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.
This Land Is Your Land
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chorus:
This land is your land. This land is my land from California to the New York island,
From the red wood forest to the Gulf stream waters. This land was made for you and me.
As I was walkin' that ribbon of a highway, I saw above me that endless skyway.
I saw below me that golden valley. This land was made for you and me.
(Chorus)
I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps to the sparklin' sands of her diamond desert
And all around me a voice was sounding, "This land was made for you and me."
The sun came shining and I was strolling and the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
As the fog was lifting a voice was calling, "This land was made for you and me."
(Chorus)
The Kingston Trio's version of Woody Guthrie's iconic song "This Land Is Your Land" is a celebration of the vastness of the American landscape, from coast to coast, and the notion that this great land belongs to all of us. The lyrics describe the singer's experience wandering across the country, from the redwood forest in California to the Gulf Stream waters in Florida. As he walks along the highway, he is struck by the beauty of the land - the endless skyway above, the golden valley below. Everywhere he goes, he is reminded that this land was made for all of us to enjoy.
The song's simple yet powerful message has resonated with generations of Americans since its composition in 1940. Guthrie originally wrote the song as a response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America," which he felt was too sentimental and out-of-touch with the struggles of ordinary people during the Great Depression. Guthrie's version, with its emphasis on the natural beauty of the country and the idea of a shared national heritage, quickly became an anthem for the American folk movement and the civil rights movement.
The Kingston Trio's rendition of "This Land Is Your Land" is noteworthy for its upbeat, singable melody and harmonies, which make the song accessible to younger audiences. The song has continued to be used in countless movies, TV shows, and political campaigns as a symbol of American pride and unity.
Line by Line Meaning
This land is your land. This land is my land from California to the New York island,
Everyone, regardless of where they come from or their background, has equal ownership of this great land from coast to coast.
From the red wood forest to the Gulf stream waters. This land was made for you and me.
This land was not created for the benefit of any particular group, but rather for all inhabitants to enjoy and cherish.
As I was walkin' that ribbon of a highway, I saw above me that endless skyway.
As I was travelling on the path of my journey, I looked up at the vast open sky.
I saw below me that golden valley. This land was made for you and me.
I beheld the beauty of the land as I gazed upon the golden valley below me.
(Chorus)
Repeated reminder that this land was created for everyone to equally share and inhabit.
I roamed and rambled and I followed my footsteps to the sparklin' sands of her diamond desert
I explored this land in depth by wandering and roaming the vast expanses of the diamond desert.
And all around me a voice was sounding, 'This land was made for you and me.'
The voice around me seemed to echo the sentiment that this land was created for everyone's enjoyment.
The sun came shining and I was strolling and the wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
As the sun came out and I walked through the fields, the wheat waved and the dust was picked up by the rolling winds.
As the fog was lifting a voice was calling, 'This land was made for you and me.'
Even as the fog lifted and the weather cleared, the sentiments remained the same - this land was created for the benefit of all inhabitants.
(Chorus)
Final reminder that everyone, regardless of background or where they come from, has equal ownership of this land.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Woody Guthrie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
XMLarry
Grew up with the Kingston Trio and proud of it!
charliekucharski
Whenever the Kingston Trio covered a song they always put their mark on it. This version of "This Land is Your Land" is one of those. They did many of Woody Guthrie's songs and did a great job on all of them. Thanks for posting this.
Holger Latt
I think of this song when I travel throughout the USA, especially when I go to the National parks. I have lived in 13 states and been in all 50 states. What a beautiful song.
joripage1
They were my first and greatest musical influence along with The Beatles, God they were so good.
Far Too Many Frogs / kittybee
"This land was made for you and me". I love that one line out of the song. I always think of the people of the U.S. when I hear this song, and how people should get over differences and cooperate to create a better country than now. I fell in love with this song since I first heard it from Woody Guthrie.
Reggie the anarchist rat
they unfortunately left out my favorite verse
there was a great big wall there, that tried to stop me, there's a painted sign there, read private property, but on the back side, it didn't say nothin'
AccordionLadyMi
Loved this group.
hayami seo
And I still love them!
Bob Shuebop
Damn... I miss them and the Limelighters and Peter Paul and Mary et al... Loved the folk music of that Era. It picked up your spirits. Wish we had more of it today, but it was from a gentler time that sadly has passed.
Larry Macuga
understatement they were awesome and still are