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)
Thy Burdens Are Greater Than Mine
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I met a man and he was blind
As I helped him cross the highway
I cried thy burdens are greater than mine
I can see the light of day
And I need not feel my way
Yes thy burdens
Saw a lad well on his travels
Though his leg was very crippled
And he could not speak his name
Still he smiled in understanding
Though life to him had been unkind
As I watched I thought in sorrow
Son thy burdens
I can speak my name aloud
Make my way among the crowd
Yes thy burdens
Just by chance I passed a graveyard
Saw a young man kneeling there
In his hand there were some roses
On his lips there was a prayer
On a stone these words were written
My soul is God's my memory thine
As I watched I thought in sorrow
Friends thy burdens
I'm just a drifter all alone
I got no friends I got no home
Yes thy burdens
The Stanley Brothers' song Thy Burdens Are Greater Than Mine is a soulful, heartbreaking ballad that explores the theme of human suffering and empathy. The song begins with the singer encountering a blind man in a small village and offers to assist him in crossing the highway. As he does so, he breaks down in tears, realizing the man's burden is greater than his own. The singer feels overwhelmed by the blind man's plight and marvels at his ability to navigate life without sight. The refrain "Thy burdens are greater than mine" is a reminder of the different challenges people face in life and how the weight of one person's burden may be heavier than others.
The song continues with the singer observing a young man who is crippled and unable to speak his name, yet retains a smile and an understanding about life's struggles. The third stanza depicts the singer passing a graveyard where a man is kneeling with roses at a grave, his lips moving in prayer. The inscription on the gravestone reads "My soul is God's, my memory thine." The final stanza portrays the singer as a drifter with no home or friends, his life characterized by transience and loneliness. The song showcases the human condition in all its beauty and tragedy, reminding listeners of the importance of empathy, kindness, and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
In a little country village
A description of the setting where the encounter takes place
I met a man and he was blind
The singer meets a blind man who is in need of help
As I helped him cross the highway
Describes the singer assisting the blind man to cross a busy street
I cried thy burdens are greater than mine
The artist becomes emotional, realizing that the blind man's struggles are heavier than their own
I can see the light of day
The artist acknowledges their own ability to see and appreciate the world around them
And I need not feel my way
The singer is able to navigate their surroundings without relying on touch
Yes thy burdens
Reiterating the idea that the blind man's difficulties are greater than the singer's
Saw a lad well on his travels
The setting shifts and the artist encounters a young man who is on a journey
Trying hard to play the game
The young man is doing his best despite the challenges he faces
Though his leg was very crippled
The young man is physically disabled
And he could not speak his name
The young man is unable to communicate verbally
Still he smiled in understanding
Despite his difficulties, the young man maintains a positive attitude and shows empathy towards others
Though life to him had been unkind
Despite the young man's hardships, he remains resilient
As I watched I thought in sorrow
The singer observes the young man with a heavy heart
Son thy burdens
The singer acknowledges that the young man's struggles are greater than their own
I can speak my name aloud
The artist recognizes their own ability to communicate verbally
Make my way among the crowd
The artist is able to navigate social situations with ease
Yes thy burdens
Reiterating that the young man's difficulties are greater than the singer's
Just by chance I passed a graveyard
The setting shifts again and the singer finds themselves in a cemetery
Saw a young man kneeling there
The artist observes another person in the cemetery paying their respects
In his hand there were some roses
The person is holding flowers to place on a grave
On his lips there was a prayer
The person is likely saying a prayer for the deceased
On a stone these words were written
The singer notices an inscription on a gravestone
My soul is God's my memory thine
The inscription suggests that the person buried there has passed away and their memory lives on through those who remember them
As I watched I thought in sorrow
The singer is saddened by the sight of the person mourning
Friends thy burdens
The singer acknowledges that the person in the cemetery is going through a difficult time and their troubles are greater than their own
I'm just a drifter all alone
The singer reflects on their own life, feeling lost and without a sense of belonging
I got no friends I got no home
The artist feels isolated and without meaningful connections
Yes thy burdens
Reiterating the idea that the struggles of others are greater than the artist's own difficulties
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: PEE WEE KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
JSR
One of my very favorites by the Stanleys
tim a
In a little country village
I met a man and he was blind
As I helped him cross the highway
I cried thy burdens are greater than mine
I can see the light of day
And I need not feel my way
Yes thy burdens
Saw a lad well on his travels
Trying hard to play the game
Though his leg was very crippled
And he could not speak his name
Still he smiled in understanding
Though life to him had been unkind
As I watched I thought in sorrow
Son thy burdens
I can speak my name aloud
Make my way among the crowd
Yes thy burdens
Just by chance I passed a graveyard
Saw a young man kneeling there
In his hand there were some roses
On his lips there was a prayer
On a stone these words were written
My soul is God's my memory thine
As I watched I thought in sorrow
Friends thy burdens
I'm just a drifter all alone
I got no friends I got no home
Yes thy burdens Â…
Bernice Atkins
A very power song.
SomeUser
whenever i get pessimistic about something i think of this song
shrek !
What year did they release this?