The original group was formed by Gonzaga University students and Glee Club members William Chad Mitchell (from Spokane, Washington); Mike Kobluk (from Trail, British Columbia, Canada); and Mike Pugh (from Pasco, Washington). They were encouraged by Spokane, Washington Roman Catholic priest Reinard W. Beaver, who invited the three to travel with him to New York City in the summer of 1959 and to try performing in the burgeoning folk-music scene. Unlike many fellow folk-music groups, none of the Trio's members played instruments.
The key people that helped the Trio get going were musical arranger Milton Okun and star performer/singer Harry Belafonte. Okun provided a professional polish to their performing skills, which helped them gain both a key booking at New York City's Blue Angel club and radio appearances with Arthur Godfrey and television appearances with Pat Boone. Belafonte had them appear as back-up singers, with a small featured spotlight, in his May 1960 Carnegie Hall concert, and signed them to his Belafonte Enterprises management firm.
In the summer of 1960, Pugh left the group to return to college. After auditioning over 150 singers, Joe Frazier (from Lebanon, Pennsylvania; not the heavyweight champion boxer) was chosen to replace Pugh.
After releasing mostly conventional folk songs, the Trio unleashed the then-daring satire "The John Birch Society" (Fighting for the right to fight/The right fight for the Right!), which established their ability to perform more controversial material. Their departure from Belafonte Enterprises in 1962, followed by their move to Mercury Records in 1963, gave them more freedom to add aggressively political songs to their body of folk, love, and world-music songs.
Mitchell left the Trio in 1965 to embark on a solo singing career. Another audition process replaced him with young singer/songwriter named John Denver. The group retained the well-known Mitchell Trio name, with Denver writing some of the group's songs, as Mitchell had done.
Frazier's departure from the Trio in 1966 brought on replacement David Boise. After a final live release, Kobluk left; Denver and Boise replaced Kobluk with Michael Johnson (who would later go on as a solo artist) and, because of contractual requirements that prohibited using the "Mitchell" name after the last original member left, became Denver, Boise and Johnson. Soon, however, the group disbanded.
Mike Kobluk, Joe Frazier and David Boise later left the music industry, Chad Mitchell released a number of solo albums before retiring from music, and Denver's time with the Trio became the springboard to his solo career (he died in October of 1997). Michael Johnson lives in Nashville and continues to record.
The Mitchell/Kobluk/Frazier trio and John Denver reunited in 1987 for several concerts, some broadcast on PBS. These are the only recordings of all four members singing together.
The Mitchell/Kobluk/Frazier trio reunited again in 2005 for a short program as part of a concert also featuring Tom Paxton and the Kingston Trio's current lineup in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Other featured musicians for the Trio through the years included:
* Jim McGuinn (who later founded The Byrds and took the name Roger McGuinn): Guitar, banjo
* Paul Prestopino: Guitar, banjo, and mandolin
* Bob Hefferan: Guitar
* David (Jake) Ander: Guitar
* Pete Soloway: Acoustic bass
Whup Jamboree
The Chad Mitchell Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dm F C
The captain he looks out ahead
Dm C
with a hand on the wheel and the heavin' of the lead.
Dm F C
The bosun roars to wake the dead:
"Come and get your oats me son."
[Refrain: "Whup" is shouted.]
Dm F C
Whup, jamboree, whup jamboree.
Big round fat and come up behind.
Jamboree, whup jamboree.
Come and get your oats me son.
Oh, now we're past the harbor lights
and the shore will soon be heavin' into sight.
We'll soon be abreast of the Isle of Wight.
Come and get your oats me son.
(Refrain)
Oh, when we get to the Blackwall docks.
Them pretty young girls come down in flocks.
With short-legged drawers and long-tailed frocks,
Then come and get your oats me son.
(Refrain)
The Chad Mitchell Trio's song "Whup Jamboree" is a sea shanty that describes the journey of a ship as it sails towards its destination. The song begins with the captain looking ahead with a hand on the wheel and the heavin' of the lead, and the bosun roars to wake the dead, "come and get your oats me son." The refrain "Whup jamboree, whup jamboree. Big round fat and come up behind. Jamboree, whup jamboree. Come and get your oats me son." is shouted as the ship sets sail.
As the ship moves past the harbor lights, the shore will soon be heavin' into sight and the ship will soon be abreast of the Isle of Wight. The chorus is repeated, reminding the sailors to come and get their oats. The final verse tells of the ship's arrival at Blackwall docks, and the pretty young girls who come down in flocks, with short-legged drawers and long-tailed frocks. Once again, the refrain is shouted, urging the sailors to come and get their oats.
The song's lyrics are a celebration of the hardworking sailors and the camaraderie that developed on long sea voyages. "Whup Jamboree" is an upbeat and lively sea shanty that features call-and-response singing and a catchy refrain that is easy to sing along to.
Line by Line Meaning
The captain he looks out ahead
The leader surveys the horizon
With a hand on the wheel and the heavin' of the lead.
He confidently keeps the ship on course
The bosun roars to wake the dead:
The boatswain shouts loudly to rouse everyone
"Come and get your oats me son."
"Come and get your food, my dear crew member."
Whup, jamboree, whup jamboree.
The crew chants a lively, rhythmic expression of their excitement
Big round fat and come up behind.
The ship moves quickly and steadily through the water
Jamboree, whup jamboree.
The chant continues in a joyous, upbeat tone
Come and get your oats me son.
The invitation to eat is repeated
Oh, now we're past the harbor lights
The ship has left the port and is traveling on the open sea
and the shore will soon be heavin' into sight.
Land will soon be visible on the horizon
We'll soon be abreast of the Isle of Wight.
The ship will pass by this landmark shortly
Come and get your oats me son.
The crew is reminded to eat
Whup, jamboree, whup jamboree.
The chant continues
Oh, when we get to the Blackwall docks.
The ship will soon arrive at this destination
Them pretty young girls come down in flocks.
Women will line up to greet the crew
With short-legged drawers and long-tailed frocks,
The ladies will be wearing specific types of clothing
Then come and get your oats me son.
The crew is once again encouraged to eat
Whup, jamboree, whup jamboree.
The chant reaches a high point
Come and get your oats me son.
The crew is prompted to enjoy their meal
Contributed by Maya O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.