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)
The Flood
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the start of whatever,
Shouting love at the world.
Back then, we were like cavemen,
But we map the moon and the stars,
Then we forgave them.
We will meet you where the lights are,
Where the thunder turns around
They'll run so hard we'll tear the ground away.
You know no one dies,
In these love drowned eyes,
Through our love drowned eyes,
We'll watch you sleep tonight.
Although no one understood
We were holding back the flood,
Learning how to dance the rain.
We were holding back the flood
They said we'd never dance again.
Bleeding, but none of us leaving,
Watch your mouth son or you'll find yourself floating home.
Here we come now on a dark star,
Seeing demons, not what we are.
Tiny minds and eager hands
Will try to strike but now will end today.
There's progress now where there once was none,
Where there once was none, then everything came along.
Although no one understood,
We were holding back the flood learning how to dance the rain.
There was more of them than us now they'll never dance again.
Although no one understood
There was more of them than us learning how to dance the rain,
We were holding back the flood they said we'd never dance again.
We will meet you where the lights are,
The defenders, of the faith we are.
Where the thunder turns around
They'll run so hard we'll tear the ground away.
Although no one understood,
There was more of them than us learning how to dance the rain.
(learning how to dance the rain)
There was more of them than us now they'll never dance again.
Now we'll never dance again.
Oh ah,
Oh ah,
Oh ah,
Oh ah,
Oh ah,
Oh ah,
Oh ah
The Stanley Brothers' song The Flood is a powerful anthem about the perseverance of love and faith against all odds. The opening lines "Standing on the edge of forever, at the start of whatever, shouting love at the world" create a sense of urgency and hopefulness to meet the challenges of the unknown. The song reflects on humanity's evolution from primitive beings ("Back then, we were like cavemen") to masters of the universe who mapped the moon and the stars. The lyrics suggest that forgiveness and compassion have been ultimately more significant and transformative than material accomplishments.
Line by Line Meaning
Standing, on the edge of forever,
We are at a pivotal moment in history, where everything that happens from this point on will be significant and have far-reaching consequences.
At the start of whatever,
This is the beginning of something new and unknown, and we have the opportunity to shape it as we see fit.
Shouting love at the world.
We want to change the world for the better and bring love and positivity to all that we encounter.
Back then, we were like cavemen,
We were primitive and ignorant, stumbling through life without guidance or direction.
But we map the moon and the stars,
We have progressed and now have a better understanding of the world around us, including the mysteries of the cosmos.
Then we forgave them.
Despite the mistakes and missteps of the past, we are willing to let bygones be bygones and move forward as a united people.
We will meet you where the lights are,
We will seek out those who share our ideals and beliefs and work together towards a better future.
The defenders, of the faith we are.
We stand up for what we believe in and will fight to protect our values and way of life.
Where the thunder turns around
Even in the face of great adversity and danger, we will not back down or be deterred from our mission.
They'll run so hard we'll tear the ground away.
Our passion and intensity will be enough to move mountains and achieve the seemingly impossible.
You know no one dies,
Even in the face of death, our love and ideals will endure and inspire others to carry on our legacy.
In these love drowned eyes,
Our focus is solely on spreading love and positivity to those around us, even if it means sacrificing our own comfort or safety.
Through our love drowned eyes,
We see the world through a lens of love and compassion, always looking for ways to help others and make the world a better place.
We'll watch you sleep tonight.
We will keep a watchful eye over those who share our values, making sure that they are safe and protected from harm.
Although no one understood
Our mission and goals were often misunderstood by outsiders who did not share our passion or ideals.
We were holding back the flood,
We were fighting against the tide of negative energy and forces, trying to push back against the overwhelming negativity and darkness of the world.
Learning how to dance the rain.
Through our struggles, we have gained a greater appreciation for life and learned to find joy even in the midst of hardship.
They said we'd never dance again.
Those who opposed us thought that we had been defeated and would never be able to rise up and fight again.
Bleeding, but none of us leaving,
We may be hurt and struggling, but we refuse to give up or abandon our cause.
Watch your mouth son or you'll find yourself floating home.
We will not tolerate those who seek to undermine or attack our mission, and will fight fiercely to protect ourselves and our values.
Here we come now on a dark star,
We are coming in with all our might and intensity, on a mission to change the world and bring about a brighter future.
Seeing demons, not what we are.
Those who oppose us and our mission may try to paint us as evil or demonic, but in reality we are motivated by a deep love and desire for positive change.
Tiny minds and eager hands
Our enemies may be small-minded and lacking in understanding, but they are still dangerous and capable of causing great harm.
Will try to strike but now will end today.
We will not stand idly by while our enemies try to attack or harm us, and will fight back with all the strength and passion we possess.
There's progress now where there once was none,
Through our hard work and determination, we have managed to bring about positive change and progress where previously there was only despair and darkness.
Then everything came along.
Our struggles have been worth it, because they have led us to a brighter future where love and hope can flourish.
Now we'll never dance again.
Our struggles and battles for a better world may be over, but our legacy and impact will live on for generations to come.
Oh ah,
We are filled with joy and passion, eager to spread our message of hope and positivity to all that we encounter.
Oh ah,
Our optimism and faith in the power of love and positivity is unshakable, driving us forward even in the darkest of times.
Oh ah,
We are not alone in our mission, and will work together with those who share our values to make the world a better place.
Oh ah,
We may have faced numerous obstacles and setbacks, but our spirits and determination remain unbroken.
Oh ah,
We are filled with excitement and anticipation for the future that lies ahead, and all the possibilities and opportunities it may hold.
Oh ah,
Our message of love and hope is universal and timeless, and will continue to inspire and motivate others long after we are gone.
Oh ah
No matter what happens, our love and commitment to a better world will endure and serve as a beacon of hope for all humanity.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MARK ANTHONY OWEN, ROBERT PETER WILLIAMS, GARY BARLOW, HOWARD PAUL DONALD, JASON THOMAS ORANGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind