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 Gather The Time
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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Come gather the time, I have nothing to do. Come gather the time, I have nothing to do.
Who could be nicer than someone with nothing to do? I've spent all my life looking for someone like you.
[Chorus]
Who could be wiser than someone who knows not at all? That's why I like it. Your face is as blank as a wall.
[Chorus]
If someone should say I was born for a game or make me the President,
If someone should say I was born for a game, you would still hear me say
Go buy a bonnet that's sold by the carnival man. No, he won't tell you colors come off in your hand.
[Chorus]
The lyrics to The Kingston Trio's song "Come Gather The Time" are a playful reflection on the concept of wasting time. The singer is inviting someone to join him in idleness, telling them that he has "nothing to do." He goes on to praise the virtues of not knowing things, saying that someone who is "wiser than someone who knows not at all." The singer seems to revel in the idea of not having any particular purpose or goal in life and values simple pleasures such as buying a carnival hat or spending time with a friend doing nothing in particular.
The chorus repeats throughout the song, emphasizing the idea that the singer truly has nothing to do, and is content to spend time with someone else who also has nothing to do. The line "who could be nicer than someone with nothing to do?" suggests that the singer values companionship more than accomplishment.
Overall, the lyrics seem to suggest that there is a certain freedom in idleness and that enjoying life's small pleasures can be just as meaningful as pursuing a grand purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Come gather the time, I have nothing to do.
Let's spend some quality time together, I have a free schedule to enjoy with you.
Who could be nicer than someone with nothing to do? I've spent all my life looking for someone like you.
I've been searching for someone who is as laid-back and easygoing as you. It's a pleasure to spend time with you.
Who could be wiser than someone who knows not at all? That's why I like it. Your face is as blank as a wall.
Knowing nothing is sometimes better than knowing too much. I appreciate your calmness and tranquil presence.
If someone should say I was born for a game, you would still hear me say
Regardless of what others might say about me, I remain true to myself.
Go buy a bonnet that's sold by the carnival man. No, he won't tell you colors come off in your hand.
Take advantage of life's small pleasures and don't worry about the consequences, because sometimes they're not as bad as you might think.
Come gather the time, I have nothing to do. Come gather the time, I have nothing to do.
Let's continue to enjoy each other's company and make the most of our free time together.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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