I liked Peter, Paul and Mary more than most of my friends. Thanks for articulating a perspective beyond my abilities; it was a pleasure to read such a positive note about them after so many years.
I appreciate your kind note - thank you for sharing your thoughts! I've always liked Peter, Paul and Mary's music and wanted to not only express why I like it but why it was (and remains) important.
How satisfying to see P, P & M given the respect they deserve, which I withheld back in my purist youth. They chose a repertoire of breadth and quality, performed with passionate accomplishment, and harmonized beautifully together. Their polished image belied their principles and conviction. In "If I Had a Hammer," Mary's contralto soars. When I learned of her death, I played it over and over. I'm glad I found Listening Sessions and look forward to exploring further.
I've written about neither yet. May write something about Jackson Browne at some point. Earlier this year, I did publish an essay on Wendy Waldman, who was a less heralded singer-songwriter from that era. Including a link in case you haven't had a chance to read: https://listeningsessions.substack.com/p/the-open-vistas-of-wendy-waldman
Will definitely check it out. My third novel, which I'll bring out next Spring, is set from the years 1969 to 1976. So what you're writing interests me on that level as well as a personal level.
This is an excellent breakdown of P, P & M. They were mainstays in the burgeoning folk scene of the mid-60's, when I scrapped together my first guitar and played and sang harmony with a partner at a coffeehouse in the basement of a deli (Leon's) in Plainfield, New Jersey, circa 1965. We admired and emulated their harmonies and arrangements - our audition song was "San Francisco Bay Blues", replete with kazoos - and I had the pleasure of seeing them in several concerts over the years, from NYC to Vancouver.
As you probably know, they were put together by Albert Grossman, Dylan's manager, who thought there was a market for them. And there was. They jelled, however tenuous their personal connections might have been initially, and played to large concert-hall audiences. They were polished, well beyond other singers, and they were excellent interpreters of others' material. They introduced us to many great songwriters like Gordon Lightfoot, Dylan, and some of the lesser-knowns, as you point out in your piece. They did a little of everything, including comedy (Paul did stellar vocal sound effects on "The Marvelous Toy" on their live album). Dylan made special mention of them in his South-By-Southwest address, thanking them for making "Blowin' In The Wind" a hit song.
They couldn't quite keep pace with the rock explosion that followed the folk boom, and although they may have faded from centre stage, they continued performing to their fans for some time, before they called it quits as a group. Youtube has many examples of their work, as you have noted.
In the music therapy sessions I do for kids and adults with disabilities, I still perform many of the songs they introduced me to: "Early Morning Rain" (their version was one of the best), "Leavin' On A Jet Plane", "All My Trials", "San Francisco Bay Blues" and of course, "Puff", which has the distinction of being one of the first songs to be dubbed a "drug song" by some Mr. Jones in Newsweek (if I remember correctly).
Thanks for this tribute to a stellar group that's worth being remembered, Robert!
Thanks for all the remembrances - I forgot their recording of 'San Francisco Bay Blues' but recall their moving version of 'All My Trials' (it makes good use of how their voices blend and contrast, if I remember correctly).
It's great you brought up Gordon Lightfoot - it's very clear to me that Elvis Presley's recordings of 'Early Morning Rain' and 'For Lovin' Me' are heavily influenced by Peter, Paul and Mary's versions, in particular, Stookey's phrasing (Elvis was a definite fan of them!).
I think the big point about Peter, Paul and Mary is while they were created out of Groosman's vision, each was a bona fide artist and member of the Greenwich Village scene (if you've ever seen Scorsese's 'No Direction Home' biography of Dylan before the motorcycle accident, Dave Van Ronk (I believe) makes that point clearly). They just happened to become hugely popular.
Thanks for another great read. In my formative years, my parents were super folkies and my first visit to folk clubs which were monthly from the age of about 7, influenced my own music. Peter, Paul, and Mary were on my parents record player frequently, and I enjoyed their harmonies, syncopation and energy. Along with growing up in a 'folky' family, came a sense of social responsibility, and I really enjoyed Paul Stookey's song Give a Damn, as a challenging protest song of its time. They were part of a wonderful era. https://youtu.be/EcgkdzFRruc
I liked Peter, Paul and Mary more than most of my friends. Thanks for articulating a perspective beyond my abilities; it was a pleasure to read such a positive note about them after so many years.
I appreciate your kind note - thank you for sharing your thoughts! I've always liked Peter, Paul and Mary's music and wanted to not only express why I like it but why it was (and remains) important.
