Thursday Music

My father never had much diversity in his musical tastes. When riding in his car he would play the same music over and over again. He would never let my sister or I play DJ as we loved the 'devil's music'. Instead our traveling soundtrack would consist of Roy Orbison, Roger Whittaker, and the Kingston Trio.

I was so sick of hearing them all the time and I would annoy my father by making up my own lyrics to the songs, usually at his expense. Mom and my sister would laugh under their breath as Dad would proclaim my juvenile tastes to be just that. Still I enjoyed mocking the works of his favorite artists, which would cause him to rupture a blood vessel.

I think in all my time listening to music with Dad we heard the Kingston Trio more than any other. Hearing them as an adult I'm kind of surprised how dark some of the songs are and why the patriarch of my family deemed it as wholesome.

So today I bring you The Kingston Trio's "Tom Dooley":

"The 1960s were big for folk music, and the Kingston Trio led the way. They were the ones who started it all. The music was fresh and alive. College kids loved it and their parents did, too." - George Grove