String Along
| String Along | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 1960 | |||
| Recorded | April 1960 | |||
| Genre | Folk | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Voyle Gilmore | |||
| The Kingston Trio chronology | ||||
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| Singles from String Along | ||||
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String Along is an album by the Kingston Trio, released in 1960 (see 1960 in music). It was their fifth studio album in a row to reach number one on the Billboard charts and remained there for ten weeks. String Along received an RIAA gold certification in 1962, a year after Dave Guard had left the group. It was the last LP of the Trio to reach the number one spot. Two singles, "Bad Man's Blunder" b/w "The Escape of Old John Webb" and "Everglades" b/w "This Mornin', This Evenin', So Soon", were released.[1] Both were the last singles of the "Guard years" Trio to chart, "Bad Man Blunder" the last to reach the Top 40.[2]
"The Escape of Old John Webb" is an old English folk song and was deliberately recorded in an attempt to increase the Trio's popularity in Great Britain.[3]
"Bad Man's Blunder" (with its title shortened to "Bad Man Blunder" for single release) was issued on 45 without the final words "Bang, you're dead" included on the sub-master, a decision made by producer Voyle Gilmore.[4][failed verification]
Dave Guard played Gibson's first 12-string guitar on this album.[1] Interestingly, the album cover shows both Guard and Shane holding banjos: Guard's is a long-neck 5-string banjo and Shane's is a 4-string plectrum banjo.
Reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [5] |
In his Allmusic review, critic Bruce Eder noted that the album had the most unusual sound compared to previous albums, essentially making it a "quieter album". Eder noted the album "has other highlights and oddities" and singled out Ray Charles' "Leave My Woman Alone".[5]
Reissues[edit]
- String Along was reissued in 1992 on CD by Capitol with Sold Out.[6]
- In 1997, all of the tracks from String Along were included in The Guard Years 10-CD box set issued by Bear Family Records.
- String Along was reissued in 2001 by Collectors' Choice Music with Sold Out. This reissue has four bonus tracks: alternative versions of "The Tattooed Lady" and "The Hunter", and songs "Home From the Hill" and "Green Grasses", previously available on singles.
Track listing[edit]
Side one[edit]
- "Bad Man's Blunder" (Lee Hays, Cisco Houston)
- "The Escape of Old John Webb" (Tom Drake)
- "When I Was Young" (Jane Bowers, Dave Guard)
- "Leave My Woman Alone" (Ray Charles)
- "This Mornin', This Evenin', So Soon" (Carl Sandburg)
- "Everglades" (Harlan Howard)
Side two[edit]
- "Buddy Better Get on Down the Line" (Bowers, Guard)
- "South Wind" (Travis Edmonson)
- "Who's Gonna Hold Her Hand" (Tom Drake, Bob Shane)
- "To Morrow" (Bob Gibson)
- "Colorado Trail" (Lee Hays, Carl Sandburg)
- "The Tattooed Lady" (Traditional, Guard, Reynolds, Shane)
Personnel[edit]
- Dave Guard – vocals, banjo, guitar
- Bob Shane – vocals, guitar
- Nick Reynolds – vocals, tenor guitar, conga, lujon
- David "Buck" Wheat – bass, guitar
Chart positions[edit]
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Billboard Pop Albums | 1 |
References[edit]
- ^ a b Liner notes: Sold Out and String Along Capitol Records reissue. Liner notes by Ben Blake, 1992.
- ^ Blake, B., Rubeck, J., Shaw, A. (1986) The Kingston Trio On Record. Kingston Korner Inc, ILL: ISBN 0-9614594-0-9
- ^ Liner notes; The Kingston Trio: The Capitol Years (Capitol Records CD7243 8 28498 2 7)
- ^ "The Kingston Trio LINER NOTES". Archived from the original on 11 January 2014.
- ^ a b Eder, Bruce. "String Along > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
- ^ Allmusic entry for reissue.
