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.
Come All Ye Fair And Tender Ladies
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They′re like a star on a summer morning. They'll first appear and then their gone.
How I remember our days of courtin′. I met my love in the fading light,
But now she flies to meet another. The day is lonely as the night.
If I had known before I courted that true love was so hard to win.
I'd a-locked my heart in a box of golden and never opened it again.
I'll find a place come tomorrow. I′ll climb some mountain way up high.
There I′ll sit down to weep in sorrow and try to mend my troubled mind.
(Repeat first verse)
The Kingston Trio's song "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies" is a poignant expression of caution and heartbreak in matters of love. The opening line, "Come all ye fair and tender ladies," serves as an invitation or a warning to young women to be cautious and thoughtful in their relationships with men. The next line, "Be careful how you court your men," underscores the importance of being mindful and strategic when pursuing romantic connections.
The following lines compare men to stars on a summer morning. Like stars that briefly appear and then disappear, men may enter a woman's life with charm and allure, only to vanish. This metaphor suggests that men can be transient and unreliable in their affections.
The second verse reminisces about the singer's own experiences of courtship. They recall meeting their love in the fading light, symbolizing the fleeting nature of that romantic encounter. However, their loved one has now moved on to someone else, leaving the singer feeling lonely and deserted.
The third verse reflects the singer's regret, expressing a desire to have known the difficulty of attaining true love before getting involved. The image of locking their heart in a box of golden and never opening it again speaks to the desire to protect oneself from heartbreak and disappointment.
The final verse mentions seeking solace in nature, specifically by climbing a mountain. This act serves as a metaphor for seeking higher ground, a place of reflection and healing. Yet, the singer acknowledges that their troubled mind may not be easily mended.
Overall, "Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies" highlights the delicate and unpredictable nature of love and emphasizes the importance of being cautious and self-protective in matters of the heart.
Line by Line Meaning
Come all ye fair and tender ladies. Be careful how you court your men.
Listen, all you beautiful and delicate ladies. Be cautious in how you pursue relationships with men.
They′re like a star on a summer morning. They'll first appear and then their gone.
Men can be fleeting, like a star that shines brightly in the morning but disappears soon after.
How I remember our days of courtin′. I met my love in the fading light
I reminisce about the times we courted each other. I met my beloved during twilight, as the day slowly turned into night.
But now she flies to meet another. The day is lonely as the night.
However, now she rushes to be with someone else. The day feels as lonesome as the night.
If I had known before I courted that true love was so hard to win.
If only I had known before I pursued love that it would be such a challenging endeavor.
I'd a-locked my heart in a box of golden and never opened it again.
I would have sealed my heart away in a golden box, never to open it again.
I'll find a place come tomorrow. I′ll climb some mountain way up high.
Tomorrow, I shall discover a secluded place. I will ascend a high mountain in search of solace.
There I′ll sit down to weep in sorrow and try to mend my troubled mind.
Once there, I will sit down and allow myself to weep, releasing my sorrow. I will attempt to restore peace to my troubled thoughts.
(Repeat first verse)
(Repeat the first verse)
Writer(s): Dave Guard, Gretchen Guard
Contributed by Bailey B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
rey knudson
I have always loved this song! R.I.P. Bob, NICK and Dave! You guys gave the world such WONDERFUL MUSIC! THANKS FOR THE UPLOAD! R.K.
rey knudson
Another WONDERFUL SONG by The Legendary Kingston Trio!! I still love it today! EXCELLENT FIDELITY! THANKS FOR THE UPLOAD! R.K.
Thomas Beverly
Most beautiful song of the trio!
XMLarry
I remember the first time I heard this song about 35 years ago or so, very beautiful. Ty for posting!
billy montella jr
great song, great album, Buck Wheat's backing classical guitar work and bass, Voyle Gilmore for using those Sony C-37P mics on the instruments and the follow-up Going Places...soo privileged to have known Bob, Nick and John KTrio
Thomas Beverly
Great song and the back up is superb
Jkdm 76
This one was released in 1960, followed by "String Along", and preceded by "Sold Out". 1961 saw the release of "Goin' Places", the last vinyl LP by the original trio...sad. What a great group!
rey knudson
I Love this song by The Kingston Trio! Thanks ! R.K.
fanchbrezoneg
Hi Jim, a wonderful performance of the first Trio and a fantastic arrangement by Dave Guard and his wife Gretchen. released 1961.
rey knudson
ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE SONGS BY THE KINGSTON TRIO. R.K. 9/1/2022.😀