The group was created by manager Albert Grossman, who sought to create a folk "supergroup" by bringing together "a tall blonde (Travers), a funny guy (Stookey), and a good looking guy (Yarrow)." He launched the group in 1961, booking them into the Bitter End, a coffee house in New York City's Greenwich Village that was a favorite place to hear folk artists.
The group recorded their first album, Peter, Paul and Mary, the following year. It included "500 Miles," "Lemon Tree","Where Have All the Flowers Gone," and the hit Pete Seeger tune "If I Had a Hammer," ("The Hammer Song"). The album was listed on Billboard Magazine Top Ten list for ten months and in the Top One Hundred for over three years.
By 1963 they had recorded three albums; released the now-famous song "Puff the Magic Dragon", which Yarrow and fellow Cornell student Leonard Lipton originally wrote in 1959 and was on the charts in 1963; and performed "If I Had a Hammer" at the 1963 March on Washington, best remembered for Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. Their biggest single hit came with the Bob Dylan song, "Blowin' in the Wind," which was an international #1 hit. It was the fastest selling single ever cut by Warner Brothers Records. For many years after, the group was at the forefront of the civil rights movement and other causes promoting social justice. Their later hit "Leaving on a Jet Plane" was actually written by the then unknown John Denver.
The trio broke up in 1970 to pursue separate solo careers, but found little of the success they did as a group, although Stookey's "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)" (written for Yarrow's marriage to Marybeth McCarthy, the niece of senator Eugene McCarthy) was a hit and has become a wedding standard since its 1971 release.
In 1978, they reunited for a concert to protest nuclear energy, and have recorded albums together and toured since. They currently play around 25 shows a year.[1]
The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.
In 2005, Travers was diagnosed with leukemia, leading to the cancellation of the remaining tour dates for that year. She received a bone marrow transplant and She and the rest of the trio resumed their concert tour on December 9, 2005 with a holiday performance at Carnegie Hall and were scheduled for several additional concerts in 2006.Sadly she passed away in Sept 2009.
Peter, Paul and Mary received in 2006 the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievment Award from Songwriters Hall of Fame.
All My Trials
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had a little book was given to me
And every page spelled Liberty
All my trials Lord, soon be over
If religion were a thing that money could buy
The rich would live and the poor would die
Too late my brothers, too late, but never mind
All my trials Lord, soon be over
There is a tree in Paradise
The Pilgrims call it "The Tree Of Life"
All my trials Lord, soon be over
Too late my brothers, too late, but never mind
All my trials Lord, soon be over
All my trials Lord, soon be over
The song "All My Trials" by Peter Paul & Mary is a poignant ballad about the struggle for freedom and equality. The lyrics speak to the hardships faced by the marginalized and oppressed, offering hope that one day, their trials will be over.
The first stanza speaks of a book the singer was given which spelled out the word "liberty" on every page. The book symbolizes the hope and inspiration that freedom brings. The refrain, "All my trials Lord, soon be over," reassures the listener that the hardships they face in their struggle for freedom will come to an end.
The next stanza makes a bold statement about the relationship between religion and wealth. If religion could be bought with money, the rich would have access to it, while the poor would be left destitute. This line highlights the corrupting influence of wealth and power on religion, and reminds us that true faith cannot be bought or sold.
The final two stanzas of the song speak of a tree in Paradise, called "The Tree of Life" by the Pilgrims. This tree symbolizes the promise of eternal life and the hope of a better future. The refrain, "All my trials Lord, soon be over," is repeated, driving home the message that no matter what struggles we face in this life, there is always hope on the horizon.
Overall, "All My Trials" is a powerful song about the struggle for freedom, equality, and a better future. The lyrics offer a message of hope and resilience in the face of adversity, reminding us that no matter how long the journey may be, all trials will eventually come to an end.
Line by Line Meaning
All my trials Lord, soon be over
The hardships in my life will soon come to an end
I had a little book was given to me And every page spelled Liberty
I received a book that showed me that freedom is possible
If religion were a thing that money could buy The rich would live and the poor would die
In a world where religion could be purchased, only the wealthy would survive while the poor would suffer
Too late my brothers, too late, but never mind
Although it may be too late, it's still worth striving for a better future
There is a tree in Paradise The Pilgrims call it "The Tree Of Life"
In Paradise, there is a tree that provides eternal life
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MILTON T. OKUN, NOEL PAUL STOOKEY, PETER YARROW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@davidphelps7763
My mother, three weeks from her 96 birthday, passed on to Glory last Sunday.. I am spending much time in refection and the joy that I was raised ad a child of faith.. Sitting here thinking of her upcoming funeral, I thought of this song.. The lady two weeks of hospice and I have never seen anyone die a natural death.. She died peacefully and beautifully waiting for the angels to escort her to the glory of our Savior..
@judithstafford9907
GodBlessYou 🕊
@salleyswett8272
This song just randomly came to mind this morning. I love technology that allows me to call up a tune when I need to hear it. Beautiful.
@mytexasdays1526
Ditto.
@Tonetwisters
As a musician of 57 years, I feel qualified to say that music needs at least two components: contrast and feeling. Mary sings this with about as much feeling as I have ever heard in a song. Didn't take long for tears to flow on this one. Of course, the message is spot on. Time is running out. Choose Life. Choose Jesus. NOW. While you still can.
@3345646
They must have tuned the guitars without a reference tone. Back then they didn’t have portable tuners. The audio is good.
@judithstafford9907
GodBlessYou 🕊
@jamesschiavo5507
A beautiful song by one of the great musical trios of the 20th century. In relation to eternity, all my trials will soon be over. God's gift of eternal life, which cannot be purchased or earned can be enjoyed even in trials.
@salhaddad5
Actually, thought to be originally a gospel song from before the civil war, which somehow made to the Bahamas where it lived as a lullaby until making it way back to the US something in the 50’s when it was recorded by Bob Gibson in @ 1956. And, of course, by many artists of many genres since.
@mrsmagloo
I love this song. It is so sad and yet so uplifting at the same time. Mary's voice is sublime.