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.
High Heeled Shoes
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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Tapping on the floor beneath the table of the fancy restaurant.
The maitre d' brings the phone to where she sits. He puts it down beside her daiquiri and walks away to greet another guest.
Warm, red lips whispering "Good-bye." A fifty-dollar tip. Dark glasses on her eyes.
High heel shoes step into her limousine. A number on a napkin for the driver it's a place he's never seen.
A sea gull sits on a weather-beaten shack, a little fishing boat near by with "High Heels" written on the back.
Ooo. Ooo. Ummm. Um!
High heel shoes on the floor beside the bed.
The driver of the limo checks his watch and lights another cigarette.
The tide rolls in from out beyond the bay, she gets into her limousine,
Turns around and slowly drives away.
Cool, white hands hold a faded photograph of a little girl in high heel shoes
And a shy boy standing by a shack.
The shadows fall on the private parking lot.
She walks across the pavement to the ladder of the million dollar yacht.
He turns and smiles. He was worried and concerned.
They sail off in the sunset, "High Heels" written on the stern.
The Kingston Trio's song "High-Heeled Shoes" is a ballad about a woman who seems to have a secret life behind her fancy appearance. The first verse talks about her high heels, which are described as elegant and sophisticated. She is at a fancy restaurant, and the tapping of her shoes can be heard against the floor as she sits at a table. The maitre d' brings her a phone, which she takes but doesn't seem to be in a hurry to use. She whispers goodbye with her warm, red lips and leaves a 50-dollar tip as she puts on dark glasses and gets up to leave.
The second verse describes the woman getting into a limousine and giving the driver a number on a napkin. The limo heads to a shack near the beach where a fishing boat with the name "High Heels" is nearby. The woman gets out and walks to her bedroom, where her high-heeled shoes are now beside her bed. In the third verse, the woman holds a faded photograph of a little girl in high-heeled shoes and a shy boy standing by a shack. In the final verse, the woman walks across the pavement to the ladder of a yacht, where a man is waiting for her. They sail off into the sunset with "High Heels" written on the back of the boat.
Line by Line Meaning
High heel shoes, so sheik and elegant,
The high heeled shoes add sophistication to the woman's outfit, making her appear chic and classy.
Tapping on the floor beneath the table of the fancy restaurant.
The sound of the woman's shoes on the floor demonstrates her confidence and poise, fitting in with the upscale atmosphere of the restaurant.
The maitre d' brings the phone to where she sits. He puts it down beside her daiquiri and walks away to greet another guest.
The restaurant staff recognizes the woman's importance and provides her with personalized service, but remains professional and moves on to attend to other guests.
Warm, red lips whispering "Good-bye." A fifty-dollar tip. Dark glasses on her eyes.
The woman exudes a sense of mystery and seduction as she departs, leaving a generous tip and concealing her gaze behind dark sunglasses.
High heel shoes step into her limousine. A number on a napkin for the driver it's a place he's never seen.
The woman is accustomed to luxury and gives the limo driver directions to a new or exclusive location.
A sea gull sits on a weather-beaten shack, a little fishing boat near by with "High Heels" written on the back.
The fishing boat is a contrast to the woman's affluent lifestyle, but the phrase on the back indicates that the high heels are a symbol of the woman's identity and confidence.
High heel shoes on the floor beside the bed. The driver of the limo checks his watch and lights another cigarette.
The woman's shoes are a reminder of her elegance and sophistication even in private settings, while the limo driver waits for her to finish.
The tide rolls in from out beyond the bay, she gets into her limousine, Turns around and slowly drives away.
The woman's departure is marked by the natural ebb and flow of the tide, while she departs in the same high-end vehicle that represents her lifestyle.
Cool, white hands hold a faded photograph of a little girl in high heel shoes And a shy boy standing by a shack.
The woman's hands are calm and seemingly detached as she holds a nostalgic photo that highlights the high heels as a symbol of femininity and the memory of childhood.
The shadows fall on the private parking lot. She walks across the pavement to the ladder of the million dollar yacht. He turns and smiles. He was worried and concerned. They sail off in the sunset, "High Heels" written on the stern.
The woman and her companion are surrounded by an atmosphere of luxury and exclusivity as they set sail on an expensive yacht, with the high heels once again serving as a reminder of the woman's identity and style.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HADLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind