Lonesome Valley 2003

Album: Carter Girl (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Carter penned this song about the pain she felt after losing her mother June and her mother's husband Johnny Cash in the same year: 2003. Carlene explains in the song that after June passed away, Johnny lost his will to live:

    Johnny just cried 'cause Junie had died
    He didn't care to carry on


    In our interview with Carlene Carter, she explained: "'Lonesome Valley' represents to me the loss of everyone in my life. It was centered around Mom and John and I almost didn't make the last verse have John passing in it but it was part of the story of where I was going."
  • This song is based on a hymn called "Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley," which is about how we must bear our own burdens:

    We must walk this lonesome valley
    We have to walk it by ourselves
    O, nobody else can walk it for us
    We have to walk it by ourselves
  • Carlene Carter lost a third member of her family when her sister Rosey died on October 24, 2003, three weeks after Johnny Cash passed away. She didn't write this into the song because it was too painful.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Tom Bailey of Thompson Twins

Tom Bailey of Thompson TwinsSongwriter Interviews

Tom stopped performing Thompson Twins songs in 1987, in part because of their personal nature: "Hold Me Now" came after an argument with his bandmate/girlfriend Alannah Currie.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors Examined

Deconstructing Doors Songs With The Author Of The Doors ExaminedSong Writing

Doors expert Jim Cherry, author of The Doors Examined, talks about some of their defining songs and exposes some Jim Morrison myths.

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

Scott Stapp

Scott StappSongwriter Interviews

The Creed lead singer reveals the "ego and self-fulfillment" he now sees in one of the band's biggest hits.

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-Outs

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-OutsSong Writing

The 10 biggest "retirement tours" that didn't take.