History Music / PeterPaulAndMary

The defining act of [[TheSixties the 1960s]] [[FolkMusic folk boom]], and one of the most important musical acts of the decade in general, '''Peter, Paul and Mary''' were an act who not only popularized many of the greatest folk standards of the 20th century, but who’s music was a key element of the decade’s civil rights movement and continues to enjoy success and relevance to this day.

The group became more directly politically active in the later part of the 60s, appearing at the White House on behalf of Senator Eugene [=McCarthy=]’s antiwar campaign (Yarrow would end up marrying [=McCarthy=]’s daughter shortly thereafter). [=McCarthy=]’s failure, which tragically, and eerily, conencided with the murders of both MLK and Robert F. Kennedy signaled the EndOfAnEra and the group took a hiatus in 1970 after [[MilestoneCelebration celebrating their ten-year anniversary]] with a GreatestHitsAlbum. All three would have modest solo careers, with Stookey's "Wedding Song" becoming a minor hit.

PP&M’s next record, '’Moving,'' featured undoubtably the group’s most beloved song, the children’s classic “Music/PuffTheMagicDragon.” It also established another of the group’s trademarks: covering lots and lots of Bob Dylan songs, arguably [[UrExample beginning the trend]] of Dylan’s biting social commentary [[CoveredUp finding greater success in more capable performers]] (read: people who’s voices didn’t sound like sandpaper on one’s ear). Their cover of “Blowin’ In The Wind” was not only a massive hit, reaching #2 on the charts, which [[ColbertBump brought Dylan into the mainstream]], but embodied the zeitgeist of political activism in 1960s America to a T as UsefulNotes/CivilRightsMovement was gaining momentum. The group would give a [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome career-defining performance]] of the song at the March on Washington, immediately following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legendary “I Have A Dream” speech.

The group became more directly politically active in the later part of the 60s, appearing at the White House on behalf of Senator Eugene [=McCarthy=]’s antiwar campaign (Yarrow would end up marrying [=McCarthy=]’s daughter shortly thereafter). [=McCarthy=]’s failure, which tragically, and eerily, conencidekd with the murders of both MLK and Robert F. Kennedy signaled the EndOfAnEra and the group took a hiatus in 1970 after [[MilestoneCelebration celebrating their ten-year anniversary]] with a GreatestHitsAlbum. All three would have modest solo careers, with Stookey's "Wedding Song" becoming a minor hit.

Following hugely successful appearances in Greenwich Village was the trio's debut SelfTitledAlbum appeared in 1962, featuring their BreakthroughHit, a [[CoverVersion cover]] of the Pete Seeger-penned “If I Had A Hammer.” Both established PP&M’s trademark style of staunchly leftist (albeit not-threatening) sociopolitical lyrics wrapped in [[EarWorm catchy melodies]] and gorgeous three-part harmonies, giving them mainstream appeal without needing to sacrifice their messages. Changing political tides meant [[RealitySubtext a more liberal American public who would more readily accept the group’s songs]] than the conservatives who dismissed their predecessors (being signed to Warner Bros. records didn’t hurt either).

* ProtestSong: Their bread-and-butter. Notable examples include "If I Had A Hammer," "Blowin' In The Wind," and "500 Miles." No, not [[Music/TheProclaimers that one]].

* ProtestSong: Their bread-and-butter. Notable examples include "If I Had A Hammer," "Blowin' In The Wind," and "500 Miles."

* FollowTheLeader: A handful of other folk pop acts emerged in the wake of their success, most notably Music/PhilOchs, who's lyrics were considered a too biting for a pop arrangement, and Music/TheMamasAndThePapas, who, despite some success, were written off as a [[LighterAndSofter watered-down]] Peter, Paul and Mary.

* SSlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: '''''FAR''''' on the idealistic side. Even their most somber songs had undertones of hope that things would get better.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersesCynicism: '''''FAR''''' on the idealistic side. Even their most somber songs had undertones of hope that things would get better.

The group became more directly politically active in the later part of the 60s, appearing at the White House on behalf of Senator Eugene [=McCarthy=]’s antiwar campaign (Yarrow would end up marrying [=McCarthy=]’s daughter shortly thereafter). [=McCarthy=]’s failure, which tragically, and eerily, conencidekd with the murders of both MLK and Robert F. Kennedy signaled the EndOfAnEra and the group took a hiatus in 1970 after [[MilestoneCelebration celebrating their ten-year anniversary]] with a GreatestHitsAlbum. All three would have modest solo careers.

