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.
Weeping Willow
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bury me beneath the willow, 'neath the weeping willow tree.
When she hears that I am sleeping, maybe then, she'll think of me.
My heart is sad and I am lonely. Dreaming of the one that I love.
When will I see her? I know not when, not unless it's up in heaven above.
[Chorus]
She told me that she really loved me. How could I believe her untrue
When all the angels seemed to whisper she will prove untrue to you?
[Chorus]
Maybe then she'll think of me. Ooooo.
The lyrics to The Kingston Trio's "Weeping Willow" tell the story of a man who is deeply in love with a woman who has proven herself to be deceitful. He longs to see her again, but knows that it may not be possible until they reunite in heaven. The chorus begs for the singer to be buried beneath a weeping willow tree, in hopes that the woman will think of him when she hears that he has passed away. The song is a beautiful and melancholic ode to lost love and the pain that comes with it.
The lyrics in this song are simple, yet deeply evocative. The image of a weeping willow tree is a powerful one, symbolizing sorrow and grief. The idea that the woman may only think of the singer after he has passed away is tragic, and speaks to the depth of his emotions for her. The lines "She told me that she really loved me. How could I believe her untrue / When all the angels seemed to whisper she will prove untrue to you?" perfectly capture the singer's confusion and heartbreak. He desperately wants to believe that she loves him, but is haunted by the idea that she will ultimately betray him.
Overall, "Weeping Willow" is a poignant and timeless song that explores the complexities of love and heartbreak. It is a testament to the power of simple lyrics and beautiful melodies to convey deep emotions and tell powerful stories.
Line by Line Meaning
Bury me beneath the willow, 'neath the weeping willow tree.
When I die, bury me under a weeping willow so that my beloved can find me easily.
When she hears that I am sleeping, maybe then, she'll think of me.
Perhaps when she learns that I have passed away, she will finally remember me.
My heart is sad and I am lonely. Dreaming of the one that I love.
I am feeling sorrowful and isolated because I am constantly thinking about my beloved.
When will I see her? I know not when, not unless it's up in heaven above.
I have no idea when I will see my love again, except maybe in the afterlife.
She told me that she really loved me. How could I believe her untrue
Although she claimed to love me, I struggled to trust her.
When all the angels seemed to whisper she will prove untrue to you?
I began to doubt her sincerity when I thought I heard angels warning me of her deceit.
Maybe then she'll think of me. Ooooo.
I hold onto the hope that perhaps when I am gone, she will finally remember me and my love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NICK REYNOLDS, BOB SHANE, JOHN STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@reyknudson7091
I STILL LOVE IT! R.K. 12/1/2022.😀
@folkiejim
....this Kingston Trio song in particular brings back memories so bittersweet, that it almost hurts to listen...thanks for posting ..!!
@marknewton6984
First Stewart album. A good one. Sail Away!
@UncleDon8
Certainly not an 'understated banjo part'. Stewart's sound/style transformed the Trio. Here his banjo playing adds that "bittersweet" quality that makes the song resonate in my heart all these years. You are my hero for posting all these tunes and adding great liner notes. Keep on posting, pls.
@reyknudson7091
I STILL LOVE THIS GREAT SENTIMENTAL SONG BY THE KINGSTON TRIO!! THANKS FOR SHARING! R.K. 3/18/2021.
@Pinoyklaus
Phantastic version. I like it.
@moniekiima
I love this song.
@marknewton6984
Sail Away! Great album.
@MrStevelangford
jim clare you nailed it
@cathleenberreie9768
Very nice!