First off, it is I who should thank you Noland for the lyrics to Water Lily, since I'm the one who first asked for them :) I'm really glad I did, since not only did I get to have the lyrics, we also all got some great backround and memories of Carter and Ralph, directly from his daughter! thank you so much Doris for sharing with all of us and expressing your feelings. It just acts to reinforce the fact that bluegrass is such a humble art...homegrown and down to earth. How many types of music can say that you can have direct contact with the superstars of the industry??? Quick example: I want to go to the Hills of Home festival in May, but didn't know how to fly there from NYC. So, I emailed James Alan S. and he was gracious and kind enough to send me directions personally! wow!! Thanks you so much James! I really appreciate it and I am very excited to experience a 'real' BG festival in the rolling hills of VA!! (so far my festival experience stops at GreyFox in NY and Delaware BG fest in NJ!).
On another note, I wanted to say to Doris that your father had the most pristine voice i have ever heard! The ease by which the notes flowed out of Carter Stanley's mouth is truly astonishing!! He really made it look effortless and in combination with Ralph's aged yet timeless voice, the result was priceless!!. I haven't seen too many videos of them performing, but the ones i've been lucky enough to see really blew me away! :) I'm still looking around for Pete Seger's "Rainbow" show featuring the Stanley Brothers. James, if you have any updated info on this, i'd appreciate it. Last I heard the rights to the video was switching hands and we had to wait to buy it...
Cordially, Matt Peuler
----- Original Message ----- From: "Doris Bradley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[email protected]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 9:09 PM
Subject: Re: BG: The water lily
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/
" "
" "
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