Lyr Req: Carter (Fred Eaglesmith)

Subject: Lyr Req: 'Carter'
From: GUEST,new dealer
Date: 07 May 09 - 01:36 PM

I'm unable to get all the words to Ralph Stanley II's song about his uncle, 'Carter,' especially the first line of the first verse, "------- in the morning", and the first line of the fifth, "-------in the hollow". I'd greatly appreciate any help. Thanks!

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: CARTER (Fred Eaglesmith)
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 07 May 09 - 01:50 PM

Can't help at the moment, but here's a bit of info for those inclined to help. It's a Fred Eaglesmith composition. I know it from the version by Bill and Kasey Chambers.

---

Ah, decided I had time to at least do this. Here's someone else's work from http://jason.hammond.net/fsw/eaglesmith/tab/carter.txt

"Carter" By: Fred Eaglesmith
Submitted by: donnie courville

Intro C                C add g        C

C                                 Dm                                
Rifles in the morning   turkeys in the grain
F                                                G
Desperate boys in windswept fields runnin for the train
C                                Dm
Skin soaked revelations Whiskey before dawn
F                                G                        C
It won't be the same now that Carter's gone

Inst    C                Dm           F           G

C                                         Dm
Drive ins on the state line that high and lonesome sound
F                                G
Wake up on that hilltop Carter's in the ground
C                                                Dm
It makes you kinda hang your head cry into the dawn
F                                        G                        C
Cause it won't be the same now that Carter's gone
Dm                                        F                        G
White doves in the hollow I heard somebody say
Dm                                                F                G
Nobody's ever gonna play those songs that way again

C                                           Dm
And I drive thru old Kentucky tearing thru the gears
F                                        G
Trying not to think of him thru all my bluegrass tears
C                                                Dm
Put that guitar beneath the bus I can't play another one
F                                        G                        C
They don't sound the same now that Carter's gone
Dm                                       F    G                              C
Things will never be the same now that Carter's gone

C        Dm        F        G        C

Subject: ADD: Carter (Fred Eaglesmith)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 May 09 - 02:11 PM

It's a personal thing, but I can't follow lyrics when chords are interspersed, so I like to see both a lyrics and a chords transcription of a song. Here's my transcription of the song without chords:

CARTER
(Fred Eaglesmith)

Rifles in the morning, turkeys in the grain,
Desperate boys in windswept fields, runnin for a train;
Skin soaked revelation, Whiskey before dawn,
They won't be the same now that Carter's gone

Drive ins on the state line, that high and lonesome sound,
Wake up on that hilltop, Carter's in the ground.
Well, it makes you kinda hang your head, and cry into the dawn,
'Cause it won't be the same, now that Carter's gone.
White doves in the hollow, I heard somebody say,
Nobody's ever gonna play those songs that way again.

And I drive through old Kentucky, tearing through the gears,
Trying not to think of him through all my bluegrass tears.
Put that guitar beneath the bus, I can't play another one;
They don't sound the same now that Carter's gone.
No, things will never be the same now that Carter's gone.

Transcribed by ear from The Songs of Fred Eaglesmith: A Tribute, by Kasey & Bill Chambers.

I notice that Fred Eaglesmith has come up in the Forum quite frequently in the last month or so. Good to see he's getting attention.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Carter (Fred Eaglesmith)
From: GUEST,Al Mele
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 04:37 PM

Few singer song writters can even wear Fred's Sox. He can a blazing hot rocking hillbilly or he can tear your heart right out of your chest with his beautiful artistic ballads.

York Road is a stunning song from his
"Boxed Set." "Little Buffalo" tells the truth about what goes on between the whites and the Mohawks in Ontario and Upper State NY.
No body even talks about this or knows its an issue.

This man moves moutains of emotion and should be considered equal to John Prine or Warren Zevon.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Carter (Fred Eaglesmith)
From: GUEST,open mike
Date: 23 Sep 10 - 07:05 PM

are you sure Carter was Ralph's uncle? maybe his brother...
or maybe i am thinking of two other brothers...one has a
festival named after him...Merle....Merlefest....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Carter (Fred Eaglesmith)
From: Ebbie
Date: 24 Sep 10 - 02:09 AM

open mike, I think you have two different families there.

Ralph, senior, and Carter were brothers. Carter died a long time ago, in the 60s, I think. I seem to remember it was heart disease. It took me a long time to appreciate Ralph properly - I loved Carter's voice.

Merle Watson was the son of Doc Watson. Merle died a number of years ago - maybe 8 or 10 years? - in a tractor accident. The Watson's named Merlefest in his honor.