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 Wines Of Madeira
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
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And I've tasted the wines of Spain
And though many a wine is the same
There are none like the wines of Madeira
I've courted the girls of France
And I've courted the girls of Spain
And though most pretty girls are the same
Oh, the girls who tend the vineyards
In the provinces of France
Are the gayest girls for courting
And they love to sing and dance
And they're happy in their vineyards
And they smile upon romance
And indeed, I would defend for you
The provinces of France
But there's not a vineyard anywhere
That can compare with what I know
Why? I'll tell you why or better yet
Come and we'll go
Oh, the girls who tend the vineyards
In the provinces of Spain
They are spirited and fiery
Whether beautiful or plain
They are splendid in their vineyards
In their languorous refrain
And indeed, I would defend for you
The provinces of Spain
But there's not a vineyard anywhere
That can compare with what I know
Why? I'll tell you why or better yet
Come and we'll go
You boast of the wines in France
And you boast of the wines in Spain
But your boast makes it very plain
That you not had the wines of Madeira
You boast of the girls in France
And you boast of the girls in Spain
But your boast makes it very plain
That you've not seen the girls of Madeira
The Kingston Trio's song "Wines of Madeira" is a playful ode to the flavors of Madeira wine and the beauty of the island's women. The lyrics describe the singer's experiences with the wines and women of France and Spain before declaring that there are none quite like those found in Madeira. The song recognizes the joy of courting women in France and Spain, noting their love of singing and dancing, but the singer ultimately asserts that nothing can compare to the vineyards and women of Madeira.
The song highlights the uniqueness of Madeira wine, a fortified wine produced on the Portuguese island of Madeira. The wine is known for its distinct flavor that comes from a process of heating and aging the wine, which gives it a caramelized taste. The wine was popular during colonial times and was often used as a gift for European royalty. The song also celebrates the beauty and allure of Madeiran women, proclaiming that they are unmatched by those of other regions.
The song has been covered by various artists over the years, including The Smothers Brothers and The Limeliters. It remains a popular tune for those looking to celebrate the joys of wine and love.
Line by Line Meaning
I've tasted the wines of France
I have tried the wines of France before.
And I've tasted the wines of Spain
I have also tried the wines of Spain.
And though many a wine is the same
Although some wines may seem similar to each other.
There are none like the wines of Madeira
The wines of Madeira are unique and cannot be compared to others.
I've courted the girls of France
I have pursued romantic relationships with French girls.
And I've courted the girls of Spain
I have also pursued romantic relationships with Spanish girls.
And though most pretty girls are the same
Although many pretty girls may look the same.
There are none like the girls of Madeira.
The girls from Madeira are unique and cannot be compared to others.
Oh, the girls who tend the vineyards
The girls who work in the vineyards.
In the provinces of France
In the regions of France.
Are the gayest girls for courting
They are jovial and lively girls to pursue romantic relationships with.
And they love to sing and dance
They enjoy singing and dancing.
And they're happy in their vineyards
They are content with their work in the vineyards.
And they smile upon romance
They are eager to engage in romantic relationships.
And indeed, I would defend for you
And I will argue in favor of.
The provinces of France
The regions of France.
But there's not a vineyard anywhere
However, there is no vineyard anywhere.
That can compare with what I know
That is comparable to what I am familiar with.
Why? I'll tell you why or better yet
Let me tell you why or maybe it would be best if I showed you.
Come and we'll go
Come with me and see it for yourself.
Oh, the girls who tend the vineyards
The girls who work in the vineyards.
In the provinces of Spain
In the regions of Spain.
They are spirited and fiery
They are energetic and passionate.
Whether beautiful or plain
Regardless of whether they are attractive or not.
They are splendid in their vineyards
They are impressive in their work in the vineyards.
In their languorous refrain
In their slow, relaxed way of speaking or singing.
And indeed, I would defend for you
And I will argue in favor of.
The provinces of Spain
The regions of Spain.
But there's not a vineyard anywhere
However, there is no vineyard anywhere.
That can compare with what I know
That is comparable to what I am familiar with.
Why? I'll tell you why or better yet
Let me tell you why or maybe it would be best if I showed you.
Come and we'll go
Come with me and see it for yourself.
You boast of the wines in France
You take pride in the wines from France.
And you boast of the wines in Spain
You also take pride in the wines from Spain.
But your boast makes it very plain
Your pride clearly shows.
That you not had the wines of Madeira
That you have not experienced the wines of Madeira.
You boast of the girls in France
You take pride in the girls from France.
And you boast of the girls in Spain
You also take pride in the girls from Spain.
But your boast makes it very plain
Your pride clearly shows.
That you've not seen the girls of Madeira
That you have not witnessed the unique girls from Madeira.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: DAVE GUARD, JANE BOWERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind