Will the circle be unbroken

Traditional

I was standing by my window on a cold & cloudy day
When I saw the hearse come rolling for to carry my mother away
Chorus:

Will the circle be unbroken by & by, Lord, by & by?
There's a better home a-waiting in the sky, Lord, in the sky
Lord, I told that undertaker 'Undertaker, please drive slow
For this body you're a-hauling, Lord, I hate to see her go'

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

Went back home, Lord, my home was lonesome, 'cause my mother, she was gone
All my brothers, sisters cryin', what a home, so sad and lone

One by one the seats were emptied, one by one, they went away
Now that family, they are parted, Will they meet again someday?

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New Version
(by Cathy Winter, Betsy Rose & Marcia Taylor)

Chorus:

Will the circle be unbroken, by & by Lord by & by
There's a better way to live now, we can have it if we try
I was singing with my sisters, I was singing with my friends
And we all can sing together, 'cause the circle never ends

I was born down in the valley where the sun refused to shine
But I'm climbing up to the highland, gonna make that mountain mine!