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.
Early Mornin'
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With an achin' in my heart and my pockets full of sand
I'm a long way from home and I miss my darlin' so
In the early mornin' rain, with no place to go
Out on runway number nine, big seven-o-seven set to go
But I'm stuck here on the grass where them cold winds blow
Yeah, the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast
Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver wing on high
She's a-wingin' westward bound, high above the clouds
She'll fly where the morning rains don't fall and the sun always shines
She'll be flyin' o'er my home in about three hours time
This old airport's got me down, it's no earthly good to me
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground cold and drunk as I can be
You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train
So, I best be on my way in the early mornin' rain
The Kingston Trio's song Early Mornin' Rain is a melancholic tune about a man who is stranded at an airport feeling lost, homesick, broke and drunk. Throughout the song, the man reflects on his past memories and his longing for his sweetheart who is far away. The lyrics paint a picture of desolation and despair, as the man watches the airplane flying away, leaving him stranded, and unable to move on from his sorrows. The line, "out on runway number nine, big seven-o-seven set to go, but I'm stuck here on the grass where them cold winds blow," portrays the hopelessness and frustration of the situation.
The man's yearning for home and his love is exemplified by the verses "I'm a long way from home and I miss my darlin' so," and "She'll be flyin' o'er my home in about three hours time." He is stuck in a limbo, between the drunken stupor on the ground and the unreachable skies, unable to escape from the emotional baggage he carries with him. This song is a poignant reminder of the power of homesickness and the sense of displacement that can occur when we are far away from our loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
In the early morning rain with a dollar in my hand
I am stranded in a place unknown with only a single dollar in my possession.
With an achin' in my heart and my pockets full of sand
I am feeling a deep sadness inside me and my pockets feel heavy with the weight of my troubles.
I'm a long way from home and I miss my darlin' so
I am far away from my loved ones and yearn to be with them.
In the early mornin' rain, with no place to go
I am caught in a state of confusion, lost and unsure of where to turn.
Out on runway number nine, big seven-o-seven set to go
I see a large airplane preparing to take off on the nearby runway.
But I'm stuck here on the grass where them cold winds blow
I, however, am stranded on the ground outside, feeling the harsh winds of reality.
Yeah, the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast
I indulged in distractions like alcohol and easy relationships for temporary pleasure.
Ah, but there she goes, my friend, though she's rollin' out at last
Despite my desire to leave, the plane is the one that will take off and escape.
Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver wing on high
I can see and hear the massive engines of the plane powering it forward.
She's a-wingin' westward bound, high above the clouds
The plane is flying towards the west, far above the cloud cover.
She'll fly where the morning rains don't fall and the sun always shines
The plane is going to a place where the sun shines bright and there is no sign of morning rain.
She'll be flyin' o'er my home in about three hours time
The plane will pass over my home in a few hours, but I will not be on it.
This old airport's got me down, it's no earthly good to me
Being stuck at this airport is making me sad and giving me no value.
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground cold and drunk as I can be
I am trapped on the ground feeling cold, hopeless and drunk.
You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train
It is not possible for me to simply jump on a jet plane like I would a freight train.
So, I best be on my way in the early mornin' rain
I must find my own path and set out on my journey, even if it means starting in the early morning rain.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gordon Lightfoot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind