Medicine Springs
The Stanley Brothers · Other Songs - The Stanley Brothers
I was searching for fortune and fame
I found where the water runs deep from the hills
They call it the medicine springs
They call it the medicine springs
It was there that I met a fair maiden
Yellow hair and big eyes of blue
She told me one day she loved only me
That she'd forever be true
That she'd forever be true
Well I wanted the best for my darlin'
But my pockets were empty and bare
My love was so great for that starlett of mine
I took what another man had
I took what another man had
As I sit here alone in this jailhouse
With a letter I can't hardly read
It said my darlin' has left this ol' world
She's a waitin' in heaven for me
She's a waitin' in heaven for me
Some day I'll go back to the mountains
Where I'll spend the rest of my days
And the water that runs frome the side of the hill
Will water her flowery grave
Will water her flowery grave
Medicine Springs - The Stanley Brothers
Medicine Springs stands as a defining acoustic ballad from The Stanley Brothers, capturing the raw, unadorned spirit of early American folk. Recorded in the mid-1960s, the track exemplifies the duo's signature style: a blend of gospel-inflected harmonies and a driving, rhythmic guitar strumming that propelled them to national prominence. The song's narrative, rooted in the imagery of a healing spring, reflects the Appalachian tradition of storytelling where nature serves as a metaphor for spiritual and physical restoration. As a staple of their discography, Medicine Springs showcases their ability to transform simple rural themes into emotionally resonant compositions that bridged the gap between traditional folk and the emerging folk-rock movement of the era.