Mike & Pam Mirabella Blog
The Kingston Trio and Me
The Kingston Trio and me go way back. Let me explain.
On September 20, 2018, I attended my 55th Lowell High School reunion held at the Spinnaker Restaurant in Sausalito CA. Pam and I don’t get over to Sausalito often. So after the reunion we took a walk along the waterfront to see what had changed over the years.
The Trident and Kingston Trio
I wanted to revisit The Trident Restaurant in Sausalito, once owned by the Kingston Trio. The Trident holds some significance for me, as the Trio were my folk music heroes back in high school. And, in 1961 my high school folk singing group was honored by being invited to play our music for a group of San Francisco socialites. They had chartered a Blue and White Fleet boat (or was it Red and White?), to take the lot of us across the Bay from S.F. to Sausalito. It was to be the opening night of the upstairs room at The Trident. We were on our way to “the big time,” and we were thrilled. We all arrived at the pier and boarded the boat.
Rocking the Boat
The gig was not what we had expected, however. Once on board, we were told that we were only to entertain people on the boat going to and from Sausalito. Maybe we could sing a song or two on stage at the venue, if lucky. That would have been fine with us, if it were to be our only disappointment. But that night the San Francisco Bay was choppy, so it was almost impossible for us to sing and be heard above the motor noise. We also struggled to keep our balance while trying to stand and play our instruments as the boat rocked back and forth. But it didn’t matter so much that we couldn’t be heard; we were there!
Up to that time my only association with the great Kingston Trio or any great group had been my long hours of listening to records and learning their music. But my imagination had no limits and I took this as a gig from God. Just think, only 15 years old and invited to play for a Trio function. That was enough!
I can’t remember the composition of our high school folk group that year, other than Cathy, David and Steve. If you were also in the band that night, please blog in and share your impressions. Mike
Come Down from the Mountain
Easter greetings from Mike and Pam Mirabella
Come Down From the Mountain
by Mike Mirabella
Papa Mike’s Music ©1982, 2019
He was a preacher, prophet, a teacher;
Weaver of stories, a page out of time,
Doctor, a healer, shepherd, a keeper;
He set the fire that burns in my mind.
He promised a kingdom, spoke of its glory,
Eternal salvation, of heaven sublime;
Told us to follow, to love all our neighbors;
That he’d never leave us, and we’d never die.
I’m not the kind to be touched by a dreamer,
Dreaming won’t mix with a practical mind;
Told him to show me some proof of his magic,
An angel from heaven, a star from the sky, (or)
Refrain:
Come down, down, down from the mountain,
They say you’re a prophet, they say you’re Divine;
Come down, down, down from the mountain.
If you are the Promise, then show me a sign.
I tagged along just to see what would happen,
Trusting the stranger, wondering why;
Who could he be, what was he after?
I had to know, so, I bided my time.
I played the part, I was quick and amusing,
Doing my best not to step out of line;
But, my trying to please him was only a scheme,
Thought if I played my cards right, a kingdom was mine.
Just when I thought I could count on his favor,
He showed me the folly and sins of my life;
He could see through me, somehow, he knew me,
But old habits die hard, so again I replied,
Refrain:
Come down, down, down from the mountain,
They say you’re a prophet, they say you’re Divine;
Come down, down, down from the mountain.
If you are the Promise, then show me a sign.
Who would have guessed he could capture so many?
All who would listen were swept in the tide;
Safe in his power, we stood at the ready,
Drunk with the courage, that flows with the wine.
Passions to drive him, good counsel to guide him,
Sure of a victory with God on our side;
We marched on the city to challenge his critics,
All singing his praises and primed for a fight.
Refrain:
Come down, down, down from the mountain,
They say you’re a prophet, they say you’re Divine;
Come down, down, down from the mountain.
If you are the Promise, then show me a sign.
Fate be the trickster, prankster, the twister,
Harvest of plenty, thief in the night;
Wept as he blessed them; yet, they condemned him;
They beat, they laughed and they hung him to die.
We looked to creation for one, who could save him,
An army of angels, a sword spitting fire;
We screamed and we raged, but our screams were in vain;
Then our fear turned to hate and we began to cry. (You),
Refrain:
Come down, down, down from the mountain,
They say you’re a prophet, they say you’re Divine;
Come down, down, down from the mountain.
If you are the Promise, then show me a sign.
Were we just fools to have followed a dreamer,
A fraud, a deceiver, another who lied?
Cast in the darkness, lost in the madness’,
With no one to turn to and nowhere to hide.
“Run for your lives!” shouted voices around us,
“Stand up and fight!” cried the voices behind;
Frozen in fear, we broke and we panicked,
Our Master was dead, how could we survive?
Out of the pall of our fear and confusion,
A stranger stepped forth as a balm to our souls;
Calling our names, he knelt and embraced us,
Praising our God, as did our Master before.
Was this a dream? Could this be our Master?
Didn’t he die on that cold stormy night?
A dream or for real, his deeds held the answer;
Giving us hope and revealing a sign!
Refrain:
You came down, down, down from the mountain,
More that a prophet, more than divine;
You came down, down, down from the mountain,
You are the Promise. Yes, you are the Sign!
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