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)
In Heaven We
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are you the girl I used to know?
Something's happened to you, darling
But it pleases me to know
Life is sweet when love is blooming
Like a wild rose on the hill
But when lovers part forever
Many lonely nights I've traveled
Far across this barren land
Thinking of that peaceful village
Where we once strolled hand in hand
When our journey here has ended
And this life on earth is done
We'll be sweethearts up in heaven
For me I know you are the one
Darling, do you really love me?
Are you the girl I used to know?
Something's happened to you, darling
But it pleases me to know
The Stanley Brothers' "We'll Be Sweethearts In Heaven" is a song that speaks about the ups and downs of love and the hope for a blissful afterlife. The song starts with a question, "Darling, do you really love me?" which depicts the uncertainties that often accompany love. The singer then wonders if the woman he fell in love with is the same person she used to be, suggesting that something has changed in her. However, he finds comfort in the fact that this change pleases him.
From there, the song delves into the ephemeral nature of love. It highlights how love is sweet like a blooming wild rose, but that it can also end abruptly. The singer speaks of how he has traveled across a barren land, reminiscing about a time when he and his love strolled hand in hand in a peaceful village. The final verse of the song captures the essence of the track's theme, which is the hope for eternal love. The singer declares his certainty that they will continue to be sweethearts in heaven, even after their journey on earth is over.
The song resonates with listeners because it captures the essence of love's fragility, as well as the hope for eternal love. Its slow and melodic tune adds emotion to the lyrics, making them even more powerful.
Line by Line Meaning
Darling, do you really love me?
My dear, do you truly have feelings for me?
Are you the girl I used to know?
Are you the same woman that I have known before?
Something's happened to you, darling But it pleases me to know
Something has changed in you, my love, but I am happy to see it.
Life is sweet when love is blooming Like a wild rose on the hill
When love blossoms, life becomes beautiful like a wild rose on the hill.
But when lovers part forever Where it ends no one can tell
However, when lovers separate for eternity, nobody knows where it all ends.
Many lonely nights I've traveled Far across this barren land
I have journeyed through many lonely nights in deserted lands.
Thinking of that peaceful village Where we once strolled hand in hand
Recalling that tranquil village where we used to take walks holding hands.
When our journey here has ended And this life on earth is done
When our life's journey has come to an end, and we leave this earth.
We'll be sweethearts up in heaven For me I know you are the one
We will be together and love each other in heaven. I am sure that you are my soulmate.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CARTER STANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bill Brown
Praise God wonderful
wolfcannon
10 out of 10 stars. I was raised on this music in church and at home. my peepaw played madolin and guitar and sangs just like this. Thank you.
Roger Spivey
Amen How true this song is
Denise damee bianka
How true it is
Gustauve Drakenhime
My parents played (illegally I might add) the Stanley Brothers over a West German radio channel every chance they could get; I was instantly in love with their music, and the lyrics (when I could finally understand English) were instrumental to my acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God. It was so different from any of the state sponsored music of East Germany - there was something other-worldly to their music that touched me as an impressionable child, and I owe a great debt to them for leading me along the path of truth and love. Now I am living in the Middle of America, listening to their music without the fear of the secret police coming in at the middle of the night and 'relocating' my entire family for 'seditious' behavior. I will say this without shame; God bless America - it has its problems, but compared to where I came from, its a wonderful land of actual Freedom - Freiheit!
Donovan Reed
Gustauve Drakenhime God bless you
JesusSolidRock
Gustauve Praise God for your salvation. Thank you for sharing your story.
True Words Baptist
Awesome Gustave. We'll all meet in heaven one day. Can't wait for that day.
Roscoe P. Coltraine
My great great grand parents come from Germany and my grandparents and parents were never big church and Sunday come meeting types but they always especially on sundays would be playing or listening to blue grass and country like dr. Ralph Stanley and made sure all of us youngsters knew about our lord and savior
Martin Cosgrave
This music will never grow old love this group their sound is haunting