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.
Everybody's Talkin'
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
Only the echoes in my mind
People stoppin', starin'
I can't see the faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
Through the fallin' rain
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes
Bankin' off of the northeast wind
Sailin' on a summer breeze
Skippin' over the ocean like a stone
Goin' where the sun keeps shinin'
Through the fallin' rain
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes
Bankin' off of the northeast wind
Sailin' on a summer breeze
Skippin' over the ocean like a stone
Everybody's talkin' at me
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
Only the echoes of my mind
I won't let you leave my love behind
No, I won't let you leave my love behind
The Kingston Trio's song Everybody's Talkin' is a poignant piece of music with a deeper meaning that is manifested through its lyrics. The song speaks of a man who is feeling overwhelmed by the noise and chatter around him, and he just wants to escape it all. He feels lost in his own thoughts, and the only thing he can hear is the echoes of his mind. The shadows of people's eyes stare back at him, but he can't make out their faces. He talks about going on a journey where the sun keeps shining and the weather suits his clothes, bankin' off of the northeast wind, sailing on a summer breeze, and skipping over the ocean like a stone. Essentially, the singer is looking for freedom and peace of mind, where he can be himself and escape the chatter and noise of his surroundings.
The song's lyrics are open to interpretation, but the overall message is clear. It is a commentary on the overwhelming nature of social interaction, where people's voices and opinions can sometimes leave us feeling unheard and misunderstood. The song encourages the listener to take a moment to pause and reflect, to listen to the echoes of our own mind and to go on a journey that feels right for us. It's a relatable and uplifting message that speaks to all of us who have felt lost at some point in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talkin' at me
People are talking to me constantly
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
I am not paying attention to them
Only the echoes in my mind
I only hear their voices echoing in my mind
People stoppin', starin'
People are observing me
I can't see the faces
I cannot see their facial expressions
Only the shadows of their eyes
I only see the shadows reflecting in their eyes
Goin' where the sun keeps shinin'
Moving to a place where there is sunshine
Through the fallin' rain
Even in the rain
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes
Going to a place where the weather is favorable for my clothes
Bankin' off of the northeast wind
Taking advantage of the northeastern wind
Sailin' on a summer breeze
Enjoying the gentle summer breeze
Skippin' over the ocean like a stone
Skipping over the ocean as if it were a stone
I won't let you leave my love behind
I will not let my love go away or fade away
Contributed by Kaelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.