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.
New York Girls
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shipmates listen unto me. I'll tell you in my song of things that happened to me when I come home from Hong Kong.
Chorus:
To me way, you Santy, my dear Annie. Oh, you New York girls, can't you dance the polka?
As I walked down to Chatham Street, a fair maid I did meet.
Now, if you'll only come with me, you can have a treat.
You can have a glass of brandy and something nice to eat.
(Chorus)
Before we sat down to eat, we had sev'ral drinks.
The liquor was so awful strong, I quickly fell asleep.
(Chorus)
When I awoke next mornin, I had an achin' head.
My gold watch and my pocketbook and the lady friend had fled.
Now dressed in the lady's apron, I wandered most forlorn
'Till Martin Churchill took me in and he sent me round Cape Horn.
(Chorus)
The Kingston Trio's "New York Girls" is a humorous sea shanty traditional song that tells the story of a sailor's misadventure with a New York lady while on shore leave. In the first verse, the sailor narrates the tale to his shipmates about his experience in Hong Kong. The chorus, "To me way, you Santy, my dear Annie. Oh, you New York girls, can't you dance the polka?" is a lively and catchy refrain that invites everyone to join in the singing and dancing.
The second verse describes how the sailor meets a fair maid while walking down Chatham Street, who invites him to her home on Bleecker Street. She promises drinks and food, and the sailor readily accepts her offer. However, the sailor drinks too much and quickly falls asleep while waiting for his meal. When he wakes up, the lady has stolen his belongings, including his gold watch and pocketbook.
In the final verse, the sailor is left alone and penniless, and he wanders aimlessly until he is taken in by Martin Churchill. He then sets sail around Cape Horn, perhaps to seek better fortune elsewhere.
Line by Line Meaning
Shipmates listen unto me. I'll tell you in my song of things that happened to me when I come home from Hong Kong.
Hey guys, listen to what happened to me on my journey from Hong Kong.
To me way, you Santy, my dear Annie. Oh, you New York girls, can't you dance the polka?
Addressing his audience, especially his dear ones Santy and Annie, he wonders if New York girls can dance the polka.
As I walked down to Chatham Street, a fair maid I did meet.
While strolling down Chatham Street, he met a pretty young woman.
She asked me, please, to see her home. She lived on Bleecker Street
The lady requested him to escort her home, which was on Bleecker Street.
Now, if you'll only come with me, you can have a treat. You can have a glass of brandy and something nice to eat.
She lured him with the promise of a nice treat - a glass of brandy and some food.
(Chorus)
Repeating the chorus of the song.
Before we sat down to eat, we had sev'ral drinks. The liquor was so awful strong, I quickly fell asleep.
Before dinner, they had several drinks, which were extremely strong, and he soon fell asleep.
(Chorus)
Repeating the chorus of the song.
When I awoke next mornin, I had an achin' head. My gold watch and my pocketbook and the lady friend had fled.
The next morning, he woke up with a headache only to realize that his lady friend and his valuable belongings, including his gold watch and pocketbook, were gone.
Now dressed in the lady's apron, I wandered most forlorn. 'Till Martin Churchill took me in and he sent me round Cape Horn.
With no possessions and dressed in the lady's apron, he wandered around looking lost until Martin Churchill took him in and sent him around Cape Horn.
(Chorus)
Repeating the chorus of the song.
Lyrics © WAYFARER GEMINI INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anni6765
The Kingston Trio 💖💗
@PRR5406
Easily the finest folk group of the era, bar none. Only Bob Shane remains today, but their legacy continues. This was when music was good.
@PRR5406
My earliest and favorite Kingston Trio memory!
@rodcordell
I love this song. My first run in with it was on the 1952 album "Bawdy Sea Shanties" by Oscar Brand. It was titled "Can't Ya Dance the Polka". The Kingston Trio made it main stream.
@SWISStoons
Check out the 1981 Kingston Trio reunion also on YouTube. It runs an hour and 12 minutes. I haven't watched it yet, but understand Dave Guard rejoins Nick Reynold and Bob Shane for some numbers.
@grands1am
Man, the Kingston Trio were ridiculously tight. Something about that weird muted note in between the two halves of the first chorus... it nigh on rocks.
@mikekitsko4839
This is one of my all-time favorites, and have performed it myself since 1960. And this story happened often to my young, gullible shipmates in Japan, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
@capt777737
Folks I got this from an accident from Chilly Winds version they meant for a site in the original Gangs of New York video which is on their page. But I got blessed by it, Now I got 3 of you of you guys. In my favorites carry on our music. I'm damn honored this video came my way, in a surprise. GOT TIME TO BREATHE : GOT TIME FOR MUSIC.
@photobygary
Bravo!
@rolandbelikow5148
Just fantastic! This is as