I’ve lived in Louisiana on the Bayou for 67 years. We pronounce it “Buy You” Anita has a beautiful voice. The word ,haunting , is perfect describing her amazing voice.
Yeah, and she said it to Joaquin Phoenix. lol That was a line from a movie. And Reese Witherspoon said it, not June Carter. The movie was "Walk the Line' BTW. Reality does not equal Hollywood.
Anita Carter had one of the finest voices. Ever. Defining country music with the Carter Family. The Carters and Jimmie Rodgers are the foundation of American country music. RIP Anita Carter
It is so heartening to see young Fil enthralled by some of these old recordings. Anita Carter’s voice is indeed ethereal and might have escaped many of our attentions were it not for your enthusiastic sincere study of beautiful performances like this. Very well done in every aspect.
No wonder at all! Mama Maybelle had to keep chasing Hank Williams away from Anita. With her physical and vocal beauty, can you blame them for wanting to be within her light?
What a happy surprise! She has always been my favorite Carter. Her duet with Johnny Cash on "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord" gives me chills.
Anita would be amazed and amused by all this attention on Voice of the Bayou. She was so nonchalant about her talent. I think her record label thought she would fit right into the 1960s folksinger groove, but she had other commitments and would rather sing harmony with the family. There are literally hundreds of RU-vids of her album cuts and single recordings (made in the days of 78 rpms) for y’all to discover.
Your review and assessment of Anita Carter was exceptional. Voices can create magic, and Anita's Voice of the Bayou exemplifies this. (Thumb'd up and subscribed)
The haunting feeling, clear vocal, and creepy lyrical content all add to the feeling of going down in the swamp at night and running into a voodoo queen. Relentless. Excellent breakdown and analysis on this one, Fil.
Fil - Yes, the word is pronounced Buy You here in the U.S. Here is a little background: The word entered American English via Louisiana French in Louisiana and is thought to originate from the Choctaw word bayuk, which means "small stream".[2] After first appearing in the 17th century, the term is found in 18th century accounts and maps, often as bayouc or bayouque, where it was eventually shortened to its current form.[3] The first settlements of the Bayou Têche and other bayous were founded by the Louisiana Creoles, and the bayous are commonly associated with Creole and Cajun culture.
@emariaenterprises that or she was just tired of it. By 62 she and her sisters had been travelling and singing as an adjunct to the original Carter family since they were in grammar school
I agree. I interviewed Anita Carter in the 70s. The interview was not great because she was feeling some bitterness about people not recognizing her musical talent. The interview got me listening to her music and I have the same conclusion--her musical talent was amazing. June was a performer, sort of a clown. Helen was solid but no excitement. Together, they were great as a group.
It wasn't a mystery that she had the best voice but she wasn't as in to the showbiz side of things...June on the other hand with not nearly as good a voice took to the showbiz especially comedy and the rest is history.
That relentless walking bass-line, when combined with the lyrics and Anita's haunting vocals, invoked the image of a zombie rising from the cypress-swamp bayou and trudging towards its mistress while she chants her voodoo rite "Um-a-pa palesu-va..." EDIT: I just discovered a break down of the lyrics. The singer's man is being magically charmed/summoned by the Voodoo Queen, but the singer is preparing her own voodoo doll to fight the Voodoo Queen off. The charmed man is slowly trudging toward his doom, but the singer is working to save him / break the voodoo-charm.
I think it is so cool to see people a lot younger than me who are interested in and appreciate singers and old songs from my time and before! I myself was always into older songs from my parents' generation, as well as my generation's music.
Me too! I’m a child of the 70’s & grew up listening to my parent’s and grandparents music. I close my eyes and still hear the big band sound they loved, among others. I love the memories. 🎶💕
Her high note at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="906">15:06</a>-<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="910">15:10</a> is brilliant, micro-tonally sharp (the high points of the vibrato is slightly above pitch and the low points are on pitch) which gives an added eerie import to the lyric. The next note (@<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="912">15:12</a>) is exactly on pitch, giving the phrase a beautiful resolution. This is singing of the highest order. Great analysis, Fil, and a great selection!
She grew up in a family that harmonised from her youngest age. Anita knew how to do it well , and this is testament to her talent. I was always amazed that June grabbed the limelight with just more, let’s just call it flamboyance.
Thanks for this analysis, Fil. Indeed a haunting melody, but Anita sings it beautifully. I appreciate when you share these gems from the past-such an unexpected treat!
I also love that voice. I did some research years ago on her career and found the answer to her not being better known. What I found was that she quit singing to raise her family.
I bought the Grand Ole Opry box set in the early 2000's. Anita's voice always mesmerized me! She was always my favorite in The Carter Family! Skeeter Davis was another favorite of the catalog, aside from the big names Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and the like. Too many greats to mention!
Sounds like we have similar tastes in the music. I collected all of The Carter family records, and the same with Skeeter, Hank Williams and Patsy Cline. Plus many others.
All the Carter family can sing really well. This is my first experience of hearing this song. Spooky song. Excellent analysis. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Thanks for shining a spotlight on this great performance. The Carters weren't allowed to be off-pitch, I think. Siblings and family members who sing together don't spare anyone's feelings if they're off-pitch or late in an entrance 😂 Anita's voice is great because it is both a solo voice and an ensemble voice, employing vibrato judiciously but also being able to land right on the pitch. You're right about the haunting quality; this is something you might hear in a David Lynch movie.
Anita Carter had an amazing voice! This song was a bit spooky indeed, but it was nice at the same time. Thank you, Fil, for another incredible analysis!
I can hear in Anita's voice the inspiration she lent to each of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt (and similarly - the Carter ensemble-singing to the Parton, Harris & Ronstadt Trio). ALL beautiful!
I have my late mother and father in-law's entire collection of albums and there's a treasure of classic country and gospel in there including MANY of The Carter Family! I'm such a blessed man to have had such wonderful inlaws and the items that were passed to me. 💙🙏🏼
Fil, I believe you hit the nail on the head when you said "cavernous" to describe the quality of Anita Carter's voice in this song. I listened to the song prior to your analysis. I appreciate the objective and thorough approach that you apply. I admit I felt uneasy listening to the song because her voice and the convincing background provided by the bass and guitar told the story. Additionally, I visited New Orleans, Louisiana, which is famous for having voodoo practices which I avoided. The song was somewhat of a trip down memory lane. Thanks Fil, for bringing your knowledge and love for music in your analysis videos!
What a beautiful voice! It is stunning. The Louisiana bayous are very spooky, with Spanish moss hanging, cypress trees and swamp. I had never heard Anita thanks for posting.
Fil, Anita Carter has an amazing voice! This is the first time I have heard her sing! Wow, yes, that bass line actually does feel like it is walking you into danger. I found this to feel both spooky as well as mystical! Another one that caused me to break out in Chills! I could visualize her walking through the haunting area of the bayou! Loved this one! Fil, you never disappoint in describing what is happening in your analysis videos ! Great job, Fil! 💜 💜
Not to take away from this amazing voice. I once heard Judith Durham from The Seekers sing a couple of bars a capella during a live radio interview and I was shocked at its purity and strength. Just like Anita Carter's voice. That is a gift from the universe, without doubt.
Funny you should say that. I thought Judith Durham's voice was always very strident and lacking in any sort of vibrato. She also had no "soul". That being said, I enjoyed many of the songs sung by The Seekers.
Oh I disagree with @EPA18. It sounds like you're saying that Judith's voice had no character. She DID sing with her own style of vibrato - quite strong, neither delicate nor finessed. Listen to / watch the video of "A World of Our Own" and tell me she had no soul.
Judith would have fared better as a lead singer with backups, instead of folk style singing all together. She gets lost in the mix and she is the one with the pipes too. Terrific Aussie voice.
Wow, her voice is gorgeous and amazingly pitch-accurate. I wonder if she mostly sang melody with the group; I'll have to check it out. Interesting analysis.
Anita Carter is in a league of few. On the other hand, if you wanted to make it in the music business back then, you had to be good. Anita Carter certainly was one of the few very best.
Anita Carter was an amazing singer... as "Voice of the Bayou" proves. listen to Anita and Hank Williams do " I can't help it (if Im still in love with you.)
Cárters were sooooo good ❤ I like how you appreciate different music styles, especially the old stuff. The old music is were our modern music comes from. (Minus Rap) I'm listening to the Carters this afternoon. 🎶❤️
I was at the Hastings cave Tasmania about a month ago and we where at the maximum depth of the cave and the guid sang a bit of opera and it was second only to this woman’s voice. Her voice was also hauntingly beautiful!!! It touches just as deep in my soul WOW magnificent ✌️
Awesome! Fil, Anita was a part of a very little known group in the 50s called "Nita, Rita & Ruby." They never got much recognition as a group but the recordings are TOP NOTCH! Can you do a analysis/video to any of their songs?!? Anita along with Rita Robbins & Ruby Wright (who is also Kitty Well's daughter) when they sang together sounded amazing! The harmonies are so killer! It would be great to see them get some love on your channel too!
Oh, what a great selection, THANK YOU! If you want to be blown away, check out Anita's flirty duet with Hank Williams (Sr) "I Can't Help It". One of the only 2 videos of Ol Hank.
Hi Fil, This is a beautiful song, so melodious and mystical. Like when you’re watching a scary movie and you know that they shouldn’t open the door to go into the dark dust filled basement. LOL… but really what a beautifully haunting voice with total control of her instrument and impeccable pitch accuracy. Loved this analysis and your guitar demonstration. Great job, and thank you! Debbie☮️
Ohhh yeah. This is it! My stepdad was in love with this woman. Well, it was probably a toss up between Anita Carter and Patsy Cline. Both incredible singers obviously. Patsy got more recognition but Anita had a special airy or dreamy quality that set her apart, in my opinion. Thanks for this, Fil!
Anita has always been my favorite singer in the old country music. I got hooked on her when the Carter sisters sang background on Cash's Were You There recording.
Well, this triggered a memory, even though I've never heard it before. My mom was a Johnny Cash fan, which means I had some exposure to the Carter Family growing up, though only from their contributions to his songs. One song that the Carter Family was credited on is "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord". Until just now, I never knew who of the family sang the solo part. I probably assumed it was June Carter Cash, but when Anita hit the high note in this song, I knew it had to be her. She hits a similarly stunning note in that song. I remember listening to the song (which I didn't really care for) just so I could hear that note, especially near the end of the song when she holds it for a time. It's amazing that after all these years, I immediately remembered it, because of how she sounds here.
@@snakemansnakes1 Ring of Fire was my first ever "favourite song" and I still love it, so I'm going to have to disagree with it being "the" highlight. But the fact that I immediately recognized her vocal because of my memory of that song means it certainly is "a" highlight. 🙂
Wow! Don't say this much.. but I got genuine goosebumps. I rarely get them these days. Never heard this recording and in truth much of her older work. Beautiful piercing clear vocals.. a 'story telling' pitch.
Older artists had to have real talent to succeed. Now the use of autotune and other technologies have enabled minimally proficient off-key singers to succeed.