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.
Billy Goat Hill
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, yes, she waits in the little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill.
I left my love in the little green house. I left my love with a broken heart.
I left my love in the little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill.
There's a white front porch and a ramblin' rose, by the ramblin' rose we made our vow.
Oh, yes, we vowed in the little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill
I left my love in the little green house. I left my love with a broken heart.
I left my love in the little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill.
I'll return some day to the winding road to my one true love who waits for me.
Yes, there she'll be in the little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill
I left my love in the little green house. I left my love with a broken heart.
I left my love in the little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill.
The Kingston Trio's song "Billy Goat Hill" is a melancholic ballad that depicts the quintessential story of separation and longing. The song follows the singer on his journey away from his love, symbolized by a little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill. The lyrics paint a picture of a winding road, a tall pine tree, and a rambling rose, setting the scene for a heartfelt goodbye. The repetition of the line "I left my love in the little green house" emphasizes the sense of regret and longing that the singer feels. The melody of the song is slow, and the harmonies are simple, adding to the emotional intensity of the lyrics.
One interpretation of the song is that it is about a soldier leaving his love behind as he goes off to war. The scene at the little green house is reminiscent of a farewell, and the singer's promise to return someday suggests that he hopes to be reunited with his love. However, the broken heart he leaves her with hints at the uncertainty of whether he will ever come back. The rambling rose on the porch and the tall pine tree could be symbols of the love between the couple and the enduring nature of their commitment.
Overall, "Billy Goat Hill" is an evocative song that captures the bittersweet feeling of leaving a loved one behind. It is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices that people make for love and the uncertainty that comes with parting.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a winding road and a tall pine tree, by the tall pine tree, she waits for me.
The singer is describing a specific location where his love is waiting for him.
Oh, yes, she waits in the little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill.
The singer confirms that his love is waiting for him in a specific house located on top of a hill.
I left my love in the little green house. I left my love with a broken heart.
The singer reveals that he left his love behind, causing her to feel sadness and heartbreak.
There's a white front porch and a ramblin' rose, by the ramblin' rose we made our vow.
The artist describes another detail about the location where he and his love made a promise to each other.
Oh, yes, we vowed in the little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill.
The artist confirms that the same house he mentioned before is where he and his love made a vow to each other.
I'll return some day to the winding road to my one true love who waits for me.
The singer promises to return to the location where his love is waiting for him.
Yes, there she'll be in the little green house that sits on top of Billy Goat Hill
The singer confirms once more that his love will be waiting for him in the same house on top of the hill when he returns.
I left my love in the little green house. I left my love with a broken heart.
The artist repeats the fact that he left his love behind and caused her heartbreak.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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Kirk Barkley
Love these guys and this song is great
Mike Phelps
Cool of them to put their bass man David Wheat on the album cover. He was one talented guy.
mmordors
I love this song. Have since I was a young child of about 8 and was first shown how to operate the record player by my older sister.
3Pitous
A warming up song.Thanks
SCARE CROW
Glenn Yarbrough version is awesome too
Ken Carson Tribute
I'll return someday, to the white front porch And the one true love who waits for me, Oh yes, she waits in the little green house That sits on top of Billy Goat Hill.... Gotta love the Kingston Trio. :)