With their smooth three part harmonies, collegiate appeal, and trademark striped shirts The Kingston Trio single-handedly revolutionized folk and pop music in America. Between the years of 1957-1967, Bob Shane, Nick Reynolds, and Dave Guard (who in 1961 was replaced by John Stewart), created a musical legacy that no other folk group has equalled or surpassed. The Kingston Trio has never failed to leave audiences energized and begging for more.
Until the advent of the Beatles in 1964, The Kingston Trio ruled the pop charts. They were the first act to sell more LP records than singles, placing 14 of their LP records in the "Top 10." One of those top ten made it to #1, redefining the group forever. The song that earned the Trio their first Grammy and catapulted them into the spotlight, was the legendary folk tune, "Tom Dooley." With the American public's desire to hear more music of the same kind, the folk era had been ushered into the limelight, leaving label exec's scrambling to imitate the Trio's distinct sound. Before long, the world was itching to hear the Trio live and be a part of their unparalled success.
Despite the Trio's immense popularity, today most of the Kingston Trio albums available on CD are compilations of the group's greatest hits. However, Folk Era Records has released one never before heard Kingston Trio album -"An Evening With The Kingston Trio," and re-issued two of the Trio's last three studio albums, "Stay Awhile" and "Children Of The Morning," to which eight of the twelve songs found on the third original LP "Something Else" have been added.
Hard Travelin'
Kingston Trio Lyrics
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I thought you know
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Way down the road
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Hard ramblin', hard gamblin'
I been doin' some hard travelin'
I been workin' in a hard rock tunnel
I thought you know
I been leanin' on a pressure drill
Way down the road
Hammer flyin', air hose suckin'
Six feet of mud, I sure been muckin'
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Lord
I been doin' some hard travelin'
I thought you know
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Way down the road
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Hard ramblin', hard gamblin'
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Lord
I been workin' the Pittsburg steel
I thought you know
I been workin' that red-hot slag
Way down the road
I been a-blastin', I been a-firin'
I been a-duckin' that red-hot fire
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Lord
I been doin' some hard travelin'
I thought you know
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Way down the road
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Hard ramblin', hard gamblin'
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Lord
Well, I've been hittin' that Lincoln highway
I thought you know
I been hittin' that sixty-six
Way down the road
Well, a heavy load and a worried mind
I a-lookin' for a woman that is hard to find
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Lord
I been doin' some hard travelin'
I thought you know
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Way down the road
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Hard ramblin', hard gamblin'
I been doin' some hard travelin'
Lord
The Kingston Trio's Hard Travelin' is a song about the hardships of life on the road. The singer recounts their experiences working in a hard rock tunnel and in the steel industry. The song is a celebration of the working-class lifestyle and the courage and determination it takes to endure such difficult work. The refrain, "I been doin' some hard travelin'", emphasizes the song's central theme of hard work and perseverance. The lyrics contain vivid descriptions of the challenges faced by laborers in these industries, including the use of a pressure drill, the handling of hot slag, and avoidance of "red-hot fire." These images serve to embody the struggles endured by the working-class and provide a sense of solidarity among them.
The song also touches on the experience of wandering and searching for a better life on the road. The singer mentions traveling on the Lincoln Highway and Route 66, two major highways in the United States. The heavy load and the worried mind reflect the anxieties and uncertainties inherent in such a lifestyle. Furthermore, the singer expresses the desire for companionship, "I a-lookin' for a woman that is hard to find," indicating the loneliness that can come with a life spent traveling and working far from home.
Line by Line Meaning
I been doin' some hard travelin'
I have been traveling a lot under difficult circumstances
I thought you know
I expected you to be aware of my travels
Way down the road
Far from here and for a long time
Hard ramblin', hard gamblin'
I have been traveling and taking risks with my life
Lord
Used as an emphasis to express how difficult the travel has been
I been workin' in a hard rock tunnel
I have been working in a tunnel where the rock is particularly hard
I been leanin' on a pressure drill
I have been using a pressure drill extensively
Hammer flyin', air hose suckin'
A description of the physical aspects of the job
Six feet of mud, I sure been muckin'
I have been dealing with a lot of mud on the job
I been workin' the Pittsburg steel
I have been working in a steel factory in Pittsburgh
I been workin' that red-hot slag
I have been working with hot metal slag on the job
I been a-blastin', I been a-firin'
I have been dealing with explosives and firing equipment
I been a-duckin' that red-hot fire
I have been avoiding working with the incredibly hot equipment and materials
Well, I've been hittin' that Lincoln highway
I have been traveling on the Lincoln highway
I been hittin' that sixty-six
I have been traveling on Route 66
Well, a heavy load and a worried mind
My mind is burdened and I have a lot of responsibilities
I a-lookin' for a woman that is hard to find
I am searching for someone specific who is difficult to locate
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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