Ralph Stanley

The Songs

Lift Him Up, That's All
False Hearted Lover's Blues
Henry Lee
Twelve Gates to the City
Little Mathie Grove
Look On and Cry
I'll Remember You Love In My Prayers
Calling You
The Death of John Henry
Great Mountain High

Lift Him Up, That's All
(arranged by Ralph Stanley, T Bone Burnett, Larry Ehrlich, Bob Neuwirth; traditional)

When Jesus was around here on this land
He certainly did do his Father's command
Because He knew that He was his Father's only son
He came to draw men unto Him

Oh lift Him up that's all
Lift Him up in His word
If you'll tell the Name of Jesus everywhere
If you'll keep His Name a ringing everywhere that you go
He will draw men unto Him

When Jesus met the woman at Jakob's well
He certainly did have a sweet message to tell
The woman commenced wondering because she seen He was a Jew
He came to draw men unto Him

Oh lift Him up that's all
Lift Him up in His word
If you'll tell the Name of Jesus everywhere
If you'll keep His Name a ringing everywhere that you go
He will draw men unto Him

When she learnt that it was Jesus she ran into the town
Saying come and see a man who told me all that I had done
Is this not the messenger which is called Christ?
He came to draw men unto Him

Oh lift Him up that's all
Lift Him up in His word
If you'll tell the Name of Jesus everywhere
If you'll keep His Name a ringing everywhere that you go
He will draw men unto Him

When He asked her for some water her sin she tried to hide
She commenced telling the Savior all about race pride
But woman if you just only knew the gift of God
I came to draw men unto me

Oh lift Him up that's all
Lift Him up in His Word
If you'll tell the Name of Jesus everywhere
If you'll keep his Name a ringing everywhere that you go
He will draw men unto Him

False Hearted Lover's Blues
(arranged by Ralph Stanley, T Bone Burnett, Larry Ehrlich, Bob Neuwirth; traditional)

False hearts have been my downfall
Pretty women have been my craze
I'm sure my false hearted lover
Will drive me to my lonesome grave

They'll bite the hand that feeds them
Spend all the money you can save
From your heart strings weave silk garters
Build a dog house on your grave

When my earthly stay is over
Sink my dead body in the sea
Just tell my false hearted lover
That the whales will watch over me

Ragged clothes dropping from my body
The wolf howls around my door
The man who won my darling girl
Will feel the bite of my forty four

Corn whiskey has wrecked my body
A false hearted lover is a bearing on my mind
I've roamed the whole world over
Pleasure on earth I cannot find

When my earthly stay is over
Sink my dead body in the sea
Just tell my false hearted lover
That the whales will watch over me

If I meet my darling girl again
I'll tell her all about my troubles
Give her these false hearted lover's blues
And leave her stranded in the shallows

All men take this timely warning
It is both for young and old
Don't try to buy a woman's love
With the last dollar of your gold

Take warning you fair young ladies
If your love and honor you have sold
The men will have no use for you
When your dark hair turns to gold

When my earthly stay is over
Sink my dead body in the sea
Just tell my false hearted lover
That the whales will watch over me

Henry Lee
(arranged by Ralph Stanley, T Bone Burnett, Larry Ehrlich, Bob Neuwirth; traditional)

Get down get down little Henry Lee
And stay all night with me
The very best lodging I can afford
Will be far better with thee

I can't get down I won't get down
And stay all night with thee
For the girl I have in that merry green land
I love far better than thee

She leaned herself against the fence
Just for a kiss or two
With a little pen knife held in her hand
She plugged him through and through

Come all you ladies in the town
A secret for me keep
With a diamond ring held on my hand
I'll never will forsake

Some take him by his lily white hand
Some take him by his feet
We'll throw him in this deep deep well
More than one hundred feet

Lie there lie there loving Henry Lee
Till the flesh drops from your bones
The girl you have in that merry green land
Still waits for your return

Fly down fly down you little bird
And alight on my right knee
Your cage will be the purest gold
In deed of property

