Can the Circle Be Unbroken (By and By) is a 1935 country and folk gospel song performed by the Carter Family. It was released as a single in August 1935 with the B-side Glory to the Lamb, after being recorded on May 6, 1935, on the Banner label. The song reworks the hymn Will the Circle Be Unbroken? by Ada R. Habershon and Charles H. Gabriel, with A. P. Carter adapting it for the group. Its lyrics tell of the death, funeral, and mourning of the narrator's mother. The Carter Family version helped bring the song to prominence and it has been covered by many artists across gospel, bluegrass and folk, including Bob Dylan, The Band and Johnny Cash. Most versions keep a straight 4/4 beat, while the 1927 Carter Family recording uses 3/4 near the end of each verse. Its refrain was incorporated into the Carl Perkins song Daddy Sang Bass and the Atlanta song Sweet Country Music, and in 1988 it was adapted into Rise Up Singing. The tune has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and remains a staple of American folk and gospel repertoire; it has also appeared in films such as Broken Circle Breakdown.
