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)
Mountain Dew
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where you lay down a dollar or two
Go on round the bend come back again
There's a jug full of that good ole mountain dew
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
When he heard that the dry law 'd gone through
If your liquors too red it'll swell up your head
You better stick to that good ole mountain dew
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
The preacher rode by with his head hasted high
Said his wife had been down with the flu
He thought that I o'rt to sell him a quart of my good ole mountain dew
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
Well my uncle Snort he's sawed off and short he measures four feet two
But he feels like a giant when you give him a pint of that good old mountain dew
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
The Stanley Brothers' song "Mountain Dew" is an ode to moonshine and the culture surrounding it. The song portrays a countryside setting, where there is an old holler tree where a person can pay a dollar or two and get a jug of that 'good old mountain dew.' When Roosevelt heard about the Dry Law being passed, he advised that it's best to drink the 'good old mountain dew' rather than the red liquor that might harm you. The preacher is also portrayed as someone who is interested in the drink for the same reasons. The singer even mentions his uncle Snort who measures only four feet two but feels like a giant when he drinks the 'good old mountain dew.'
The song seems to be a celebration and a tribute to the production and consumption of moonshine, which was once a big part of the culture in the rural south. It is interesting to note that the song's lyrics suggest that there was a network of moonshiners who were happy to provide the good old mountain dew to those who needed it. The song implies the existence of an underground economy, where people could sell or consume moonshine without any legal repercussions.
Overall, the song paints a colorful picture of the rural American South, where drinking moonshine and sharing it with the community was a common practice. The song's popularity has continued to this day, and it has become a staple of bluegrass music.
Line by Line Meaning
Down the road here from me there's an old holler tree
There is an old tree down the road from here with a hollow space in it.
Where you lay down a dollar or two
You can put one or two dollars in the hollow of the tree.
Go on round the bend come back again
Go around the curve and then come back to the tree.
There's a jug full of that good ole mountain dew
You will find a jug filled with a famous and tasty mountain drink.
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
The famous mountain drink is called Mountain Dew and only a few people refuse to drink it.
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
I will be quiet if you fill my jug with the amazing Mountain Dew.
Now Mr. Roosevelt told 'em just how he felt
Mr. Roosevelt expressed his feelings openly.
When he heard that the dry law 'd gone through
He heard that the law to make alcohol illegal had been passed.
If your liquors too red it'll swell up your head
If your alcohol is too strong, it can make your head hurt.
You better stick to that good ole mountain dew
It's better to drink the famous Mountain Dew instead of risking your health.
The preacher rode by with his head hasted high
The preacher passed by, looking very pious.
Said his wife had been down with the flu
He mentioned that his wife was sick with the flu.
He thought that I o'rt to sell him a quart of my good ole mountain dew
He suggested that I should sell him a quart of Mountain Dew since it's so good.
Well my uncle Snort he's sawed off and short he measures four feet two
My uncle Snort is short and only four feet and two inches tall.
But he feels like a giant when you give him a pint of that good old mountain dew
He feels very powerful and strong when he drinks a pint of Mountain Dew.
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
People love Mountain Dew and only a few refuse to drink it.
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
I will be quiet if you fill my jug with the amazing Mountain Dew.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William York
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Njennings42
Down the road here from me there's an old holler tree
Where you lay down a dollar or two
Go on round the bend come back again
There's a jug full of that good ole mountain dew
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
Now Mr. Roosevelt told 'em just how he felt
When he heard that the dry law 'd gone through
If your liquors too red it'll swell up your head
You better stick to that good ole mountain dew
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
The preacher rode by with his head hasted high
Said his wife had been down with the flu
He thought that I o'rt to sell him a quart of my good ole mountain dew
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
Well my uncle Snort he's sawed off and short he measures four feet two
But he feels like a giant when you give him a pint of that good old mountain dew
Oh they call it that good ole mountain dew and them that refuse it are few
I'll hush up my mug if you'll fill up my jug with that good ole mountain dew
@jaredwd40
I just had my fourth round of chemo, and the neuropathy has been robbing me of what little time I had to pick. I got my guitar out today for the first time in weeks, and after a few mins I was able to nail every note of that intro like I’d never taken a break. I really needed that. One of my favorite songs ever.
@privard89
I hope and pray that you are getting better
@moirahill6397
Get well soon 😊 🙏 You obviously have talent ☆
@ooee6383
Prayers for you brother. God bless you.
@Andrew_Erickson
How ya doing bud?
@jaredwd40
@@Andrew_Erickson so far, so good. Thank you for asking, man. Means a lot, really.
@robertbrown3064
Old music like this is a time machine; it's magic, plain and simple. They're singing to us out of the past, giving us a glimpse of how we once were.
@SusanH-CatLady
Yes, Robert😄
@schitttalks8576
Still are.
@kagrenac7962
Well put