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)
No Burdens Pass Through
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And my loved ones have gone and left me
There's glory divine it's riches are mine
He tells me no burdens pass through
Oh (what a day) Oh what a day
When the clouds pass away (the clouds, the clouds pass away)
And Jesus supreme on his throne
And the night changed to day (and the night, the nights changed to day)
No burdens are allowed to pass through
There'll be no sorrow in our new home
No funeral train in the sky
No rent to pay no taxes come due
No burden's are allowed to pass through
He never fails me when I'm in need
My soul is weighted with care
He leads me through He helps me to stand
He whispers no burdens pass through
The Stanley Brothers's song “No Burdens Pass Through” is a gospel hymn about the idea of a divine being, Jesus, accompanying and supporting individuals through life's hardships. The first stanza describes a bleak and hopeless situation with dark storm clouds and the absence of loved ones, but the chorus offers a message of hope that foresees the dawn of a new day "when the clouds pass away" and heaven welcomes everyone. The lyrics state that no financial, emotional, or physical burdens are allowed to pass through to heaven, which is depicted as a place of perfect happiness, where there is no rent, taxes, funerals or sorrow.
The song can be seen as a celebration of the need to have faith in a higher power during tough times, and as an encouragement for people to see their struggles as temporary and to remain steadfast in their belief in a better tomorrow. The words "He tells me no burdens pass through" and "He never fails me when I'm in need" are significant as they suggest that the singer of the song has a personal relationship with Jesus that is comforting, protective and all-encompassing. The song is a call to all to hold such faith, to be steadfast, and to maintain hope in the face of difficulties.
Line by Line Meaning
The storm clouds rise no light in the sky
Dark storm clouds are gathering in the sky with no sign of sunlight breaking through.
And my loved ones have gone and left me
The people I love dearly have left me alone and I'm feeling abandoned.
There's glory divine it's riches are mine
There is a divine glory that is all-encompassing, and this abundance is available to me.
He tells me no burdens pass through
He assures me that there will be no more hardships in my path.
Oh (what a day) Oh what a day
What a glorious day it will be.
When the clouds pass away (the clouds, the clouds pass away)
On this day, the clouds will disappear bringing a sense of clarity and hope to all.
And Jesus supreme on his throne
Jesus will be sitting on his throne and be in complete control and power.
My tears wiped away (all my tears, my tears wiped away)
All of my tears and sorrows will be wiped away, leaving me free from pain.
And the night changed to day (and the night, the nights changed to day)
The darkness will be replaced by light, and new beginnings will emerge.
No burdens are allowed to pass through
In this new world, there will be no suffering, no pain, and no worries or burdens.
There'll be no sorrow in our new home
In this new abode, there will be no sadness, grief or regret.
No funeral train in the sky
There will be no mournful ceremonies or goodbyes in this new world.
No rent to pay no taxes come due
There will be no financial obligation, we will be free from payment.
No burden's are allowed to pass through
The freedom of this world will keep us away from any kind of stress or worry.
He never fails me when I'm in need
Whenever I'm in need, he is always present and never disappoints me.
My soul is weighted with care
My soul is heavy and burdened with worry and sadness.
He leads me through He helps me to stand
He guides and leads me through difficult times and strengthens me to stand tall.
He whispers no burdens pass through
He whispers gently to me, reassuring me that my struggles and burdens are now a thing of the past.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: CARTER STANLEY, PAUL MULLINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind