2/18/2005 Dear Noland & All:
Thank you so, so much for the words to "The Water Lilly". It's just as I thought & as lovely as I recall it to be. I thought it was Tom T. Hall in on some of the writing, he's a wonderful songwriter & that particular song is sung so beautifully it brings many tears to me everytime I hear it. Thank God, I never lost a child, however, everytime I hear it I recall my lovely, wonderful Grandma Lucy Stanley standing at my Daddy's casket, putting her hands on his face & talking to him just as she did in life, telling him how much she loved him & how her heart was breaking to have to bury him & see his little children left without their Daddy. I feel for every mother who ever lost her child when I hear that song, & cry for them & think, "There but for the Grace of God go I". That's what a good bluegrass writer, singer does for you-he takes you there, puts you into the skin of the person whose story he/she tells & just makes you cry for their heartbreak, or laugh with them, etc. Again, Nathan, thank you so much for the words. I've printed them out now & won't lose them ever again. Keep llving bluegrass & mountain music, it's the best music in the world. Cordially your friend, Doris Stanley Bradley Quoting NOLAND STANLEY <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: " " Hello Cousin Doris: " " " " Here are the words to "The Water Lily": " " I tried to send this to you two days ago but it didn't seem to go through, " " so am " " trying again. " " " " " " "THE WATER LILY" (Written by Tom T. Hall & Henry " " Lawson) " " " " A lonely young wife, in her dreaming discerns, " " A lily-decked pool with a border of ferns, " " And a beautiful child, with butterfly wings, " " Trips down to the edge of the water and sings: " " " " "Come, mamma. Come. Quick follow me. " " Step out on the leaves of the water Lily." " " " " And the lonely young wife, her heart beating, wild, " " Cries, "Wait till I come, till I reach you my child." " " But the beautiful child, with the butterfly wings, " " Steps out on the leaves of the lily and sings: " " " " "Come, mamma, Come. Quick follow me. " " Step out on the leaves of the water lily." " " " " And the wife in her dreaming steps out on the stream " " But the lily leaves sing, and she wakes from her dream. " " Ah, the waking is sad for the tears that it brings, " " And she knows it's her dead baby's spirit that sings. " " " " "Come, mamma. Come. Quick follow me, " " Step out on the leaves of the water lily." " " "Come, mamma. Come. Quick follow me, " " Step out on the leaves of the water lily." " " " " " " (As sung by Ralph, Tom T. & Judy Marshall on "SATURDAY NIGHT" tape) " " " " The song tells a heavy story. " " " " Noland Stanley " " " " Doris Bradley wrote: " " " " > 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/ " " " " 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/