How satisfying to see P, P & M given the respect they deserve, which I withheld back in my purist youth. They chose a repertoire of breadth and quality, performed with passionate accomplishment, and harmonized beautifully together. Their polished image belied their principles and conviction. In "If I Had a Hammer," Mary's contralto soars. When I learned of her death, I played it over and over. I'm glad I found Listening Sessions and look forward to exploring further.
Thanks so much and welcome! Your assessment of Peter, Paul & Mary is right on the money.
Excellent work as always, Robert.
Thanks William!
Very interesting, as always, Robert.
What years of music do you cover, again?
Typically the sixties and the seventies, although not exclusively.
Very cool. That's what I thought. I'll go through your archive. Curious to see if you've written about Jackson Browne yet or Don McLean, among others.
I've written about neither yet. May write something about Jackson Browne at some point. Earlier this year, I did publish an essay on Wendy Waldman, who was a less heralded singer-songwriter from that era. Including a link in case you haven't had a chance to read: https://listeningsessions.substack.com/p/the-open-vistas-of-wendy-waldman
Will definitely check it out. My third novel, which I'll bring out next Spring, is set from the years 1969 to 1976. So what you're writing interests me on that level as well as a personal level.
This is an excellent breakdown of P, P & M. They were mainstays in the burgeoning folk scene of the mid-60's, when I scrapped together my first guitar and played and sang harmony with a partner at a coffeehouse in the basement of a deli (Leon's) in Plainfield, New Jersey, circa 1965. We admired and emulated their harmonies and arrangements - our audition song was "San Francisco Bay Blues", replete with kazoos - and I had the pleasure of seeing them in several concerts over the years, from NYC to Vancouver.
As you probably know, they were put together by Albert Grossman, Dylan's manager, who thought there was a market for them. And there was. They jelled, however tenuous their personal connections might have been initially, and played to large concert-hall audiences. They were polished, well beyond other singers, and they were excellent interpreters of others' material. They introduced us to many great songwriters like Gordon Lightfoot, Dylan, and some of the lesser-knowns, as you point out in your piece. They did a little of everything, including comedy (Paul did stellar vocal sound effects on "The Marvelous Toy" on their live album). Dylan made special mention of them in his South-By-Southwest address, thanking them for making "Blowin' In The Wind" a hit song.
They couldn't quite keep pace with the rock explosion that followed the folk boom, and although they may have faded from centre stage, they continued performing to their fans for some time, before they called it quits as a group. Youtube has many examples of their work, as you have noted.
In the music therapy sessions I do for kids and adults with disabilities, I still perform many of the songs they introduced me to: "Early Morning Rain" (their version was one of the best), "Leavin' On A Jet Plane", "All My Trials", "San Francisco Bay Blues" and of course, "Puff", which has the distinction of being one of the first songs to be dubbed a "drug song" by some Mr. Jones in Newsweek (if I remember correctly).
Thanks for this tribute to a stellar group that's worth being remembered, Robert!
Thanks for all the remembrances - I forgot their recording of 'San Francisco Bay Blues' but recall their moving version of 'All My Trials' (it makes good use of how their voices blend and contrast, if I remember correctly).
It's great you brought up Gordon Lightfoot - it's very clear to me that Elvis Presley's recordings of 'Early Morning Rain' and 'For Lovin' Me' are heavily influenced by Peter, Paul and Mary's versions, in particular, Stookey's phrasing (Elvis was a definite fan of them!).
I think the big point about Peter, Paul and Mary is while they were created out of Groosman's vision, each was a bona fide artist and member of the Greenwich Village scene (if you've ever seen Scorsese's 'No Direction Home' biography of Dylan before the motorcycle accident, Dave Van Ronk (I believe) makes that point clearly). They just happened to become hugely popular.
Thanks for another great read. In my formative years, my parents were super folkies and my first visit to folk clubs which were monthly from the age of about 7, influenced my own music. Peter, Paul, and Mary were on my parents record player frequently, and I enjoyed their harmonies, syncopation and energy. Along with growing up in a 'folky' family, came a sense of social responsibility, and I really enjoyed Paul Stookey's song Give a Damn, as a challenging protest song of its time. They were part of a wonderful era. https://youtu.be/EcgkdzFRruc
They were, for sure. Thanks, as well, for your kind words.
Another fine essay Robert. Although not a huge fan, I did like "Puff The Magic Dragon".
Thanks Marco - glad you liked it.
You write consistently well thought out articles. Keep up the fine work.
It's a beautiful recording