The War interrupted any thoughts of a musical career, and it was not until both brothers returned from the service that they were able to make their own mark in music -- ultimately ending up on WCYB Bristol, Tennessee, where they would remain for over ten years as stalwarts of the famed "Farm and Fun Time" radio show. Their music initially followed a more old time style favored by Mainer's Mountaineers, with Ralph playing the banjo in the old two-finger style, interspersed with old time clawhammer playing, before taking a stab at the new three-finger style popularised by Earl Scruggs.
They formed The Clinch Mountain Boys in 1946. They were perhaps the first band to adopt the new music style created by Bill Monroe in the mid-1940s that later became known as bluegrass. Carter played guitar and sang lead while Ralph played banjo and sang with a strong, high tenor voice. Their harmonies are much admired, and many consider Carter Stanley to be one of the greatest singers in the history of country music. The brothers also wrote many of their own songs and Carter had a particular knack for writing deceptively simple lyrics that portrayed strong emotion. The Stanley's style can best be described as a traditional "mountain soul" sound that remained close to the Primitive Baptist vocal stylings they learned from their parents and others near their southwestern Virginia home.
The early Stanley Brothers recordings on Rich-R-Tone (of Johnson City, Tennessee) included Pee Wee Lambert on mandolin. They later added an innovative touch to their traditional sound with the guitar solos of George Shuffler who often used a crosspicking style.
Carter performed briefly with Bill Monroe while Ralph was recovering from injuries received in an automobile accident in 1951. As bluegrass music grew less popular in the late 1950s, the Stanley Brothers moved to Live Oak, Florida to headline the weekly Suwannee River Jamboree radio show on WNER. The three-hour show was also syndicated across the Southeast. Otherwise the brothers performed together until 1966 (from 1961 on as a duo). After Carter's death Ralph revived the Clinch Mountain Boys and is still performing in 2006. Among the musicians who have played in the revived Clinch Mountain Boys are Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Larry Sparks, Curly Ray Cline, Jack Cooke, and Ralph Stanley II. Ralph's career received a big boost with his prominent role on the phenomenally successful soundtrack recording of the 2000 film, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?." The Stanley Brothers were inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor in 1992.
Among the Stanley Brothers' best known recordings are:
* I'm A Man of Constant Sorrow (1950, Columbia)
* Rank Stranger
* Angel Band
* How Mountain Girls Can Love
* How Far to Little Rock? (novelty)
* Still trying to get to Little Rock (novelty)
* Ridin' That Midnite Train
* Clinch Mountain Backstep
* She's More To Be Pitied
* The Memory of Your Smile
* Love Me Darlin' Just Tonight
Clinch Mountain Boys Members
* Carter Stanley (guitar)
* Ralph Stanley (banjo)
* Darrell "Pee Wee" Lambert (mandolin)
* Jim Williams (mandolin)
* Curly Lambert (mandolin)
* Leslie Keith (fiddle)
* Robert "Bobby" Sumner (fiddle)
* Les Woodie (fiddle)
* Ralph Mayo (fiddle, guitar)
* Chubby Anthony (fiddle)
* Art Stamper (fiddle)
* Joe Meadows (fiddle)
* Red Stanley (fiddle)
* Don Miller (fiddle)
* Vernon Derrick (fiddle)
* James "Jay" Hughes (bass)
* Ernie Newton (bass)
* Chick Stripling (bass)
* Mike Seeger (bass)
* Bill Napier (guitar, mandolin)
* George Shuffler (guitar, bass)
* Larry Sparks (guitar)
External links
* Ralph Stanley Discography
* Recording of "We Are Going to Paint the Town" from a 1958 Florida radio show (made available for public use by the State Archives of Florida)
* Podcast (mp3) of one of the Stanley Brothers' Suwannee River Jamboree raido show from 1958 (made available for public use by the State Archives of Florida)
Home in the Mountains
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You've been seen with my best friend on the other side of town
I don't mind this waitin', don't mind this runnin' around
But if you're gonna cheat on me don't cheat in our home town
How can I stand up to my friends and look 'em in the eye
Admit the questions that I know would be nothin' but lies
You spend all your pastime makin' me a clown
Now there are no secrets in this little country town
Every one knows every one for miles and miles around
Your bright eyes and your sweet smile are drivin' me insane
You think it's smart to break my heart and run down my name
How can I stand up to my friends and look 'em in the eye
Admit the questions that I know would be nothin' but lies
You spend all your pastime makin' me a clown
But if you're gonna cheat on me don't cheat in our home town
The Stanley Brothers' "Home in the Mountains" is a country bluegrass song that tells the story of a man who discovered that his lover has been seen with his best friend in their small town, and he is devastated by the situation. The song expresses the emotions of betrayal and humiliation that the singer feels as a result of his lover's infidelity. While he does not want to end the relationship, he is frustrated that he cannot confront his friends and save face in his hometown. He begs his lover not to cheat on him in their neighborhood, where everyone knows each other and their business.
The lyrics paint a picture of a rural community where gossip is a way of life, and everyone talks about each other's business. The singer is ashamed of what people might think of him if they found out that his lover has cheated on him. The song empathizes with the singer's frustration and anxiety, but it also suggests that he is helpless in the face of his lover's actions. He does not have the power to fix the situation or to change how people perceive him.
The song therefore seems to be a commentary on small-town life and the way it can be suffocating and oppressive. The singer's sense of shame and humiliation is a product of the town's tight-knit community and the social pressures that come with it. The song's message can be interpreted as a warning against the pitfalls of small-town living, where everyone knows each other's personal business and conformity is prized above all else.
Line by Line Meaning
Tonight my heart is beatin' low and my head is bowed
I feel sad and ashamed because I heard that you have been seen with my best friend.
You've been seen with my best friend on the other side of town
You were spotted with my best friend and it has made me feel upset and betrayed.
I don't mind this waitin', don't mind this runnin' around
I have been patient and understanding about our relationship, even if it means waiting and dealing with some uncertainty.
But if you're gonna cheat on me don't cheat in our home town
I would prefer if you didn't cheat on me, but if you absolutely have to, please don't do it in our small town where everyone knows each other's business.
How can I stand up to my friends and look 'em in the eye
I am worried about what my friends will think or say about me, and whether or not they will believe that I didn't know about your infidelity.
Admit the questions that I know would be nothin' but lies
I know that I will be asked a lot of hard questions about our relationship that will be difficult to answer truthfully.
You spend all your pastime makin' me a clown
Sometimes I feel like you don't respect me, and that you are just playing games with my emotions.
So if you're gonna cheat on me don't cheat in our home town
Once again, I would prefer if you didn't cheat on me at all, but if you absolutely have to, please don't do it in our small town where everyone will find out.
Now there are no secrets in this little country town
In our small town, everyone knows everything about everyone else, so it's impossible to keep secrets.
Every one knows every one for miles and miles around
Our town is so small that people know not just their immediate neighbors, but people who live several miles away as well.
Your bright eyes and your sweet smile are drivin' me insane
I am still attracted to you, even though I know you may not be faithful to me.
You think it's smart to break my heart and run down my name
I feel like you are purposely trying to hurt me and ruin my reputation in our small town.
But if you're gonna cheat on me don't cheat in our home town
Once again, I am asking you to please not cheat on me in our small town where everyone will know what you did.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: RAY PENNINGTON, ROY EUGENE MARCUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind