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)
What About You
The Stanley Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby that someone that I used to know is gone
What about us, promise we made?
We said that we will never die, we try to work it out
So tell me why am I still hurting inside?
What am I gonna say to make it better?
It's now or never, do or die
What am I gonna do to make this love last forever
What about you?
What about love till the death do us part?
Baby, is there still a place for me inside your heart?
What about dreams, are they still alive?
You said that they will never die, we try to work it out
But tell me why are we still livin a lie?
Oh what am I gonna say to make it better, it's now or never
Do or die
What am I gonna do to make this love last forever
I still believe on what we said it's true
What about you?
...
why am I still hurting inside?
What am I gonna say to make it better?
It's now or never, do or die
What am I gonna do to make this love last forever
I still believe on what we said, it's true
If only I could make you feel it too
What about you?
The song "What About You" by The Stanley Brothers is a poignant ballad about a broken relationship. The powerful lyrics express the singer's pain and confusion over the loss of someone he loved. The song opens with the question, "What about you, what's goin on?" which sets the stage for the rest of the lyrics. The singer is acknowledging that the person he used to know is gone, and he is left wondering what happened. The next line, "What about us, promise we made?" suggests that there were vows made between the two that have been broken.
The chorus poses several questions that are central to the song's theme. The singer wants to know how to make things better, to make the love they shared last forever. He still believes in the promises they made, but wonders if his former partner feels the same. The line "What am I gonna do to make this love last forever" is particularly powerful, as it represents the singer's desperation to salvage their relationship. The song ends with a heartbreaking plea, "If only I could make you feel it too, what about you?" It is a powerful reminder that relationships are a two-way street, and that both partners need to be invested in order for love to last.
Overall, "What About You" is a hauntingly beautiful song that captures the pain and heartbreak of a failed relationship. The lyrics are raw and emotional, and The Stanley Brothers' harmonies add to the song's powerful impact.
Line by Line Meaning
What about you, what's goin on?
Asking the listener about their current situation.
Baby that someone that I used to know is gone
Acknowledging that the person they used to know has changed.
What about us, promise we made?
Questioning the promise they made as a couple.
We said that we will never die, we try to work it out
Recalling their commitment to their relationship and their attempts to save it.
So tell me why am I still hurting inside?
Expressing confusion about why they still feel pain.
What am I gonna say to make it better?
Wondering how to fix the problems in their relationship.
It's now or never, do or die
Realizing that the situation is urgent and requires immediate action.
What am I gonna do to make this love last forever
Questioning how to sustain their love for the long term.
I still believe on what we said, it's true
Reaffirming their belief in the promises they made to each other.
What about love till the death do us part?
Questioning the longevity of their love.
Baby, is there still a place for me inside your heart?
Asking if their partner still loves them.
What about dreams, are they still alive?
Asking if their shared dreams still have a chance of coming true.
You said that they will never die, we try to work it out
Recalling their commitment to their dreams and their efforts to make them a reality.
But tell me why are we still livin a lie?
Expressing frustration with the current state of their relationship.
Oh what am I gonna say to make it better, it's now or never
Reiterating the urgency of the situation and the need for action.
If only I could make you feel it too
Expressing a desire for their partner to understand their feelings.
What about you?
Returning to the initial question and asking their partner to share their thoughts and feelings.
Contributed by Adrian K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@CAROLUSPRIMA
CARTER died exactly four years later.