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.
Big Ball in Town
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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Well, there's a big ball in Boston, big ball in town
Big ball in Boston, I'm gonna get on down
The birthplace of our nation is Boston, so they say
They try to keep it as it was
But it's changing ev'ry day
[Chorus: ]
The Red Coats, they were comin', their cloth was made of tweed
Some say their shirts were button down (The tradition is Ivy League)
[Chorus: ]
We met a chap from Harvard, very slim and pale
The last time that we saw him he was dancing with a cat from Yale
[Chorus: ]
And just a mile from Harvard's ,a campus you should see
M-i-t-k-e-why M-o-you-s-e
[Chorus: ]
The folks who come from Boston are said to be quite dated
So whadda ya have to say, my friend?
Well, uh, Bobby and Teddy and I made it
[Chorus: ]
The Kingston Trio's song "Big Ball in Town" is a catchy and playful tribute to Boston, a city that is historically significant as the birthplace of the American Revolution. The song begins by stating the obvious- the city's importance in American history, which is why the city "tries to keep it as it was." However, the lyrics hint that while the city may maintain some of its antiquity, it is also changing, with a large ball or party being held in town. The chorus invites the listener to join in the festivities, suggesting that it is time to let loose and have some fun.
The song then delves into the history of Boston, referencing the arrival of the Red Coats with their tweed clothing and Ivy League button-down shirts. The lyrics are playful and suggest a connection between the formality of the Red Coats and the traditions of the Ivy League schools, many of which are situated in Boston. The song also references Harvard and Yale, known for their academic rivalry, with a slim and pale Harvard student dancing with a cat from Yale.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, there's a big ball in Boston, big ball in town
There's a lot happening in Boston.
Big ball in Boston, I'm gonna get on down
I'm excited to be a part of it all.
The birthplace of our nation is Boston, so they say
Boston is considered to be the birthplace of the United States.
They try to keep it as it was
People try to preserve the history and traditions of Boston.
But it's changing ev'ry day
Despite efforts to maintain tradition, Boston is constantly evolving.
The Red Coats, they were comin', their cloth was made of tweed
Referencing the British soldiers in the Revolutionary War, who wore tweed uniforms.
Some say their shirts were button down (The tradition is Ivy League)
The Ivy League style of dress, with button-down shirts, became popular later on.
We met a chap from Harvard, very slim and pale
Met a person from Harvard who fit the stereotypical image of an Ivy League student.
The last time that we saw him he was dancing with a cat from Yale
Not taking themselves too seriously, saying that a Harvard student was dancing with a person from rival school Yale.
And just a mile from Harvard's, a campus you should see
MIT is nearby and worth a visit.
M-i-t-k-e-why M-o-you-s-e
Spelling out the name of MIT in a playful way.
The folks who come from Boston are said to be quite dated
Stereotype that people from Boston are stuck in the past.
So whadda ya have to say, my friend?
Challenging this stereotype and asking for a different perspective.
Well, uh, Bobby and Teddy and I made it
Jokingly claiming to be friends with famous Bostonians Bobby Kennedy and Teddy Kennedy, perhaps implying they are not actually stuck in the past.
Big ball in Boston, big ball in town
Repeating the original idea that there's a lot going on in Boston.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BOB SHANE, JOHN STEWART, NICK REYNOLDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind