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.
The Wanderer
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's only been a year or so but it seems so long ago, I packed up my bags and left my home.
Been from Fresno to Maine, even worked a boat in Spain. I ain't ever had a bed to call my own.
Chorus:
'Round this time of day I gets to feelin' low and I wonder who's my baby's latest beau.
Hope some day I'll get back to my little old country shack. Settle down with my baby at my side.
(Chorus)
Someday soon, you hear, gonna save up my fare or maybe I'll just have to ride the rail.
If that mornin' train is right, I'll be home before that night and I hope no one will have to go my bail.
(Chorus)
The Kingston Trio's song The Wanderer, written by Irving Burgess, is an anthem of wanderlust. The singer sings about leaving home about a year ago, and the sense of melancholy that comes with it. The lyrics express the restlessness and constant movement of a wanderer. The singer has traveled across the United States, even as far as Spain, searching for belonging and a place to call home. However, he has never felt settled as he has never had a bed to call his own. Despite this, he has had a love interest, but since he left, he wonders who she might be with now.
The second verse describes the difficulties that the singer has encountered during his journey. He has lost everything gambling, had disagreements with his boss, and been taken for a ride by a city girl. He longs to return to his small country shack with his love by his side, and he hopes that someday he will be able to settle down. In the final verse, he speaks of his plans to return home. He hopes to save up enough money to ride the train back to his little old country shack, and he prays that he won't have to go to jail for something he did while wandering.
Line by Line Meaning
It's only been a year or so but it seems so long ago, I packed up my bags and left my home.
I left my home a year ago and it feels like it's been much longer.
Been from Fresno to Maine, even worked a boat in Spain. I ain't ever had a bed to call my own.
I've traveled all around the country, and even to Spain; never had a place to call my own bed.
'Round this time of day I gets to feelin' low and I wonder who's my baby's latest beau.
During this time of day, I feel sad and wonder who my girlfriend is with now.
I have gambled and lost. I've been cussed by my boss. Some city gal just took me for a ride.
I've lost money gambling, been cursed by my boss, and some woman from the city took advantage of me.
Hope some day I'll get back to my little old country shack. Settle down with my baby at my side.
I hope to return to my small, homey country shack and live there with my girlfriend.
Someday soon, you hear, gonna save up my fare or maybe I'll just have to ride the rail.
Soon, I will save enough money for train fare, or I may have to hitch a ride on a train.
If that mornin' train is right, I'll be home before that night and I hope no one will have to go my bail.
If the morning train is on schedule, I'll be home by nightfall, and I hope I won't get into trouble and need someone to bail me out.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gwen Gordy Fuqua, Marvin Gaye, Sandra Elaine Greene
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Planet_Molly
I adored this beautiful man. My parents collected every one of the Kingston Trio's albums and their music is my all-time favorite, hands down. Nick's voice was perfection.
Mark Newton
Nick was great. They all were!
John Dickey
Boy, did I ever love this song by Nicky, and loved to try and play it with that glissando guitar break. Thanks so much for bringing it to YouTube. Five deserving stars. Cordially, John
Joe M
Thanks for posting this. That song has been going through my head for a long time and I finally searched and found it... the wanderers. It has such an eerie powerful essence. Then went to YouTube and listened to the song here. Thanks again. My favorite KT song is still Rueben James. What harmony! i'm going to check out that link above for the chords etc. COOL!
muddy5001
wow, been playing and singing this song for some thirty five yrs. Had a few words wrong in the lyrics. Thanks for posting
Margaret Mitchell
Those were the sounds! So many memorie's X X
lytfoot123
thank you..he was a friend and this song i play often by myself on the front porch in NH.....and in front of others as well. Nice of you to add this to YouTube........a treasure of a tune Is that Timothy B Schmit in the last photo with his hand on his shoulder? Sure looks like him, from the Eagles
Mickey Crist
Am gonna have to break out my vinyl soundtrack to see what else is on there...as I recall, it was orchestrated by Alfred Newman....and god, remember how amazing it was at the time to see the film in Cinerama...
Mark Newton
Cinerama!!
Mickey Crist
As I recall, wasn't there a version of this on the soundtrack to "How The West Was Won", to which Davey and the Whiskeyhill Singers played a prominent part?