I can't fly down I won't fly down
And alight on your right knee
A girl would murder her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me

If I had my bended bow
My arrow and my sling
I'd pierce a dart so nigh your heart
Your warble would be in vain

If you had your bended bow
Your arrow and your sling
I'd fly away to the merry green land
And tell what I have seen

Girl From the Greenbriar Shore
(arranged by Ralph Stanley, T Bone Burnett, Larry Ehrlich, Bob Neuwirth; traditional)

Twelve Gates to the City
(arranged by Ralph Stanley, T Bone Burnett, Larry Ehrlich, Bob Neuwirth; traditional)

Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city hallelujah

There's three gates in the east
There's three gates in the west
There's three gates in the north
There's three gates in the south
That makes twelve gates to the city hallelujah

Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city hallelujah

If you see my dear old brother
Won't you do this kind favor for me?
Won't you please tell my brother
To meet me in Galilee
Well there's twelve gates to the city hallelujah

Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city hallelujah

God almighty won't you
Whatcha talking about
Whatcha crying about

Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Oh what a beautiful city
Twelve gates to the city hallelujah

Little Mathie Grove
(arranged by Ralph Stanley, T Bone Burnett, Larry Ehrlich, Bob Neuwirth; traditional)

Look On and Cry
(arranged by Ralph Stanley, T Bone Burnett, Larry Ehrlich, Bob Neuwirth; traditional)

My dearest friend it's fare you well
You slighted me but I wish you well
And never no more your face I'll see
I wouldn't serve you like you served me

You caused me to weep you caused me to mourn
And satisfied I never could be
To save my cheeks and tears for thee
Oh can't you shed one tear for me?

My dearest friend my harmless dove
I hope to meet you in the world above
And when we meet in peace we'll be
My dearest friend remember me

Now when I'm dead and laid to rest
Remember the one that loves you best
And when you pass by where I lie
Look on my grave look on and cry

And now we've laid him down to rest
Beside the one that loved him best
And as you pass by where he lies
You may sing this song look on and cry

Remember friends as you pass by
As you all are so once was I
As I am here to be
So get prepared and follow me

I'll Remember You Love In My Prayers
(arranged by Ralph Stanley, T Bone Burnett, Larry Ehrlich, Bob Neuwirth; traditional)

Calling You
(written by Hank Williams)

When you stray from the fold
And there's trouble in your soul
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you
When your soul is lost in sin
And you're at your journey's end
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you

Calling you Calling you
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you
He will take you by the hand lead you to that promised land
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you

As you journey day by day
And temptation comes your way
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you
If you follow in his light
He will always guide you right
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you

Calling you Calling you
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you
He will take you by the hand lead you to that promised land
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you

When your soul is burdened down
And your friends cannot be found
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you
If you'll follow Him each day
He will brighten up your way
Can't you hear the Blessed Savior calling you

The Death of John Henry
(arranged by Ralph Stanley, T Bone Burnett, Larry Ehrlich, Bob Neuwirth; traditional)

Listen in every heart there burns a flame
For the love of glory or the dread of shame
But oh how happy we would be if we understood
There's no safety but in doing good

People out west heard of John Henry's death
Couldn't hardly stay in bed
Monday morning on the east bound train
Going where John Henry's dead
Going where John Henry's dead

They carried John Henry to the graveyard
They looked at him good and long
The very last words his wife said to him
My husband he's dead and gone
My husband he's dead and gone

John Henry's wife wore a brand new dress
It was all trimmed in blue
The very last words she said to him
Honey I been good to you
Honey I been good to you

John Henry told the Shaker
Lord shake while I sing
Pulling a hammer from my shoulder
Bound to hear her when she rings
Bound to hear her when she rings

John Henry told his captain
I am a Tennessee man
Before I would see that steam drill beat me down
Die with a hammer in my hand
Die with a hammer in my hand

John Henry hammered in the mountain
Till the hammer caught on fire
Very last words I heard him say
Cool drink of water before I die
Cool drink of water before I die

Great Mountain High
(written by Ralph Stanley)