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)
That Happy Night
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But she waits alone there just for me
I'll be going back some day and I never more will stray
From that girl who stood by me
I've about forgot the tune and the West Virginia moon
But the North Carolina moon is just as bright
I'll never forget the time you promised to be mine
When I left her all alone in our little mountain home
I never thought of the day I'd return
Now I'm coming back to you love I know you've been true
What a price I've paid to live and learn
The lyrics of The Stanley Brothers’ song “That Happy Night” narrate a love story that spans across many years. The singer reminisces about their past, specifically about their beloved and the North Carolina moon. It is clear that the singer had to leave their lover behind, but the last line suggests that they are now coming back to their true love. Throughout the song, the singer seems to be filled with regret, yearning, and hope.
It is possible to perceive that the song conveys the idea of the passage of time and how sometimes it is regretted once we realize what we have lost or could have had. The singer seems to have learned a valuable lesson through separation, which is highlighting the importance of the love that they had for their beloved. The love story presented in this song is about devotion, loyalty, and even though it is about how “what might have been” can be a struggle. The song’s conversational tone makes it relatable, and the lyrics’ simplicity makes it an easy listen.
Line by Line Meaning
Many years now have passed since I saw my darling last
It has been many years since I last saw my beloved
But she waits alone there just for me
She has waited all this time for my return
I'll be going back some day and I never more will stray
I plan on returning to her and never leaving again
From that girl who stood by me
From the woman who supported and stood by me
I've about forgot the tune and the West Virginia moon
I have almost forgotten the melody and the moon of West Virginia
But the North Carolina moon is just as bright
The moon in North Carolina is just as bright and beautiful
I'll never forget the time you promised to be mine
I will always remember when you promised to be mine
The moon was shining down that happy night
The night you promised to be mine, the moon was shining bright
When I left her all alone in our little mountain home
When I left her in our small home in the mountains
I never thought of the day I'd return
I never imagined the day I would come back to her
Now I'm coming back to you love I know you've been true
Now I'm returning to you, my love, and I know you've been faithful
What a price I've paid to live and learn
I have paid a significant price in order to gain wisdom and maturity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RALPH (USA 1 STANLEY, RALPH (USA 1) STANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind