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.
A Litytle Soul is Born
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the quiet of the dawn a little soul is born.
Put him in a blanket to see if he is warm.
Hold him very close, just as closely as you can,
For he'll never ever be that little soul again.
On a summer morning there's a little boy play
Discovering the world, that will be his one day.
For he'll never ever be that young boy again.
On an autumn afternoon a young man goes to learn
How to build the bridges and makes the wheels to turn.
And woman you will love him just as often as you can,
For he'll never ever be that young man again.
On a lonely midnight winter an old man goes to sleep,
Leaving everything he owned for other men to keep.
And the earth will hold him close, just as closely as it can,
For he'll never ever be that old man again.
[Epilogue:]
Gone a life of yearning, a heart that's old and worn.
And in the quite of the dawn a little soul is born.
The Kingston Trio's ballad "A Little Soul is Born" narrates the human life cycle from birth to death. The lyrics paint a picture of an infant in the peacefulness of early morning, as he is wrapped up in a blanket and held close by his parents. The song then moves on to depict the curious and playful nature of a young boy exploring the world. In the third verse, a young man sets out to achieve his goals and make a difference in the world, while his lover cherishes him. The fourth and final verse portrays the end of life, as an old man passes away and leaves his possessions behind. The song comes full circle with the repetition of the first verse, emphasizing the cyclical nature of life and death.
The lyrics of this song have a deeply reflective and nostalgic tone, capturing the essence of human existence. The progression of the verse from birth to death represents the brevity of life and the importance of cherishing every moment. The use of season imagery, such as summer, autumn, and winter, to symbolize different stages of life is also notable.
Line by Line Meaning
In the quiet of the dawn a little soul is born.
Every day, a new soul comes into the world, starting a new life journey
Put him in a blanket to see if he is warm.
The first moments of life are important to make sure the baby is safe and comfortable
Hold him very close, just as closely as you can,
As a newborn, they need love and attention to feel secure and build a strong bond with their parent/guardian
For he'll never ever be that little soul again.
Once that moment passes, it cannot be experienced again in the same exact way
On a summer morning there's a little boy play
A child grows up and starts to explore the world around him, enjoying the simple pleasures of childhood
Discovering the world, that will be his one day.
As he grows up and learns more, he begins to understand his future and potential
Watch him very close just as closely as you can,
Parents/guardians should pay attention to their child's needs and interests during this time, and appreciate this period of their life while it lasts
For he'll never ever be that young boy again.
Every stage of life is precious because it cannot be experienced again in the same exact way
On an autumn afternoon a young man goes to learn
As he grows up, a person seeks knowledge and skills to help him succeed in life
How to build the bridges and makes the wheels to turn.
The skills he gains here will help him create and innovate in his professional life
And woman you will love him just as often as you can,
While he's learning and growing, he may find love and companionship which is important to cherish during this time
For he'll never ever be that young man again.
Every moment in life is precious because it represents a unique opportunity, which cannot be re-experienced in the same way
On a lonely midnight winter an old man goes to sleep,
As a person grows old, they begin to reflect on their life and the things they've accomplished
Leaving everything he owned for other men to keep.
The things they leave behind can be given to future generations or to those who need them
And the earth will hold him close, just as closely as it can,
In the end, everyone returns to the earth and is remembered by those who knew them
For he'll never ever be that old man again.
Every person's life is unique and deserves to be cherished for what it represented during that time period
Gone a life of yearning, a heart that's old and worn.
Once a person passes, they leave behind a legacy of their experiences, successes, and failures
And in the quite of the dawn a little soul is born.
Life continues to move forward, as new generations come into the world and begin their journey
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOHN C. STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind