The Stanley Brothers - He Went To Sleep And The Hogs Ate Him / Lips That Lie

(King 5763) Aug 1963

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This 7" was taken from the Stanley's fake 'live' Folk Concert album that was released in Mar 1963.

'Billboard' magazine listed the release in their 17th Aug 1963 edition, giving both sides four-stars, but without reviewing the disc.^[1]

He Went To Sleep And The Hogs Ate Him is a humourous novelty number and the single/LP version includes overdubbed laughter during Ralph and Carter's introduction and applause at the end.

Lips That Lie is notable for featuring overdubbed harmonica.

Both songs were brought to the band by King. In the liner notes to the Folk Concert LP, it says that He Went To Sleep... "is an adaptation of a song which Ray Starr, King Country A&R director, says was taught to him by his great grandfather in the hills of Kentucky". In Gary B. Reid's liner notes to The King Years, 1961-1965, however, King engineer Chuck Seitz confirms that the title was thought up by label boss Syd Nathan and then given to two of King's A&R staff to write.

Oddly, given Gusto's endless repackaging of Stanley material, neither track has been reissued except on The King Years, 1961-1965 4xCD box set. Here the spoken introduction to He Went To Sleep... is retained, but the overdubbed applause/laughter is not. The box set also includes an extra unreleased version of Lips That Lie without the overdubbed harmonica.

For a detailed breakdown and background to the Stanley's sessions, check Gary B. Reid's The Music Of The Stanley Brothers book, pages 165-169 and 201-202.

Other artwork / related images:

[1] https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=VwsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=king+5763+lips+that+lie+billboard&source=bl&ots=G-2__oiOIx&sig=vOKqNQMyl4MSFaAV4sFeAhgNmEY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwin44W9m7vVAhXlA8AKHSOICGwQ6AEIKDAA#v=onepage&q=king%205763%20lips%20that%20lie%20billboard&f=false