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.
Dancing Distance
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For as you'd always say, "Forever's just a day. Dance the distance. Dance it if you can."
[Chorus:]
And far beyond the song, I've been searchin' for too long. I can't dance the distance by myself,
And the sand where we would meet would vanish from my feet. I can't dance the distance by myself.
If you should happen by, like a soft wind on my mind, dance the distance, dance it if you can.
You can look for me where the road turns to the sea. Dance the distance. Dance it by yourself.
[Chorus]
Do you remember me? Turn back the years and see. Dance the distance. Dance it if you can.
For as you'd always say, "Forever's just a day. Let's dance the distance. Dance it while we can."
Let's dance the distance. Dance it while we can. [Repeat and fade]
The Kingston Trio's song Dancing Distance is a beautiful song about a nostalgic and longing period of the past. The lyrics start with a request to "turn back the years and see" if the other person remembers the singer. The theme of distance and separation echoes throughout the song as the singer sings, "I can't dance the distance by myself."
The song's chorus amplifies the singer's feelings of being lost and searching for someone to help them through their loneliness when they sing, "I've been searchin' for too long. I can't dance the distance by myself." The singer's search for companionship and their failure to find it over an extended period is captured exceptionally in the line, "And the sand where we would meet would vanish from my feet."
The song's emotional punch lies in its final lines, where the singer pleads with their beloved, one last time, to "Dance the distance. Dance it while we can." The lyrics and melody of Dancing Distance capture the haunting feelings of loneliness, nostalgia, and separation.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you remember me?
Asking if the person still remembers the singer
Turn back the years and see.
Think back to the past with the singer
Dance the distance. Dance it if you can.
Overcome challenges to be able to dance together
For as you'd always say, "Forever's just a day.
Pondering the concept of forever
Dance the distance. Dance it if you can."
Again, emphasizing the importance of dancing the distance together
[Chorus:]
Refrain of the song
And far beyond the song, I've been searchin' for too long.
Looking for the person beyond the memories of the song
I can't dance the distance by myself,
Not able to overcome the challenges alone
And the sand where we would meet would vanish from my feet.
The meeting spot is constantly changing or disappearing
I can't dance the distance by myself.
Reiterating the idea that they need to be together to dance the distance
If you should happen by, like a soft wind on my mind,
If the person happens to come back into their thoughts
dance the distance, dance it if you can.
Encouraging them to dance together if given the chance
You can look for me where the road turns to the sea.
Telling the person where to find the singer
Dance the distance. Dance it by yourself.
Admitting that they may have to dance alone
[Chorus]
Refrain of the song
Let's dance the distance. Dance it while we can.
Urging the person to dance with them while they have the chance
Let's dance the distance. Dance it while we can.
Repeating the idea that they need to dance together while they have the opportunity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN STEWART, MASON WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
3Pitous
Awesome.Great harmony.Thanks.
Donald Gehre
Before SF exploded with acid rock in '65-which I quickly became obsessed with-I loved the Kingston Trio since they became famous with Tom Dooley in 1957. Their harmonies and material really resonated with what was happening in my life then. "A time it was, a time it was."
Robert Smith
I was also in SF during that time & loved KT so much that 2 friends & myself formed a Folk Trio called “The Bucket Three” (Gut Bucket Bass), that played many KT songs. Somehow we were on Ted Mack Original Amateur Hour in June 1966 singing “San Francisco Bay Blues” - on the show was “The Hedds” - a cover Rock Band from SF.
Mark James Meli
"Forever's just a day"
Michael Boyce
No,this was from the "Somethin' Else" album,not "Stay Awhile" it was a CD Bonus Track on it.
Tony Lay
Another nice John Stewart song from the "Children of the Morning" album.
Richard Smith
Somethin' Else
3Pitous
It was from the Something Else album ,released in 1965