My parents' generation grew up with Dave-Guard-vintage Kingston Trio albums in the house. When I was little and these albums were played, I thought the Tahitian songs were a hoot..."aue tangni tangni tika ke aue..." the trio sang them deep in the chest, very macho sounding, booming, and pounding on the drums. Someday, I said to myself, I'm gonna find out what that means.

Still haven't found out, though.

I like those early albums now, largely because the producer, bless him, did not squash them up against a studio orchestra arrangement, but just let the three of them unleash that onstage energy and channel it into the microphones. Purist, impure, or what have you, these performances are a good lesson in the kind of enthusiasm it takes for three guys by themselves to grasp, and hold, the attention of an audience.
The term "gatekeeper" has much wisdom to it. So these performances do not issue from the sanctum sanctorum, the holy of holies, all the way inside the metaphorical temple? So be it: the job of "gatekeeper" is not so easy. You have to be energetic and focused, you have to present a great deal within a really short time span so as to leave a lasting impression.

What I like best is that enthusiasm and energy. It makes me sad to read earlier messages in this thread, how a later KT incarnation was jaded and hardened; but, that sort of thing happens.

Oh, and if I ever DO find out what those Tahitian lyrics mean, you guys at the café will be the first to know.