''This page is currently under construction.''

* TheCastShowOff: ''In Concert'' allows Paul Stookey a chance to perform some of his stand-up routine and show off his uncanny ability for sound effects on their cover of Music/WoodyGuthrie's "Car-Car."

* ThreeChordsAndTheTruth

* DownerEnding: "Music/PuffTheMagicDragon" is one of the most famous (and [[TearJerker notorious]]) examples in all o 20th century music.

* MohsScaleOfLyricalHardness: Mostly between 3 and 4. The political songs were righteous, but accessible, while the children's songs were obviously light fare, but usually had a tinge of sadness to them.

* TheSmurfettePrincipal

* SmurfettePrincipal
* StealthInsult=/=StealthParody: "I Dig Rock n' Roll Music."

By this point, Mary Travers had been living with leukemia for two years and was [[TheShowMustGoOn performing concerts with an oxygen mask on standby]]. She died from complications from the illness three years later, effective [[AuthorExistenceFailure ending the group permanently]] after a prolific 50 year career.

After a couple of failed reunions, the group reformed proper in the 80s, and at the best possible time: the new political climate proposed by the UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan administration threatened to do away with the very human rights they had fought to protect for twenty years prior, and [[ValuesResonance their songs were needed more than ever]]. The next fifteen years saw a handful of new albums, along with various all-star folk concerts, albums and television specials, with the trio’s songs [[StillGotIt just as socially aware as ever]]. The act’s final studio album, ‘'In These Times,'' appeared in 2006 and featured a cover of Mark Wills’ country hit “Don’t Laugh At Me,” which Yarrow would later use as the basis for a successful anti-bullying campaign.

[[caption-width-right:350:some caption text]]

The defining act of [[TheSixties the 1960s]] [[FolkMusic folk boom]], and one of the most important musical acts of the decade in general, ‘''Peter, Paul and Mary’'' were an act who not only popularized many of the greatest folk standards of the 20th century, but who’s music was a key element of the decade’s civil rights movement and continues to enjoy success and relevance to this day.

‘’This page is currently under construction.''

PP&M’s next record, '’Moving,'' featured undoubtably the group’s most beloved song, the children’s classic “Music/PuffTheMagicDragon.” It also established another of the group’s trademarks: covering lots and lots of Bob Dylan songs, arguably [[UrExample beginning the trend]] of Dylan’s biting social commentary [[CoveredUp finding greater success in more capable performers]] (read: people who’s voices didn’t sound like sandpaper on one’s ear). Their cover of “Blowin’ In The Wind” was not only a massive hit, reaching #2 on the charts, which [[ColbertBump brought Dylan into the mainstream]], but embodied the zeitgeist of political activism in 1960s America to a T as UsefulNotes/TheCivilRightsMovement was gaining momentum. The group would give a [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome career-defining performance]] of the song at the March on Washington, immediately following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legendary “I Have A Dream” speech.

The group became more directly politically active in the later part of the 60s, appearing at the White House on behalf of Senator Eugene McCarthy’s antiwar campaign (Yarrow would end up marrying McCarthy’s daughter shortly thereafter). McCarthy’s failure, which tragically, and eerily, conencidekd with the murders of both MLK and Robert F. Kennedy signaled the EndOfAnEra and the group took a hiatus in 1970 after [[MilestoneCelebration celebrating their ten-year anniversary]] with a GreatestHitsAlbum. All three would have modest solo careers.

Singer/comedian Noel “Paul” Stookey (b. December 30th, 1937) and vocalist Mary Travers (b. November 9th, 1936, d. September 16th, 2009) met on the nightclub circuit in SoHo in the early 1960s and began writing and performing songs together. They were later introduced to singer/songwriter Peter Yarrow ( b. May 31st, 1938), then a teaching assistant and occasional folk singer, by future Music/BobDylan manager Albert Grossman when Yarrow appeared on a PBS special about folk music. Grossman suggested they form a “folk supergroup” as a SpiritualSuccessor to the late 40s folk boom started by the liked of The Kingston Trio and Pete Seeger and had given way to a wave of “pop folk” in the last few years. Yarrow agreed and, after Stookey decided to [[StageName go by his middle name of Paul]], [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal Peter, Paul]] and Mary was born.