Gold Watch and Chain: Their Complete Victor Recordings (1933–1934)
Encyclopedia
Gold Watch and Chain: Their Complete Victor Recordings (1933–1934) is a compilation of recordings made by American
country music
group the Carter Family
, released in 1998. It is the seventh of nine compilations released by Rounder Records
of the group's Victor
recordings. The original Carter Family group consisting of Alvin Pleasant "A.P." Delaney Carter, his wife Sara Dougherty Carter
, and his sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter
recorded many of what would become their signature songs for Victor Records.
Emmylou Harris
covered "Gold Watch and Chain" on her 1980 album Roses in the Snow
.
The tracks have all been digitally remastered and include liner notes by country music historian Charles K. Wolfe.
Production notes:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
group the Carter Family
Carter Family
The Carter Family was a traditional American folk music group that recorded between 1927 and 1956. Their music had a profound impact on bluegrass, country, Southern Gospel, pop and rock musicians as well as on the U.S. folk revival of the 1960s. They were the first vocal group to become country...
, released in 1998. It is the seventh of nine compilations released by Rounder Records
Rounder Records
Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
of the group's Victor
Victor Talking Machine Company
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
recordings. The original Carter Family group consisting of Alvin Pleasant "A.P." Delaney Carter, his wife Sara Dougherty Carter
Sara Carter
Sara Carter was an American Country music musician. Known for her deep and distinctive singing voice, she was the lead singer on most of the recordings of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s....
, and his sister-in-law Maybelle Addington Carter
Maybelle Carter
"Mother" Maybelle Carter was an American country musician. She is best known as a member of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s and also as a member of Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters.-Biography:...
recorded many of what would become their signature songs for Victor Records.
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris
Emmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
covered "Gold Watch and Chain" on her 1980 album Roses in the Snow
Roses in the Snow
Roses in the Snow was a 1980 album by Emmylou Harris. While Harris' previous release, 1979's Blue Kentucky Girl featured traditional, straight-ahead country , Roses in the Snow found Harris performing Bluegrass-inspired music, with material by Flatt and Scruggs, Paul Simon, The Carter Family, and...
.
The tracks have all been digitally remastered and include liner notes by country music historian Charles K. Wolfe.
Reception
Music critic William Ruhlman stated in his Allmusic review "... the Carters' usual combination of hymns, traditional folk songs, and other old material continues to fascinate in their renditions, with their rough, expressive singing and innovative playing."Track listing
- "When the Roses Come Again" (A. W. Finch, G. W. Persley) – 2:29
- "I Loved You Better Than You Knew" (Johnny Carroll) – 3:08
- "This Is Like Heaven to Me" (J. E. French) – 2:43
- "See That My Grave Is Kept CleanSee That My Grave Is Kept Clean"See That My Grave Is Kept Clean" is a blues song recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson in 1927 that became "one of his most famous compositions". Son House used the melody on his 1930 recording of "Mississippi County Farm Blues"....
" (Blind Lemon JeffersonBlind Lemon Jefferson"Blind" Lemon Jefferson was an American blues singer and guitarist from Texas. He was one of the most popular blues singers of the 1920s, and has been titled "Father of the Texas Blues"....
, Gus WilliamsGus Williams (vaudeville)Gus Williams was a popular American comedian and songwriter.-Early life:Gustave Wilhelm Leweck, Jr. was born on the ninth of July, 1848, the son of a New York City German-American fur importer. While in his early teens Williams left home to seek adventure in the American West...
) – 3:13 - "Over the Garden Wall" (George D. Fox, Harry Hunter) – 2:51
- "Gold Watch and Chain" (Thomas P. Westendorf) – 3:33
- "School House on the Hill" (Aldine KiefferAldine Silliman KiefferAldine Silliman Kieffer was a leading 19th century proponent of shape note musical notation, music teacher and publisher....
) – 2:57 - "Will My Mother Know Me There?" (William M Golden, Johnson Oatman, Jr.) – 3:03
- "Faded Flowers" (J. H. Brown, James Power) – 3:08
- "Poor Little Orphaned Boy" (A. P. Carter) – 3:23
- "Cowboy Jack" (Carter) – 2:55
- "I'll Be All Smiles Tonight" (Carter) – 3:15
- "Away Out on the Saint Sabbath" (Carter) – 3:00
- "Darling Little Joe" (Charles E. Addison) – 2:47
- "Happy or Lonesome" (Traditional) – 2:48
- "One Little Word" (Gussie DavisGussie DavisGussie Lord Davis was an African-American songwriter born in Dayton, Ohio. Davis was one of America's earliest successful African-American music artists, having been the first Black songwriter to acquire fame on Tin Pan Alley as a composer of popular music.-Early life:Gussie Davis received...
) – 2:59
Personnel
- A. P. CarterA. P. CarterAlvin Pleasant Delaney Carter , best known as A.P. Carter, was an American musician and founding member of The Carter Family, one of the most notable acts in the history of country music.-Life:...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Maybelle CarterMaybelle Carter"Mother" Maybelle Carter was an American country musician. She is best known as a member of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s and also as a member of Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters.-Biography:...
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, autoharpAutoharpThe autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers, which, when depressed, mute all of the strings other than those that form the desired chord. Despite its name, the autoharp is not a harp at all, but a chorded zither. -History:There is debate over the... - Sara CarterSara CarterSara Carter was an American Country music musician. Known for her deep and distinctive singing voice, she was the lead singer on most of the recordings of the historic Carter Family act in the 1920s and 1930s....
– vocals, autoharp
Production notes:
- Ralph PeerRalph PeerRalph Sylvester Peer was an American talent scout, recording engineer and record producer in the field of music in the 1920s and 1930s...
– producer - David Glasser – mastering
- Scott Billington – design
- Charles K. Wolfe – liner notes