I never heard the Kingston Trio do "Reuben James" -- but I had learned it before they hove into fame. They were so trig and collegiate that I feel it would have essentially trivialized the substance of the song, as I feel they did with many of their songs. I can't envision Dave Guard doing "Good Old Rebel Soldier", either -- sure he could sing it, but what would it mean? Whereas when Frank Warner sings it, he sounds like he just walked away in disgust from the headquarter tents at Appomatox.

A