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.
When the Saints Go Marching in
The Kingston Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We are following the footsteps
Of those who've gone before
And we'll all be reunited
On that new and sunlit shore
Oh, when the saints go marching in,
Go marching in (and when the saints)
Oh, Lord, I
I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
And when the sun (and when the sun)
Refuse to shine (refuse to shine)
When the sun refuse to shine
Oh, Lord, I
I want to be in that number
When the sun refuse to shine
Oh, when the trumpet sounds its call,
Oh, Lord, I
I want to be in that number
When the trumpet sounds its call
Some say
This world of trouble
Is the only world we need
But I'm waiting for that morning (get ready)
Oh, when the new world is revealed, (oh when the new world is revealed)
Oh, when the new world is revealed
Oh, Lord,
I want to be in that number
When the new world is revealed
Yes, when the saints go marching in,
Go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, Lord,
I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in
The Kingston Trio's song When the Saints Go Marching In is a gospel tune that speaks about the hope for salvation and reunion with loved ones in the afterlife. The opening lines: "We are following the footsteps of those who've gone before, and we'll all be reunited on that new and sunlit shore" suggests that the song is about the hope for redemption and the joyous celebration upon prophesied return of Jesus Christ. The second stanza reverberates this, stating that the singer wants to be with the saints when they go marching in and be in the number when the son refuses to shine. The reference to the son here is most likely referencing to the end of times, and the judgment day.
The third stanza speaks of the moments of preparation before the final return of Christ when the trumpet sounds its call. Here the singer declares the desire to be numbered among the saints when this event happens. Finally, in the last stanza, the song speaks of how some people believe that this world is the only world they need, but the singer is waiting for that morning, speaking of the day of judgment and the revelation of a new world. Overall, the song is a declaration of faith and hope for salvation, and the use of repetition and the rhythmic, upbeat tune make it an uplifting gospel classic.
Line by Line Meaning
We are following the footsteps
We are imitating the behavior of those who have lived before us
Of those who've gone before
Of the individuals who have already passed on
And we'll all be reunited
At some point, we will all come together again
On that new and sunlit shore
We will reunite in a new and bright place
Oh, when the saints go marching in,
A religious phrase referring to the time when good people ascend to heaven
Go marching in (and when the saints)
Repeat of the previous phrase
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Repeat of the first line of the chorus
Oh, Lord, I
Oh, dear God, I
I want to be in that number
I desire to be among the individuals ascending to heaven
When the saints go marching in
Repeat of the final line of the chorus
And when the sun (and when the sun)
Referring to a time when the earth undergoes a great change
Refuse to shine (refuse to shine)
When the light of the sun is eliminated
Oh, Lord, I
Oh, dear God, I
I want to be in that number
I desire to be among the individuals experiencing this transformation
When the sun refuse to shine
Repeat of the second to last line
Oh, when the trumpet sounds its call,
Referring to the biblical passage where a trumpet marks the time of ascension to heaven
Oh, Lord, I
Oh, dear God, I
I want to be in that number
I desire to be among the individuals ascending to heaven
When the trumpet sounds its call
Repeat of the previous line
Some say
Some people believe
This world of trouble
The difficulties/struggles commonly experienced in life
Is the only world we need
Some people believe only in the tangible world
But I'm waiting for that morning (get ready)
I personally anticipate an eventful point in time when I will be spiritually rewarded
Oh, when the new world is revealed, (oh when the new world is revealed)
Referring to the time when the new earth is formed
Oh, when the new world is revealed
Repeat of the previous line
Oh, Lord,
Oh, dear God,
I want to be in that number
I want to be among those experiencing the new earth
When the new world is revealed
Repeat of the previous line
Yes, when the saints go marching in,
Repeat of the first two lines of the chorus
Go marching in
Repeat of the previous line
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Repeat of the first line of the chorus
Oh, Lord,
Oh, dear God,
I want to be in that number
I desire to be among the individuals ascending to heaven
When the saints go marching in
Repeat of the final line of the chorus
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: VAN MORRISON, TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lindsay Crawford
So love these guys... thanks Dad!!
Catherine Green
Was played/sung at my father's funeral in '94