2/7/2004 Dear All:
I would also love to have the exact words to that song. I think it's on the Saturday Night/Sunday Morning CD that Ralph, Sr. did in the early 1990's. Along with "Wonderful World Outside", that song is one of my favorites,and I consider it one of the most beautiful numbers Ralph's done recently. It touched me quite deeply, because it tells a wonderful but tragic (it's Stanley music, right-most of their songs have some type of sadness or tragic element) story (as I interpret it) about a mother whose child has strayed out into the water & drowned or is drowning. As our children do, this little one is now calling for his/her Mommy to follow them into the water & join them in death---"Quick, Mom, please come with me---Step out now with me on the water lilly" (please forgive if the words aren't exact here, I haven't listened to that one in over 6 months). As I interpeted the song, it represents the theme that mothers will do anything for their babies, even follow them into death to avoid being separated from our children. (My child learned that pretty quickly, as I took a nasty burn from a kerosene lantern to keep her from being burned during a thunderstorm when she was 29 months old, & kids often use their Mothers' instincts & protectiveness to their advantage) I thought when I first heard this song, what a sad but true representation of a mother's instinct & love the song gives and what a wonderful story this song tells. I think the words to the song are inside the Liner Notes to the tapes & CD's I have of "Saturday Night/Sunday Morning". I'd look it up for you & provide the words myself, Matt, but all Dr. Bradley's & my things except 100 lbs of air freight we brought from New Zealand don't arrive stateside for another 3-4 weeks & that particular CD is one that is still in transit with our furniture. Anyone who can look at their copies of the inserts/liner notes from "Saturday Night/Sunday Morning" & get the words, I too would be so grateful to have them placed to see here so I can print them out. I'm still looking for a contact number for "Larry Earlich" who writes the liner notes for "An Evening Long Ago", also & would be so grateful for any information anyone has on this man. I've just gotten my copy of the Bluegrass Standard (Ralph Stanley fan club newsletter), and am saddened to observe that (tome) Ralph, Sr. seems to have grown smaller with age as my Mamaw Lucy (his & my Daddy's wonderful mother) did. He looks quite small & vulnerable standing beside all those other folks on the front photo of the newsletter, and I see my Grandma Lucy staring back at me from his eyes and I see that his posture exactly mimics hers at that age. I have it also---it's a tendency to stand with one shoulder taller than the other one so as to look somewhat lopsided though we're not. (I have the "Stanley Roman Nose" also, anyone know a GOOD plastic surgeon who works CHEAP???) Mamaw Stanley was such a beautiful, genteel, handsomely elegant and distinguished woman as far back as I can recall. If you watch Ralph, Sr., he'll sometimes hold his left hand across his right wrist, holding onto the right wrist at about waist height & when he stands he appears taller on one side than the other. (PLEASE, folks, I'm NOT criticizing anyone here, just sharing with you an observation about a Stanley family resemblence which I share with Ralph and expressing my regret and sense of loss at his visible physical signs of aging since I've seen him last. I love him as Daddy's only brother & lifetime companion, and I've loved him as my little short (sometimes fat) uncle for over 50 years now. He's aging & my observation brings with it the sadness that he no longer looks young, and the realizaton that someday he will leave us here & join Daddy). I wish I saw him more often. UGH---Hey James Allan-----I've always heard that if you stay around someone long enough, even your DOG----you start to look like them!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Poor Aunt George used to be called "The 'Other' or the 'Third' Stanley Brother" he was with them for so long as a CM Boy. I still see a SLIGHT resemblence to Daddy & Ralph in him! How long have you been head CM Boy now? 'Nuff said!Your new album is GREAT-they should allow you to sing more. I'd be so grateful to anyone who finds the words to "The Water Lilly" & can put them on here. Keep loving bluegrass & mountain music-it's the best music in the world! Cordially your friend, Doris Stanley Bradley, LLB Quoting Matt Peuler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: " " " " Hi, " " " " I am searching for the lyrics for a song by Ralph entitled The Water Lily. " " " " Its a very nice song and I'd love to have the lyrics for it.... can anyone " " " " help me out? :) " " " " Much appreciated! Cheers, Matt :) " " Bluegrass Bulletin Board brought to you by the fan club of " " Dr Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys " " subscribe or unsubscribe at http://drralphstanley.com/ " " Bluegrass Bulletin Board brought to you by the fan club of Dr Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys subscribe or unsubscribe at http://drralphstanley.com/
