songbag. A version, "There'll Be No Liars There," was recorded in 1927 by the Hickory Nuts.
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- RCA) Home in Tennessee Circa 1925- Song by Maggie Andrews (Alias Carson Robison) titled "My Little Home in Tennessee."
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Are You Tired Of Me My Darling? 1877- Song by Cook and Roland.
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) I Cannot Be Your Sweetheart 1899 song written by Abbie Ford titled "Under the Pale Moonlight."
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) My Heart’s Tonight In Texas 1900 also rewrite 1913- This western folk song is credited to Roden-Max S. Witt in 1900. It was published by the title "Down by the Silvery Rio Grande" in 1913 by Dave Weisberg, R. F. Roden, and music- Charles Speidel.
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) There’s No Hiding Place Down Here 1800s- Spiritual (No Hiding Place) first recorded by the Famous Jubilee Singers in 1927. The probable source is the Carter's African-American contacts Leslie Riddle and Pauline Gray.
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Cowboy’s Wild Song To His Herd 1912- Based on a poem in Rhymes from the Rangeland. Wesley Beggs is considered to be the original author of the text of this song.
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Evening Bells Are Ringing 1934- based on an unknown song by A.P. Carter
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Mountains of Tennessee, The Unknown (1934)- unknown song. Seems like a rewrite of the song, "Sweet Sunny South." The song has different chords and melody but the lyrics and form are very similar. The "cool shady nook" line is found in Katie Kline.
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) I’ll Be Home Someday Date unknown- Based on an unknown song. Arranged by The Carter Family
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Faded Coat Of Blue 1865- Civil War song by J.H. McNaughton
December 11, 1934 Camden, NJ (Victor- Bluebird) Sailor Boy 1800s- Traditional ballad listed as "The Faithful Sailor Boy" [Laws K13] and by Meade as "Sailor Boy's Farewell." It was first recorded by Gid Tanner of Skillet Licker fame in 1924. Vernon Dalhart's 1925 version titled "Sailor Boy's Farewell" was popular.
...........SUMMARY.........There are 135 different songs recorded by the Carters in the RCA Victor years: 1927-1934. Ralph Peer, Victor's Artists and Repertoire (A&R) executive who was responsible for talent scouting in Victor's Country Music Division, signed the Carter Family in 1927 and managed the Carters as well as the other Victor star, Jimmie Rodgers.
When Peer left RCA Victor in 1932 as the sole owner of Southern Music Publishing, he remained the Carters manager. The Carters still recorded for Victor and Peer's replacement Eli Oberstein on Victor's discount label Bluebird. After the Carters 1934 final Victor sessions were they switched the ARC label. They returned to record their final session with Victor's Bluebird label in 1941. That session will be included in the next section Carters 1935-1941 Sessions.