The Kingston Trio/ From the Hungry I

I began listening to the Kingston Trio when I was eight. Their lyrics and their harmonies gave me a voice, even when it was heard by no one else but me.

Forty years on I can discern an influence of the Kingston Trio. My closet is still full of striped, button-down collar shirts -- just like the Kingston Trio made mandatory for stylish college boys circa 1960. "Button down" describes the Trio: apolitical, un-serious, insouciant, a little naughty, but never vulgar. It's hard to recall how revolutionary their music was at the time. "Folk music" suddenly became all the rage for the college crowd. How does their music hold up? Pretty well, although the sound is not fresh any longer. Generations of grittier folk musicians have made the Kingston Trio sound a little smooth, cocktail-loungy, and superficial. But their songs couldn't be better. "Tom Dooley" is the best murder ballad ever; "Scotch and Soda" and "Hard, Ain't it Hard" have never been equaled. "The Merry Minuet" ("They're rioting in Africa,") is an unforgettable example of 50s gallows humor. This CD includes their first two albums: "The Kingston Trio" and "From the Hungry I" which was recorded live in San Francisco. The live album is a little better. The boundless energy of the Trio comes through on songs like "Shady Grove/Lonesome Traveler" and "Zombie Jamboree" and their politically incorrect patter between songs is of sociological interest. In one short concert, they insult Mexicans, French, Appalachian folk, Southern Californians, Chinese, Africans, and a few other groups. (Back in those days you could be secure in your superiority to non-University people from places other than San Francisco. Nowadays, such feelings have to be covered up by a veneer of multi-culturalism.) The Kingston Trio were forerunners of Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys (who copied their shirts), and Peter, Paul, and Mary. They're important; the world would be a slightly different place if the Kingston Trio had never existed.

I was a fan from the first moment I heard "Tom Dooley" when I was 13 in 1958, and it still is wonderful. I bought all their Capitol releases, the ones with founder Dave Guard and brilliant replacement John Stewart, and some of their LP's when they switched to Decca in the final years of the first incarnation. A reorganized group, The New Kingston Trio, later came around with Bob Shane, one of the originals, and it didn't stink either. Shane's vocal of "Scotch and Soda" is an enduring ballad in the Frank Sinatra "Set 'Em Up Joe, Give Me One for My Baby and One More for the Road" genre, unusual in a folk group context. The early Trio did a lot of novelty tunes and a lot of Calypso-flavored songs (Harry Belafonte was huge in 1958.) These are fun, but the harmonies are superb, the instruments in tune, and while some of the patter at the San Francisco nightclub is dated, the reissued LP's remind us of why the Kingston Trio has actually weathered the decades better than their rivals The Weavers, Peter, Paul and Mary, the Brothers Four, the Highwaymen, Chad Mitchell Trio and New Christy Minstrels. Shane, Guard and Nick Reynolds and Stewart just all clicked with each other and their material and their era. Most of the first nine reviews below are better than my critique, so read them if you are not convinced that any folk fan should own some Kingston Trio CD's.

If you are going to get one CD of the Kingston Trio, this is the one I would purchase, for this is when they were young and in their prime. I do not think the influence of the Kingston Trio on modern popular music and rock and roll and radio play is credited fully enough by music historians, in this album you get a sense of the 'beat' generation live at the 'Hungry i' in San Francisco repleat with bongos, as well as their landmark debut album that included the number 1 jukebox hit of 1958, Scotch and Soda with vocals by Bob Shane. For all of the thousands of kids who struggle with a G-cord learning guitar, this is an album that should be heard, and if you are looking for something to add variety on your ipod, shuffle in a few of these songs. These are the originators of so many cover hit tunes like Wimbeway and Sloop John B by the Beach Boys, and the long running hit Tom Dooley. I think one of the strongest impressions that is made is the great wit and intelligence these muscians had, back in the day when being a 'college man' actually was reflected in erudite speech and humor. There are a few tunes that seem to lack inspiration, and some anachronistic references to individuals like John Foster Dulles, however there are few albums that so perfectly capture a feeling and a revolution of the cusp of popular music as does these two.

I have this collection on a 33 - but no longer have a player. I happened to catch find my box of oldies and this one had always been a favorite - It is a double - but my favorite was the one recorded from the Hungry Eye. My brother and I played it on the way down to our shore house a few weeks ago and it made the trip really fun - for a change. You know how traveling with brothers can be.

Fella's, it just doesn't get any better than this. I call it perfect becauseit is. American music with a light snap of latino twang just for flavor. This is college folk music that's actually fun to listen to.. And by "fun", I don't mean dance music or bubbly pop crap of the time. Not so. Folk music coming out of the 50's and 60's was often a bit of a bummer to listen to. The message often overode the ability to listen. Not so much the Kingston Trio. You can hear the "fun or nothing" rule in each cut. Dave Guard, BobShane and Nick Reynolds were the perfect band, the perfect group. The latter day versions of the K.T were good but not the original receipe. They couldcover every emotion; fun, somber, sad, happy and happy drunk.I only have one wish for Kingston Trio music; That "Fast Freight" will becovered by Crosby Stills Nash and maybe Young. "Scotch and Soda" was the tune that would assure that you would be having breakfast with last nights date. All perfect.

Not my sort of music but husband wanted this (used to have the LP many moons ago!) - straight to Amazon, usually find most things on there and BINGO! One happy husband!

Brought back good old memories of a great group as I had their LP album played so many times.

great songs/harmony

アルバムFrom the hungry I のNew York Girlsが特にお気に入りです。軽快なリズムで、何回もリピートして聴いています。このＣＤの他の曲も大変楽しめます。是非、購入して聴いて下さい。お勧めです。