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.
Come and Go With Me
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
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Come and go with me to that land
Come and go with me to that land
Where I'm bound
Come and go with me to that land
Come and go with me to that land
With me to that land where I'm bound.
There ain't no kneelin' in that land
There ain't no kneelin' in that land
Where I'm bound
There ain't no kneelin' in that land
There ain't no kneelin' in that land
Kneelin' in that land where I'm bound.
They'll be singin' in that land
Voices ringin' in that land.
They'll be freedom in that land
Where I'm bound
They'll be singin' in that land
They'll be singin' in that land
Freedom in that land where I'm bound
Well I'm gonna walk the streets of glory on that
Great day in the mornin'
I'm gonna walk the streets of glory on that
Great day in the mornin'
I'm gonna walk the streets of glory,
I'm gonna put on the shoes that's holy
I'm gonna walk the streets of glory, hallelu
Don't you want to hear the children singin' on that
Great day in the mornin'
Don't you want to hear the children singin' on that
Great day in the mornin'
Don't you want to hear all the children singin'
Big ol' bells a-ringin'
Don't you want to hear all the children singin', hallelu
Don't you want to stand in the line together on that
Great day in the mornin'
Don't you want to stand in the line together on that
Great day in the mornin'
Don't you want to stand in the line together,
Shake hands with one another
Don't you want to stand in the line together, hallelu
The song "Come and Go With Me" by Peter, Paul and Mary is a traditional gospel tune that speaks of a land of freedom and harmony to which the singer invites the listener. The repetition of the phrase "Come and go with me to that land" emphasizes the sense of invitation and inclusivity in the song's lyrics. "That land" refers to a spiritual place where there is no kneeling, reflecting a belief in equality and an end to oppression.
The use of the phrase "walk the streets of glory" refers to the idea that in the afterlife, believers will experience an existence in which they are free from the pains of the world and reside in a place of fulfillment and reward. The reference to "putting on the shoes that's holy" further represents the idea of being reborn into the spiritual realm, wherein all things are pure and free from corruption.
The mention of hearing children singing and bells ringing on that "Great day in the mornin'" highlights the joy that will be experienced by all in this land of freedom and equality. The repeated use of "hallelu" signifies a sense of praise and thanks to God for this spiritual awakening. The lines, "Don't you want to stand in the line together, shake hands with one another" puts emphasis on the notion of community and inclusiveness, perhaps appealing to the idea that all are united under the love of God.
Line by Line Meaning
Come and go with me to that land
Join me on a journey to a place of spiritual significance
Where I'm bound
The destination is predetermined and significant
There ain't no kneelin' in that land
There is freedom from the constraints of traditional religion
They'll be singin' in that land
The experience will be joyful and musical
Voices ringin' in that land
The sound of singing is pervasive and uplifting
They'll be freedom in that land
There is a sense of liberation from earthly concerns
Well I'm gonna walk the streets of glory on that Great day in the mornin'
I anticipate a transformative experience and a sense of accomplishment
I'm gonna put on the shoes that's holy
I will have prepared myself and will be ready for the experience
Don't you want to hear the children singin' on that Great day in the mornin'
The experience is inclusive and meant to be shared with all
Don't you want to hear all the children singin', hallelu
The singing is a celebration of life and joy
Don't you want to stand in the line together, Shake hands with one another
There is a sense of community and connection with others
Don't you want to stand in the line together, hallelu
The experience is communal and meant to be shared with others
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PETER HINDS, JEAN MAUNICK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind