"The Carroll County Accident" is a 1968 country song written by Bob Ferguson, and recorded by

Porter Wagoner Porter Wayne Wagoner (August 12, 1927 – October 28, 2007) was an American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. In 1967, he introduced singer Dolly Parton on his television show, ''The Po ...

that year. It was a hit for Wagoner and became one of his signature songs. "The Carroll County Accident" won CMA's Song of the Year in 1969. It has been covered by numerous musicians.

Composition

The singer tells the story of a single-car accident that occurred near his hometown. The passenger, Walter Browning, an upstanding member of the community and seemingly happily married man, dies; while the driver, Mary Ellen Jones, a woman not his wife but also well respected, survives to testify that she was taking him to town on an errand of mercy. The narrator singer describes examining the wreckage and discovering evidence of an extramarital affair between the two (Browning's wedding band hidden in a matchbox behind the dash). He disposes of the evidence and swears himself to silence for the sake of their reputations in the county; because, as he reveals in the last verse, Walter Browning was his father. Because there are thirteen states in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

which contain a Carroll County, the apparent specificity of the named location is offset by its ambiguity. According to an interview that Bob Ferguson gave to Steve Eng for his

biography, ''A Satisfied Mind,'' Ferguson wrote the song while driving from

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...

to a concert for Choctaw Indians in

Philadelphia, Mississippi Philadelphia is a city in and the county seat of Neshoba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,118 at the 2020 census. History Philadelphia is incorporated as a municipality; it was given its current name in 1903, two years ...

. He recounted that he passed a sign for

Carroll County, Tennessee Carroll County is a county located in the western division of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, the population was 28,522. Its county seat is Huntingdon. The county was established by the Tennessee General Assembly on November ...

, which inspired the song's title, and by the time he saw a sign for

Carroll County, Mississippi Carroll County is a county in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,998. Its county seats are Carrollton and Vaiden. The county is named for Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the last surviving signatory of th ...

, the song was a finished work.

Covers

Wagoner's frequent musical collaborator

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

covered "The Carroll Country Accident" in 1969, including it on her ''

In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) ''In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)'' is the third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on February 3, 1969, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 15 on the '' ...

'' album.

Chart performance

The song reached number 2 on '' Billboard's'' Hot Country Songs and number 92 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carroll County Accident, The Songs about the United States 1968 singles Porter Wagoner songs Vehicle wreck ballads Songs about infidelity Songs written by Bob Ferguson (musician) Song recordings produced by Bob Ferguson (musician) 1968 songs RCA Records singles