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)
Let Me Be Your Friend
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Many times I've wondered why
That you'd ever go and leave me
And this heart you taught to cry
Darling wait until I see you
Since you say it is the end
Though I know that you don't love me
As I lay upon my pillow
Thinking of you in my dreams
Are you happy with another
I'm so lonesome here it seems
Do you ever think about me
Will you love again someday
Will you ever think my darling
Of this heart you stole away
The Stanley Brothers' Let Me Be Your Friend is a poignant song that expresses the pain of lost love and the hope for reconciliation. The song's narrator addresses his former lover whom he still loves, even though she has broken his heart. The song is both a lament and a plea for understanding, as the singer tries to come to terms with his feelings and his situation. He wonders why she left him and if she is happy with someone else. At the same time, he asks her to let him be her friend, even though he knows that she no longer loves him.
The song's melody and lyrics are simple yet hauntingly beautiful, evoking the loneliness and heartache of unrequited love. The singer's voice is full of raw emotion and vulnerability, making the listener empathize with his plight. At its core, Let Me Be Your Friend is a universal expression of human longing and the search for connection.
Overall, Let Me Be Your Friend is a powerful and affecting song that speaks to the heart of anyone who has ever experienced the pain of lost love. Its timeless lyrics and haunting melody ensure that it will continue to resonate with listeners for generations to come.
Line by Line Meaning
Many times I've thought about you
I have repeatedly pondered about you.
Many times I've wondered why
I have frequently questioned the reason behind your actions.
That you'd ever go and leave me
That you would depart and abandon me.
And this heart you taught to cry
You were integral in showing my heart how to feel pain.
Darling wait until I see you
Beloved, please wait until we meet again.
Since you say it is the end
As you have declared that it is over.
Though I know that you don't love me
Although I am aware that you do not have affection for me anymore.
Won't you let me be your friend
Can you permit me to remain in your life as a friend.
As I lay upon my pillow
While I lay in bed resting.
Thinking of you in my dreams
Meditating about you during my sleep.
Are you happy with another
Are you content with someone new.
I'm so lonesome here it seems
I am feeling incredibly empty and isolated.
Do you ever think about me
Do I ever cross your mind.
Will you love again someday
Will you develop romantic love again one day.
Will you ever think my darling
Will you ever muse, my dear.
Of this heart you stole away
About the heart that you took from me.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CARTER STANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind