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)
Tragic Love
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To these few lines I've tried to write
About a man who I won't mention
Who courted of his charming bride
And when her parents came to know him
They tried so hard both day and night
To separate here and her own true lover
She turned her back upon the city
She viewed the fields and meadows round
She came upon a broad river
And in the shade of a tree sat down
Her true love being not far behind
He heard her make a mournful sound
And looking on her lifeless body
As she lay cold upon the ground
He then took out his silver weapon
He pierced it through his tender heart
Sayin let this be a dreadful warning
For all true lovers that have to part
The Stanley Brothers’ song, “Tragic Love”, tells the story of a young couple torn apart by disapproving parents. The song begins with the singer urging pretty young girls to listen to his words about a man who courted and loved his “charming bride”. However, the girl’s parents did not approve of their relationship and tried tirelessly to separate the couple. Despite their efforts, the couple still spent time together, but tragedy struck when the girl took her own life by the river. Her lover found her lifeless body and, unable to bear the pain of losing her, decided to take his own life with a silver weapon.
The song speaks to themes of forbidden love, tragedy, and heartbreak. It sheds light on how societal norms and family pressure can tear apart relationships and cause immense pain for those involved. The story is particularly heartbreaking because it involves two young people who were not able to live their lives as they wanted due to the interference of others. The song also serves as a warning to true lovers who may be forced to part ways, reminding them that the pain of separation can be too much to bear.
Overall, “Tragic Love” is a powerful song that speaks to the heartbreak that comes with forbidden love and the deep pain caused by loss. The lyrics are poignant and evocative, drawing on the emotions felt by the characters and the listeners themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Come pretty young girls give me your attention
The singer is addressing a group of young girls and asking for their undivided attention.
To these few lines I've tried to write
The singer has written a few lines which he is about to share with the young girls.
About a man who I won't mention
The singer is going to talk about a man, but he won't mention his name.
Who courted of his charming bride
The man in question courted his charming bride.
And when her parents came to know him
When the bride's parents found out about the man, the situation changed.
They tried so hard both day and night
The parents put a lot of effort into trying to separate the bride and the man.
To separate here and her own true lover
The goal of the parents was to split up the bride and her true love.
Her and her own true hearts delight
The true love of the bride is her heart's delight.
She turned her back upon the city
The bride decided to leave the city behind.
She viewed the fields and meadows round
The bride looked at the beautiful countryside around her.
She came upon a broad river
The bride stumbled upon a wide river.
And in the shade of a tree sat down
She sat down in the shade of a tree and rested.
Her true love being not far behind
Her true love wasn't far from where she was resting.
He heard her make a mournful sound
The man heard the bride making a sad sound.
And looking on her lifeless body
The man saw that the bride's body was lifeless.
As she lay cold upon the ground
The bride was cold and still on the ground.
He then took out his silver weapon
The man took out a silver weapon.
He pierced it through his tender heart
The man pierced his own heart with the weapon.
Sayin let this be a dreadful warning
The man spoke about his death being a warning.
For all true lovers that have to part
The man's warning was for all true lovers who are separated.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: BUDDY DEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind