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.
Raspberries Strawberries
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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A young man goes to Paris, as every young man should.
There's something in the air of France that does a young man good.
[Chorus]
On the album, Dave sings the beginning of the chorus in phonetic French. Actual French is as follows: Ah! les fraises et les fromboises et les bon vins [que] nous avons bus.
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
Raspberries, strawberries, the good wines we brew.
[Spoken]
Paris nights are warm and fair. The summer winds are soft.
A young man finds the face of love in every field and loft.
In every field and loft.
[Chorus]
[Spoken]
An old man returns to Paris as every old man must.
He finds the winter winds blow cold. His dreams have turned to dust.
His dreams have turned to dust. His dreams have turned to dust.
Ah! les fraises et les fromboises et les bon vins que nous avons bus.
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
Raspberries, strawberries, the good wines we brew.
Here's to the girls of the countryside, whom we must bid adieu.
The Kingston Trio's song "Raspberries Strawberries" is a poignant ode to youth, love, and the unavoidable transition to old age. The spoken verses are set against a gentle and nostalgic melody that evokes the romanticism of Paris, a place where a young man can find love around every corner. The chorus, sung in both French and English, describes the joys of drinking good wine and paying homage to the girls of the countryside who we say goodbye to. Throughout the song, there's a sense of fleetingness and impermanence, with the dreams of the young man turning to dust as he grows old.
The song perfectly captures the transience of youth and the longing for the past that comes with old age. The imagery of Paris and the French countryside reinforces this sense of longing and nostalgia, creating a bittersweet mood that is utterly captivating. The use of French in the song is also interesting as it helps to convey the romanticism and sophistication of the setting, further highlighting the theme of impermanence.
Line by Line Meaning
A young man goes to Paris, as every young man should.
It is customary for a young man to visit Paris for the experience, which will be beneficial.
There's something in the air of France that does a young man good.
The atmosphere of the French environment does well to the soul of a young man.
On the album, Dave sings the beginning of the chorus in phonetic French. Actual French is as follows: Ah! les fraises et les fromboises et les bon vins [que] nous avons bus.
Dave sings the chorus in the french language, which pays tribute to their fond memories of consuming wine, raspberries, and strawberries.
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
The chorus repeats with humming, representing how the experience and memories are invaluable and cannot be expressed in words.
Paris nights are warm and fair. The summer winds are soft.
The Parisian nights are inviting and comfortable, perfect for outdoor activities due to the gentle summer breeze.
A young man finds the face of love in every field and loft.
A young man has a romantic perspective of life in Paris, where love is found around every corner.
An old man returns to Paris as every old man must.
It is common for an old man to return to Paris at least once in their lifetime.
He finds the winter winds blow cold. His dreams have turned to dust.
The elderly man finds Paris to be cold and unwelcoming, and his dreams have withered away with old age.
Raspberries, strawberries, the good wines we brew.
The group fondly remembers the French wine and berries they have enjoyed during their travels.
Here's to the girls of the countryside, the ones we drink 'em to.
The group raises a toast to the lovely ladies they have encountered in the rural parts of France, eagerly anticipating their possible return.
Here's to the girls of the countryside, whom we must bid adieu.
Unfortunately, the group must part ways with the women of the countryside as they depart France, hoping to reunite with them in the future.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: WILL HOLT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind