At YouTube you can see an excerpt from the 1940 Hollywood film "Grand Ole Opry" in which Uncle Dave Macon and his son Dorris sing TAKE ME BACK TO MY OLD CAROLINA HOME. He never recorded this song.

(I did, however find that several other artists recorded songs called CARRY ME BACK TO MY CAROLINA HOME or MY CAROLINA HOME, which I assume are related.)

The film shows Uncle Dave performing various acrobatic tricks, even dancing, with his banjo. I think I can hear banjo chords being played during these acrobatics. Am I being fooled by an off-camera musician, or is Uncle Dave really doing this?

The story told by the song seems rather disjointed, making me wonder if we aren't hearing mere excerpts from a longer song.


TAKE ME BACK TO MY OLD CAROLINA HOME
As sung by Uncle Dave Macon (on banjo) and Dorris Macon (on guitar)

1. Me an' my buddy(?) started out the other day,
Studyin' a plan how to get away.
Light come on an' it caught us in the dark,
Waitin' for the Chesterfield train to start.

2. Conductor was a-standin' right nigh the rope(?)
An' he hollered to his passengers, "All aboa'd!"
Then he reached up and he pulled the string.
Bang-a-bang-a-bang-a went the banjer string.

CHORUS: Take-a me back. (Take-a me back.)
Take-a me back. (Take-a me back.)
Take-a me back to that ol' Car'lina home. (Oh, yes!)
Take-a me back. (Take-a me back.)
Take-a me back. (Take-a me back.)
Take-a me back to that ol' Car'lina home.

3. Well, the train pulled on to the very next stop.
I looked around, about seventeen cops.
'Cross the hill you oughta seen me run.
Bang-a-bang-a-bang-a went my Gat-a-ling gun. CHORUS