Careless Love Original 30” by 40” Acrylic on canvas. C 2008.
WC Handy claimed the song dates back to the late 1892 when he first played it. Collected as early as 1904 the song was popular among Country musicians in the late1920s and 30s, Careless Love was recorded by Dock Boggs, Riley Puckett, and also Ernest Stoneman.
My painting begins on the left side above the lyrics with the lovers (in the trees) meeting in a densely wooded background. Their profiles emerge from two tree trunks. The entire cabin scene shows the result; the young girl who is now pregnant, stares in the distance as her lover (on far right) passes the cabin door and won’t come in. While their hound dog lies impassively on the porch and her father sits in a rocking chair whittling wood, her mother raises a shotgun towards the young man who won’t take responsibility for his actions.
Careless Love (Painting Lyrics)
Love, oh love, oh careless love,
Love, oh love, oh careless love.
Love, oh love, oh careless love,
Oh look what careless love has done.
Once I wore my apron low,
Once I wore my apron low.
Once I wore my apron low,
I could not keep you from my door.
Now my apron strings won't pin,
Now my apron strings won't pin.
Now my apron strings won't pin,
You pass my door and won't come in.
I love my mama and papa, too,
I love my mama and papa, too.
I love my mama and papa, too,
I'd leave them just to go with you.
You’ve gone and broke this heart of mine,
You’ve gone and broke this heart of mine.
You’ve gone and broke this heart of mine,
It'll break that heart of yours sometime.