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.
Hobo
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Watch the towns go drifting by
Can't you hear the rails a-singin'?
That's the hobo's lullaby
Don't you worry about tomorrow
Let tomorrows come and go
Tonight you've got a nice, warm boxcar,
Go to sleep, you weary hobo
Watch the towns go drifting by
Can't you hear the rails a-singin'?
That's the hobo's lullaby
I know the police cause you trouble
They cause trouble everywhere,
But when you die and go to heaven,
There'll be no policemen there
Go to sleep, you weary hobo
Watch the towns go drifting by
Can't you hear the rails a-singin'?
That's the hobo's lullaby
Can't you hear the rails a-singin', ooh?
That's the hobo's lullaby
The Kingston Trio's song Hobo's Lullaby is a soulful and melancholic tribute to the difficult and often transient life of hobos. The song's lyrics urge the weary hobo to find solace in the rhythmic sounds of the train tracks and to forget about tomorrow's troubles. The first verse serves as the perfect invitation to a hobo who's been traveling all day long: "Go to sleep, you weary hobo. Watch the towns go drifting by. Can't you hear the rails a-singin'? That's the hobo's lullaby." The second verse speaks to the immediate physical need for safety and warmth, even if it's a boxcar: "Don't you worry about tomorrow. Let tomorrows come and go. Tonight you've got a nice, warm boxcar, free from all the wind and snow."
The third verse delves deeper into the hardships of being a hobo and facing constant legal persecution: "I know the police cause you trouble. They cause trouble everywhere. But when you die and go to heaven, there'll be no policemen there." Overall, the song emphasizes the resilience and determination of hobos, who even though may be often looked down upon or troubled, keep moving forward in life. The song encourages a sense of contentment and purpose in the lives of people who live transient lifestyles, finding beauty and solace in the mundane and everyday life on the railways.
Line by Line Meaning
Go to sleep, you weary hobo
Rest now, tired wanderer
Watch the towns go drifting by
See the towns pass gently by
Can't you hear the rails a-singin'?
Don't you hear the tracks humming?
That's the hobo's lullaby
That's the tune that soothes the traveler
Don't you worry about tomorrow
Let go of tomorrow's concerns
Let tomorrows come and go
Let them happen naturally
Tonight you've got a nice, warm boxcar,
Tonight you have refuge, a secure boxcar
Free from all the wind and snow
No wind or snow to trouble you
I know the police cause you trouble
I know the law gives you problems
They cause trouble everywhere,
This happens to all
But when you die and go to heaven,
When you pass away and reach heaven
There'll be no policemen there
You won't find any law enforcement there
Can't you hear the rails a-singin', ooh?
Don't you hear the tracks humming?
That's the hobo's lullaby
That's the tune that soothes the traveler
Lyrics © THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: GOEBEL REEVES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@reyknudson7091
I still love this GREAT SONG by The Kingston Trio with John Stewart!! It WILL ALWAYS BE one of my favorite songs by the group! THANKS FOR SHARING It! R.K.
@nolanbowen8800
My uncle was a hobo and would tell us stories about it. I love the Kingston Trio and this is one of my favorite songs by them. I read and liked all the comments. I miss you Kingston Trio.
@reyknudson7091
I STILL LOVE THIS GREAT SONG! R.K. 6/3/2022.
@reyknudson7091
I STILL LOVE THIS GREAT SONG! NICK REYNOLDS DOING THE LEAD! R.K. 1/5/2023.😀😁😄
@docp3002
I think I still have my brother's album with this from the 1960s. Had not heard this in 45+ years
@reyknudson7091
I LOVE THIS CLASSIC FROM THE KINGSTON TRIO! IF I REMEMBER RIGHT,IT WAS ON THEIR TIME TO THINK ALBUM. R.K.
@jbr84tx
Great old song by KT. Everyone was poor during The Great Depression, but crime was nothing compared to what it is today. Excellent sound quality, thanks for uploading.
@danfrie1827
My goodness what a beautiful vision? 1
@reyknudson7091
I STILL LOVE THIS GREAT SONG! THANKS FOR SHARING! R.K. 3/23/2021.
@reyknudson7091
I STILL LOVE THIS GREAT SONG! R.K. 9/1/2022.😀