The Kingston Trio was formed in 1957 in the Palo Alto, California area by original lineup of Dave Guard (1934–1991), Bob Shane (1934–2020), and Nick Reynolds (1933–2008), who were just out of college. Greatly influenced by The Weavers, the calypso sounds of Harry Belafonte, and other semi-popular folk artists such as the Gateway Singers and the Tarriers, they were discovered playing at a college club called the Cracked Pot by Frank Werber, a local publicist then working at the Hungry i. He became their manager, and secured them a one-shot deal with Capitol Records.
Their first hit was a catchy rendition of an old-time folk song, "Tom Dooley", which went gold in 1958. It was so popular that it entered popular culture as a catchphrase: Ella Fitzgerald, for example, parodies it during her recorded version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". It won them the first Grammy award for Best Country & Western Performance in 1959. The next year, they won the first Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording category for the album The Kingston Trio at Large.
At one point in the early 1960s The Kingston Trio had four albums at the same time among the Top 10 selling albums, a record unmatched for nearly 40 years. In spite of this, they had a relatively small number of hit singles.
The group's music was simple and accessible, with much use of tight vocal harmony, signature riffs (often played on the banjo), and repetitive choruses. Capitol producer Voyle Gilmore[1] enhanced their vocal sound to great effect with reverb and the relatively new process of doubletracking, in which the performers sang along with their own pre-recorded part to produce a stronger sound than with a single voice, in part due to a natural time gap of a fraction of a second between the original recording and the overdubbed part. At first pairs of tape recorders were used, then later multitrack recording machines, to produce the effect.
Guard left the band in 1961 as part of a disagreement over its musical direction. He formed the group Whiskey Hill Singers, and was replaced by John Stewart, who led the group through several more years of popularity until the arrival of The Beatles and British invasion rock bands pushed them from the charts.
In 1967 the Trio disbanded after a final performance at the Hungry i, June 17, 1967.
Shane, the lone member to resist the break-up of the Trio, started a new group, aptly named, "The New Kingston Trio," in 1969. Eventually, Shane was successful in reaching a contractual agreement with his former partners, Guard, Reynolds, and Werber, to secure and license once again, the original name, "The Kingston Trio" (unencumbered by the adjective new), in 1976.(Blake et al. 1986.) Shane still owns the property today, 2006.
For a number of years in the 1980s Reynolds, one of the original three members, rejoined Shane.
In 2004 Shane retired from the group due to health problems. He was replaced by Bill Zorn, who had been with Shane in an iteration of the group called The New Kingston Trio; Zorn also has been a member of The Limeliters.
In 2005 Bobby Haworth (a one-time member of The Brothers Four) left the group to be replaced by Rick Dougherty, who also had been a member of The Limeliters.
As of 2006, The Kingston Trio consisted of George Grove, Bill Zorn and Rick Dougherty.
in October 2017, Grove, Zorn, and Dougherty were replaced as the Trio by new licensees Reynolds and Marvin and their friend, Tim Gorelangton. In 2018, Josh Reynolds left the group and was replaced by Bob Haworth, who became a member of the band for the third time. At the end of 2018, Haworth left the group and was replaced by Don Marovich.
'Round About the Mountain
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you haven't got a penny, then a ha' penny will do.
If you haven't got a ha' penny, then God bless you!
'Round about the mountain. 'Round about the mountain. My God is waitin'. You can rise in His arms. (Repeat)
[Chorus]
The Lord loves a sinner who will rise in His arms.
I would not be a sinner. I'll tell you the reason why.
If the Lord should want me, I would not be ready to die!
I tell you fellow members, things happen mighty strange.
The Lord was good to Israel and His ways don't ever change.
[Chorus]
Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my works in vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.
If you can't pray like Peter, if you can't preach like Paul, go home and tell your neighbor that He died to save us all.
[Chorus]
'Round about the mountain. 'Round about the mountain.
My God is waitin'. You can rise in His arms.
The Lord loves a sinner. The Lord loves a sinner man.
The Lord loves a sinner who will rise in His arms
The Kingston Trio's song A Round About Christmas is a mix of Christmas imagery and religious themes. The opening verse references the tradition of giving to those in need during the holiday season. The line "the goose is getting fat" refers to the fattening of geese for their meat in the winter. The request for a penny or ha' penny to be put in the old man's hat is a reminder to be charitable to those less fortunate. The final line, "If you haven't got a ha' penny, then God bless you!" turns the focus to the idea of blessings and goodwill towards all, regardless of wealth or status.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the message that the Lord loves sinners who will turn to him and rise in his arms. The verses that follow further emphasize the importance of faith and repentance. The lyrics acknowledge the challenges of living a righteous life, but also offer hope in the form of the Holy Spirit's ability to revive and uplift the soul. The final verse encourages listeners to share the message of salvation with those around them, even if they may not have the skills or abilities of more prominent religious figures.
Overall, the Kingston Trio's A Round About Christmas serves as a reminder of the spiritual and charitable aspects of the holiday season, and encourages listeners to embrace faith, hope, and generosity.
Line by Line Meaning
Christmas is coming. The goose is getting fat. Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
The holiday season is approaching and we should remember those less fortunate by giving what we can, no matter how small.
If you haven't got a penny, then a ha' penny will do.
Even the smallest gift is appreciated and can make a difference to someone in need.
If you haven't got a ha' penny, then God bless you!
If you can't give, then we still wish you blessings and goodwill.
'Round about the mountain. 'Round about the mountain. My God is waitin'. You can rise in His arms.
No matter where we are in life, God is always waiting and willing to give us comfort and support.
The Lord loves a sinner. The Lord loves a sinner man.
We are all sinners but God still loves us unconditionally and offers us forgiveness.
The Lord loves a sinner who will rise in His arms.
God offers salvation to those who seek it and are willing to turn their lives around.
I would not be a sinner. I'll tell you the reason why.
We should strive to live a good life and be righteous in the eyes of God.
If the Lord should want me, I would not be ready to die!
We should always be prepared for judgement day and live our lives accordingly.
I tell you fellow members, things happen mighty strange.
Life is unpredictable and we never know what challenges we may face.
The Lord was good to Israel and His ways don't ever change.
God is consistent and dependable, and has always been kind and merciful to us.
Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my works in vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again.
We may struggle with feelings of doubt or insignificance, but through the Holy Spirit, we can find renewed strength and purpose.
If you can't pray like Peter, if you can't preach like Paul, go home and tell your neighbor that He died to save us all.
We don't need to be religious leaders to spread the message of God's love and sacrifice for us; we can start by sharing it with those close to us.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NICK REYNOLDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind