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The Stanley Brothers - Fling Ding / Loving You Too Well

(Mercury-Starday 71207) Oct 1957

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This 7" contains Fling Ding, a fast-paced banjo instrumental which also features excellent fiddle and mandolin from Chubby Anthony and Pee Wee Lambert. The tune was only the third of Ralph's banjo pieces to be recorded, and has lovely harmonic chimes worked into the banjo break. In the 'Banjo Newsletter' Aug. 1998, Bill Evans described it as "a close cousin to the more familiar tune 'Sally Ann'", but it also is a good demonstration of Ralph's unique approach to playing, in the same way that his Stoney Creek is to Salt Creek, or the way that he approached playing standards like Cripple Creek or Cumberland Gap. Sadly Fling Ding seems to be largely overlooked these days.

The flip-side, Carter's Loving You Too Well, is a 3/4-time sad pensive duet between Ralph and Carter. Ralph later re-recorded the song on his Stanley Sound Around The World LP, and as duet with Dolly Parton on Clinch Mountain Sweethearts. Larry Sparks also recorded the song with Ralph on tenor on his Lonesome & Then Some - A Classic 50th Celebration... and another version cropped up on the 1971 Keith Whitley & Ricky Skaggs - Tribute To The Stanley Brothers LP.

Both side of the 7" can now be found on The Complete Mercury Recordings 2xCD set.

PS: There's a really good banjo tab for Fling Ding in Gary Bates's (aka Stanleytone) page on the banjohangout.

For a detailed breakdown and background to the Stanley's sessions, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, pages 64 and 81.