The Kingston Trio was formed in 1957 in the Palo Alto, California area by original lineup ofย Dave Guard (1934โ1991),ย Bob Shane (1934โ2020), andย Nick Reynolds (1933โ2008), 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.
The Tijuana Jail
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About a month ago (a-ha-ha)
To have a little fun (a-ha)
In Mexico
We ended up
In a gambling spot (oh yeah) a-ha-ha
Where the liquor flow-owed
And the dice were hot
So here we are
In the Tijuana Jail
Ain't got no friends
To go our bail
So here we'll stay
'Cause we can't pay
Just send our mail
To the Tijuana Jail
I was shootin' dice,
Rakin' in the dough (long green)
And then I heard
The whistle blow
We started to run
When a man in blue
Said, Seรฑor, come with me
'Cause I want you
So here we are
In the Tijuana Jail
Ain't got no friends
To go our bail
So here we'll stay
'Cause we can't pay
Just send our mail
To the Tijuana Jail
Just five hundred dollars
And they'll set us free
I couldn't raise a penny
If ya threatened me
I know five hundred
Don't sound like much
But just try to find
Somebody to touch
So here we are
In the Tijuana Jail
Ain't got no friends
To go our bail
So here we'll stay
'Cause we can't pay
Just send our mail
To the Tijuana Jail
So here we are
In the Tijuana Jail
Ain't got no friends
To go our bail
So here we'll stay
'Cause we can't pay
Just send our mail
To the Tijuana Jail
The Kingston Trio's "The Tijuana Jail" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of reckless fun in Mexico. The song tells the story of a group of friends who cross the border for a lighthearted adventure but end up in a sticky situation. They stumble upon a gambling den where they drink and play dice until they are caught by the police, arrested, and thrown into jail. The lyrics reveal their hopeless predicament as they plea with their absent friends to bail them out, acknowledging that they are stuck in Mexico due to their inability to pay the five hundred dollar fee to be released.
The lyrics of "The Tijuana Jail" capture the emotions of the group as they come to grips with their fate. The optimistic tone of the opening verse, where they describe their plans for a good time, is quickly replaced by the desperation and defeat they feel once they are caught. The repetition of the chorus underscores their helplessness and sense of loneliness as they confront the reality of being stuck in a foreign prison.
The song's popularity reflects the universal nature of the story it tells: the tale of fun gone awry and its painful aftermath is one that many people can relate to. In addition, the Kingston Trio's signature harmonies lend a haunting quality to the song, underscoring the sadness of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
We went one day
We took a trip to Mexico one day.
About a month ago (a-ha-ha)
This was about a month ago, as indicated by the chuckle.
To have a little fun (a-ha)
We wanted to have a good time.
In Mexico
Our destination for fun and adventure was Mexico.
We ended up
Unfortunately, our travels led us to an unexpected outcome.
In a gambling spot (oh yeah) a-ha-ha
We found ourselves in a location for gambling rings, laughing and trying to have fun.
Where the liquor flow-owed
There was an abundance of alcohol available to us.
And the dice were hot
The dice game was heating up and starting to get exciting.
So here we are
Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse and we are now in a predicament.
In the Tijuana Jail
We are stuck in jail in Tijuana.
Ain't got no friends
No one is available to help us out of this dire situation.
To go our bail
We don't have anyone to post our bail money for our release.
So here we'll stay
We are stuck in this cell for the time being.
'Cause we can't pay
We are unable to pay the necessary amount to be released.
Just send our mail
Our only hope for communication is to have letters sent to us in jail.
To the Tijuana Jail
Addressed to where we are being held.
I was shootin' dice,
I was playing a game of dice,
Rakin' in the dough (long green)
Winning lots of money,
And then I heard
Suddenly, I heard something,
The whistle blow
The police whistle was blown,
We started to run
We tried to escape,
When a man in blue
A police officer caught us,
Said, Seรฑor, come with me
The officer asked us to come with him,
'Cause I want you
He wanted us to be held accountable for breaking the law,
Just five hundred dollars
The amount needed to post our bail is only $500,
And they'll set us free
If we had the money to post bail, we could be released.
I couldn't raise a penny
Unfortunately, we have no money and cannot pay the bail amount.
If ya threatened me
Even if someone threatened me.
I know five hundred
Although $500 doesn't seem like a lot,
Don't sound like much
It is still an amount we cannot come up with.
But just try to find
We challenge anyone to find
Somebody to touch
Anyone who can provide the bail money we so desperately need.
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DENNY THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@royalcanadianbearforce9841
Alternative lyrics:
We went one day
About a month ago (a-ha-ha)
To have a little fun (a-ha)
In Canada
We ended up
In a bouncing spot (oh yeah) a-ha-ha
Where the friendship flow-owed
And the pancakes were hot
So here we are
In the Ottawa Jail
Trudeau won't allow friends
To go our bail
So here we'll stay
โCause we can't pay
Just send our mail
To the Ottawa Jail
I was playing hockey,
Rakin' in the scores
And then I heard
The whistle blow
No more fun
When a man in blue
Said, Sir, come with me
โCause I want you
So here we are
In the Ottawa Jail
Trudeau won't allow friends
To go our bail
So here we'll stay
โCause we can't pay
Just send our mail
To the Ottawa Jail
Just five hundred dollars
And they'll set us free
I couldn't raise a penny
Ya threatened me
I know five hundred
Don't sound like much
But just try to find
Cash for truckers in Canada.
So here we are
In the Ottawa Jail
Trudeau won't allow friends
To go our bail
So here we'll stay
'Cause we can't pay
Just send our mail
To the Ottawa Jail
So here we are
In the Ottawa Jail
Trudeau won't allow friends
To go our bail
So here we'll stay
โCause we can't pay
Just send our mail
To the Ottawa Jail
@awal4896
I was born in 91 but my grandma would listen to the Kingston trio so it reminds of my childhood and my grandma
@SharonBaxter12
Oh wow! Brings back great childhood memories,sitting on the floor watching our TV with the Kingston Trio singing this song. And enjoying Coke floats & popcorn !! Lol
@jkdm7653
Bob, Dave, and Nick, the original trio and still the best!
@smoothlady1983
Yep!
@smoothlady1983
One of the greatest pieces from the greatest folk group. ..
@rainncorbin8291
My dad played guitar and banjo and he played alot of Kingston Trio when I was a kid in the 70s.
@Mark-mm1ke
I was 7 years old back then when this came out and I still remember this song. I think this is the first time since I've heard it after all those year. Still a classic folk song. These guy were so fun. And I ended up going to the same small college they did. Thanks for the memories.
@tyrmagistable
The football team used to sing this on the bus in the early 2000's, I always thought it sounded great belted by 20 guys. All of them were in choir too, so that probably helped, lol.
@johnrutka8658
One of my favorite Kingston Trio songs by my very favorite folk group. Thanks for posting this!
@mr.ramfan8100
Never a bad or wrong song, ever...