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.
Bad Man
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was feelin' kinda mean I shot a deputy down,
Strolled along home and I went to bed
Well I laid my pistol up under my head
(He strolled along home)
I took my time
(And he went to bed)
(Laid his pistrol)
Big 22"
(Up under his head)
I keep it handy
Well early in the mornin' bout the break of day
I figured it was time to make a getaway
Steppin' right along but I was steppin' too slow
Got surrounded by a sheriff down in Mexico
(Well he was steppin' right along)
I were a hot-footin' it
(But he was steppin' too slow)
It was a sultry day
(Got surrounded by a sheriff)
Boxed in
(In Mexico)
I didn't even have a chance to see the country
When I was arrested well I didn't have a dime
The sheriff said, 'Son you're riding free this time
'Where you're going you won't need a cent
'Cause the great state of Texas gonna pay your rent
('Cause where you're going)
I think he means jail
(You won't need a cent)
Well he knows I'm broke
('Cause the great state of Texas)
Yippee!
(Gonna pay your rent)
I'm mighty grateful fellas
Well I didn't have a key and I didn't have a file
Naturally I stayed around until my trial
Judge was an old man, Ninety-three
And I didn't like the way the jury looked at me
(Well the judge was an old man)
Too old
(Ninety-three)
Entirely too old
I didn't like the way,
The jury looked at me
I think they were suspicious
(The judge and jury they did agree)
(They all said murder in the first degree)
(The judge said same)
'Well I dunno whether to hang you or not,
But this here killin' of deputy sheriffs has just naturally got to stop'
(You gotta point there judge)
It was a most unsatisfactory trial
They gave me ninety-nine years on the hard rock pile
Ninety and nine on the hard rock ground
And all I ever did was shoot a deputy down
(Ninety and nine)
It could have been life
(On the hard rock pile)
They might-a hung me
(And all he ever did,
Was shoot a deputy down)
This whole thing has sure been a lesson to me
(Bang! You're dead!)
The Kingston Trio's song "Bad Man's Blunder" is a folk narrative about a man who shoots a deputy and ends up with a 99-year sentence on the hard rock pile. The song starts with the singer feeling "kinda mean" one evening and shooting a deputy. He then goes home and goes to sleep with his pistol under his head, but in the morning, he realizes it's time to make a getaway. Unfortunately, he is surrounded by a sheriff in Mexico and arrested. When he is brought to trial, he is given a 99-year sentence for murder. The song ends with the blunt and simple line "Bang! You're dead!"
The song's lyrics are based on an old folk song called "Bad Man Ballad," which was popularized in the late 1800s. The Kingston Trio reimagined the song in 1960 with a folk-revival twist and added their unique harmonies. The song is memorable for its catchy melody and its story that's full of humor and irony.
Line by Line Meaning
Well early one evenin' I was rolling around
I was out and about early in the evening.
I was feelin' kinda mean I shot a deputy down,
I shot a deputy because I was in a bad mood.
Strolled along home and I went to bed
I calmly walked home and went to bed.
Well I laid my pistol up under my head
I kept my gun close while I went to sleep.
Well early in the mornin' bout the break of day
The next morning, when the sun started to rise,
I figured it was time to make a getaway
I decided it was time to leave.
Steppin' right along but I was steppin' too slow
I was walking but not quickly enough.
Got surrounded by a sheriff down in Mexico
A sheriff in Mexico caught me.
When I was arrested well I didn't have a dime
I didn't have any money when I got arrested.
The sheriff said, 'Son you're riding free this time
The sheriff let me go without paying anything.
'Where you're going you won't need a cent
You won't need any money where you're going.
'Cause the great state of Texas gonna pay your rent
Texas will take care of your accommodations.
Well I didn't have a key and I didn't have a file
I didn't have any tools to help me escape.
Naturally I stayed around until my trial
I stayed to face trial instead of trying to run.
Judge was an old man, Ninety-three
The judge was very old, ninety-three years old.
And I didn't like the way the jury looked at me
I was uncomfortable with the way the jury was looking at me.
(They all said murder in the first degree)
Everyone agreed I committed premeditated murder.
(You gotta point there judge)
I agree with what the judge is saying.
It was a most unsatisfactory trial
The trial was very disappointing.
They gave me ninety-nine years on the hard rock pile
I received a 99-year sentence of hard labor.
And all I ever did was shoot a deputy down
My only crime was killing a police officer.
(Bang! You're dead!)
An abrupt, violent ending to the song.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: CISCO HOUSTON, LEE HAYS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind