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20 CLASSIC SONGS your friends will love

Beatles - Petty - Johnny Cash - Eagles - John Denver - Dylan

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    Can the Circle Be Unbroken?

    Carter Family

     

    Tune down ½ step.

     

    Play this using bass/strum technique with alternating bass and walking bass lines.  Wherever you see (3 ½) next to a chord, it means play three measures of 4/4, then one measure of 2/4.  Who would of thought that this old country tune would have tricky time signature changes?!

     

    Strum:   B   D U B   D U

             1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +

     

    Chord Guide

            123

    A:    x02220

          T  132

    D/F#: 2x0232

           231

    E:    022100

             132

    D:    xx0232

     

    Intro:  / A - - - / - - - - / - - - - /

     

               A (4)

    I was standin' by the window

              D/F# (2)                A (2)

    On a cold and cloudy day,

              A (3½)

    And I saw the hearse come rollin'

               E (2)                            A (2)

    For to carry my mother away

     

    Chorus:

                 A (3½)

    Can the circle be unbroken?

               D (2)                  A (2)

    By and by Lord, by and by,

                    A (3½)

    There's a better home a-waitin'

                E (2)                       A (2)

    In the sky Lord, in the sky.

     

    Instrumental:

    / A - - - / - - - - / - - - - / - - - - /

    / D/F# - - - / - - - - / A - - - / - - - - /

    / - - - - / - - - - / - - - - / - - - - /

    / - - - - / E - - - / A - - - / - - - - /

     

              A (4)

    Lord I told the undertaker,

                D/F# (2)                      A (2)

    "Undertaker, please drive slow,

                  A (3½)

    For this body you are hauling Lord,

        E (2)                       A (2)

    I hate to see her go."

     

    Chorus

     

        A (4)

    I followed close behind her,

                D/F# (2)                    A (2)

    Tried to hold up and be brave,

               A (3½)

    But I could not hide my sorrow

                      E (2)                       A (2)

    When they laid her in the grave.

     

    Chorus

     

    Instrumental:

    / A - - - / - - - - / - - - - / - - - - /

    / - - - - / E - - - / A - - - / - - - - /

     

                       A (4)

    Went back home Lord, my home was lonesome,

                      D/F# (2)                    A (2)
    Missed my mother she was gone.

                A (3½)
    All my brothers and sisters crying

                E (2)                       A (2)
    In our home so sad and alone.

     

    Chorus


    This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.