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.
M.T.A.
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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In the course of our nation's history the people of Boston have rallied bravely whenever the rights of men have been threatened
Today a new crisis has arisen
The Metropolitan Transit Authority, better known as the M.T.A.
Is attempting to levy a burdensome tax on the population in the form of a subway fare increase
Citizens, hear me out, this could happen to you!
Well, let me tell you of the story of a man named Charlie
He put ten cents in his pocket, kissed his wife and family
Went to ride on the MTA
Well, did he ever return?
No he never returned and his fate is still unlearned (what a pity)
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned
Charlie handed in his dime at the Kendall Square station
And he changed for Jamaica Plain
When he got there the conductor told him, "one more nickel"
Charlie couldn't get off of that train!
But did he ever return?
No he never returned and his fate is still unlearned (poor old Charlie)
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned
Now, all night long Charlie rides through the station
Crying, "what will become of me?
How can I afford to see my sister in Chelsea
Or my cousin in Roxbury?"
But did he ever return?
No he never returned and his fate is still unlearned (shame and scandal)
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned
Charlie's wife goes down to the Scollay Square station
Every day at quarter past two
And through the open window she hands Charlie a sandwich
As the train comes rumbling through!
But did he ever return?
No he never returned and his fate is still unlearned (he may ride forever)
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned
Pick it Davey
Kinda hurts my figers
Now, you citizens of Boston, don't you think it's a scandal
How the people have to pay and pay?
Fight the fare increase, vote for George O'Brian
Get poor Charlie off the MTA!
Or else he'll never return
No he'll never return and his fate is still unlearned (just like Paul Revere)
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned
He's the man who never returned
He's the man who never returned
Et tu, Charlie?
The Kingston Trio's "M.T.A." tells the story of a man named Charlie, who takes the subway but never returns home. The song is a social commentary on the Metropolitan Transit Authority's (M.T.A.) fare increase, which has imposed a burden on working-class citizens. The lyrics describe the frustration and despair felt by Charlie and his family as a result of this policy. Charlie's wife has taken to giving him sandwiches through the open window of the train as it passes by, and Charlie himself is resigned to riding the subway forever without ever returning home.
The song effectively uses Charlie's story to highlight the struggles of working-class people in Boston during the 1940s and 1950s. The M.T.A. fare increase was a real issue that affected many people at the time, and the song helped to galvanize popular opposition to the policy. Through humor and catchy folk-pop lyrics, the song captures the frustration and helplessness felt by ordinary people when faced with government policies that are unjust or unreasonable.
Line by Line Meaning
These are the times that try men's souls
In moments of adversity, a person's courage is tested, the present day is no different for the people of Boston facing a new crisis
Today a new crisis has arisen
The Metropolitan Transit Authority is planning to impose a burdensome tax on the population by increasing subway fares
Citizens, hear me out, this could happen to you!
The MTA's fare increase could happen to anyone and everyone must be aware of the unfair consequences
Well, let me tell you of the story of a man named Charlie
This is the story of a man named Charlie
On a tragic and fateful day
On an unfortunate day
He put ten cents in his pocket, kissed his wife and family
Charlie left home with only ten cents in his pocket after bidding farewell to his wife and family
Went to ride on the MTA
Charlie went to ride on the Metropolitan Transit Authority
Well, did he ever return?
Did Charlie ever make it back home?
No he never returned and his fate is still unlearned (what a pity)
Charlie never returned home and nobody knows what happened to him, a misfortune indeed
Charlie handed in his dime at the Kendall Square station
Charlie paid his fare of ten cents at the Kendall Square subway station
And he changed for Jamaica Plain
Charlie transferred trains to go to Jamaica Plain
When he got there the conductor told him, "one more nickel"
Upon arrival the conductor told Charlie that he needed to pay five cents more
Charlie couldn't get off of that train!
Charlie was unable to exit the train since he did not have the additional five cents required
Now, all night long Charlie rides through the station
Charlie is now a regular rider, spending all his nights riding through the subway station
Crying, "what will become of me?
Charlie's lamenting and worried about his situation
How can I afford to see my sister in Chelsea
Charlie is concerned about how he is going to pay for visits with his sister who lives in Chelsea
Or my cousin in Roxbury?"
Additionally Charlie is worried about visiting his cousin in Roxbury
Charlie's wife goes down to the Scollay Square station
Charlie's wife goes to the Scollay Square subway station
Every day at quarter past two
Every day at 2:15pm
And through the open window she hands Charlie a sandwich
She passes a sandwich through the subway train window to Charlie
As the train comes rumbling through!
When the subway train comes through making a rumbling noise
Now, you citizens of Boston, don't you think it's a scandal
The people of Boston should recognize that the fare increase is unjust
How the people have to pay and pay?
The people have to keep paying and paying
Fight the fare increase, vote for George O'Brian
To avoid the fare increase, advocate for George O'Brian through the voting process
Get poor Charlie off the MTA!
Help get Charlie back home by not allowing the MTA to continue with the fare increase
He's the man who never returned
Charlie never returned home
Et tu, Charlie?
A reference to Julius Caesar's last words, meaning 'even you, Charlie?'
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BESS HAWES, JACQUELINE STEINER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind