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)
Rank Stranger
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where in youth's early dawn I was happy and free
I looked for my friends but I never could find them
I found they were all rank strangers to me
Everybody I met seemed to be a rank stranger
No mother or dad not a friend could I see
They knew not my name and I knew not their faces
They've all moved away said the voice of a stranger
To a beautiful home by the bright crystal sea
Some beautiful day I'll meet 'em in Heaven
Where no one will be a stranger to me
Everybody I met seemed to be a rank stranger
No mother or dad not a friend could I see
They knew not my name and I knew not their faces
I found they were all rank strangers to me, rank strangers to me
The Stanley Brothers's song Rank Strangers is a poignant reflection on the transience of life and the realization that everything and everyone we hold dear may fade away with time. The lyrics capture the sense of displacement and alienation that often accompanies returning to a place that was once familiar, only to find that everything has changed. The singer wanders back to his home in the mountains, hoping to reconnect with old friends and loved ones. However, he discovers that he is now surrounded by "rank strangers" who do not recognize him and whose faces are unfamiliar.
The theme of isolation and disconnectedness is reinforced throughout the song, as the singer laments the absence of his family, friends, and community. He feels lost and alone, a stranger in his own land, and longs for the day when he will be reunited with his loved ones in Heaven. The imagery of a "beautiful home by the bright crystal sea" creates a sense of hope and comfort, suggesting that even in the vastness of the afterlife, there is a place for everyone where they will be recognized and embraced.
The stark simplicity and straightforwardness of the lyrics add to the emotional impact of The Stanley Brothers's song Rank Strangers. The powerful vocals and haunting melody create an elegiac tone that resonates with listeners, reminding us of the impermanence of life and the importance of cherishing the moments we have with those we love.
Line by Line Meaning
I wandered again to my home in the mountains
I returned to my childhood home in the mountains
Where in youth's early dawn I was happy and free
I was carefree and happy in my younger years in this place
I looked for my friends but I never could find them
I searched for my old friends but could not locate them
I found they were all rank strangers to me
When I did find people, they were all strangers to me
Everybody I met seemed to be a rank stranger
Everyone I encountered was completely unfamiliar to me
No mother or dad not a friend could I see
I did not recognize any family members or friends
They knew not my name and I knew not their faces
None of the people I met recognized me and I did not know them
They've all moved away said the voice of a stranger
A stranger told me that everyone had relocated
To a beautiful home by the bright crystal sea
They moved to a lovely place by the clear sea
Some beautiful day I'll meet 'em in Heaven
I hope to someday reunite with my old friends in Heaven
Where no one will be a stranger to me
In Heaven, everyone will be familiar to each other and there will be no strangers
I found they were all rank strangers to me, rank strangers to me
I repeated the fact that everyone I met was a stranger to me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAM YORK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind