The Iconic Funeral Hymn “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”

In 1907, Ada R. Habershon, an English Christian hymnist, and Charles H. Gabriel, who is said to have written or composed up to 8,000 gospel songs, wrote a Christian tune called “Will the Circle Be Unbroken.” The original lyrics are clearly about mortality and grieving, but the story is a bit ambiguous, with the first stanza opening with:

“There are loved ones in the glory

Whose dear forms you often miss

When you close your earthly story

Will you join them in their bliss?”

Almost thirty years later, A.P. Carter, one of the founding members of The Carter Family, reworked the song into a funeral hymn called “Can The Circle Be Unbroken,” using the same music, melody and verse structure. He modified the chorus and rewrote the lyrics so that they describe a very distinctive funeral — that of the singer’s mother. This change makes the song far more intimate and contributes to the profound emotional resonance the song achieves. The first verse of The Carter Family’s version of the song goes:

“I was standing by my window

On a cold and cloudy day

When I saw that hearse come rolling

For to carry my mother away.”

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The verses go on to describe a slow procession to the grave site, and the return to the “lonesome” home where the singer finds his siblings weeping over the loss of their mother. Finally, the siblings resort to singing hymns that their mother taught them, and find that singing them bolsters their spirits and helps them cope with their grief.

Many artists have gone on to record versions of the song, including Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Joan Baez, The Neville Brothers, The Staples Singers, Bob Dylan and The Band and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The Allman Brothers performed the song at Duane Allman’s funeral after he died in a motorcycle accident.

The verses don’t mince words as they describe the heartbreaking reality of attending the funeral of one’s beloved mother. However, the chorus provides respite at the end of each verse, reminding the listener, “There’s a better home awaiting in the sky.” Thus, the story returns again and again to a message of faith in the face of inconsolable grief and loss.