Henry's Songbook

Chorus:
Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, Lord by and by
There's a better home a-waiting
In the sky, Lord in the sky

I was standing by the window one dark and cloudy day
When I saw the hearse come rolling for to carry my mother away

Well I told the undertaker, Undertaker please drive slow
For this body you are hauling, Lord I hate to see her go

Well I followed close behind her, tried to hold up and be brave
But I could not hide my sorrow when they laid her in the grave

(as sung by Joan Baez)

[1973:] Most people know this song as Will the Circle Be Unbroken, a sacred song that has been extremely popular in the south for many years. It was recorded in the 1920s by [among others] the Carter Family. Somewhere along the way, either Alton Delmore or the Carters changed the word "will" to "can", -- and the song is now known both ways. (Reprint Sing Out 12, 372)

 [1979:] Ein sentimentaler Song aus den Südstaaten der USA, der zum ersten Mal in den zwanziger Jahren von der Carter Family, dem Metropolitan Quartet und dem Silver Leaf Quartet aufgenommen wurde. Er verspricht die Rückkehr der alten Dinge, so wie sie einmal waren, was natürlich Unterschiedliches bedeuten kann. (Bursch 43)

See also http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2479