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)
Take Your Shoes Off Moses
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Burning bush, Lord the burning bush
God spoke to Moses at the burning bush
Saying I am the Lord, thy God
Take your shoes off Moses you're on holy ground
Holy ground, you're on holy ground
Take your shoes off Moses you're on Holy ground
Go yonder Moses and smite that rock
Smite that rock, Lord smite that rock
Go yonder Moses and smite that rock
For I am the Lord, thy God
Stand still Moses see salvation work
Salvation work, see salvation work
Stand still Moses and see salvation work
For I am the Lord, thy God
The Stanley Brothers's song Take Your Shoes Off Moses is a spiritual song that narrates the story of Moses when he received the call from God. The song refers to the moment when Moses received his mission from God who spoke to him from a burning bush. As according to the Bible, Moses was tending to the flock of his father-in-law Jethro when he came to Mount Sinai. There, the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush and gave him the commandment to go to Egypt to free the Israelites from slavery. The repeated chorus "Take your shoes off Moses you're on holy ground" highlights the importance of Moses's encounter with God and signifies the beginning of his sacred mission.
The song also refers to another event when Moses was instructed by God to smite a rock in order to obtain water for the thirsting Israelites. The verse "Go yonder Moses and smite that rock" highlights the obedience and trust that Moses had in God's word and his willingness to follow His commands. The last verse, "Stand still Moses see salvation work" refers to the moment when the Red Sea parted, to help the Israelites escape the Egyptian army. It signifies the power of God's work and the miracles that He can do.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, God spoke to Moses at the burning bush
At the burning bush, God spoke to Moses.
Burning bush, Lord the burning bush
God spoke to Moses at the burning bush.
God spoke to Moses at the burning bush
At the burning bush, God spoke to Moses.
Saying I am the Lord, thy God
God introduced himself to Moses as 'the Lord, thy God.'
Take your shoes off Moses you're on holy ground
Moses was instructed to remove his shoes because he was standing on holy ground.
Holy ground, you're on holy ground
Moses was on holy ground.
Take your shoes off Moses you're on Holy ground
Moses was instructed to remove his shoes because he was standing on holy ground.
For I am the Lord, thy God
God gave the reason why Moses had to take off his shoes, 'for I am the Lord, thy God.'
Go yonder Moses and smite that rock
Moses was commanded to go and strike the rock.
Smite that rock, Lord smite that rock
Moses was to strike the rock as commanded by God.
Go yonder Moses and smite that rock
Moses was commanded to go and strike the rock.
For I am the Lord, thy God
God gave the reason why Moses had to strike the rock, 'for I am the Lord, thy God.'
Stand still Moses see salvation work
Moses was told to stay still and witness salvation.
Salvation work, see salvation work
Moses was to see salvation being worked out.
Stand still Moses and see salvation work
Moses was told to stay still and witness salvation.
For I am the Lord, thy God
God gave the reason why Moses had to see salvation work, 'for I am the Lord, thy God.'
Contributed by Lucas Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.