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.
For the Love of It All
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The oceans heaved, the mountains were cleaved
The firmament stormed
At the center of being, immensely small
Was the master of now, don't ask me how
The Love of it all
And the seasons were many
And there on a tree (deceptively free)
A forbidden fruit
Upon leaving the garden, after the fall
One thing was clear; we chose not to hear
The love of it all
But for the love of it all
I would go anywhere
To the ends of the earth
What is it worth if Love would be there?
Walking the thin line between fear and the call
One learns to bend and finally depend
On the love of it all
"Irresistible targets"
I heard someone say
They were speaking of angels
Who are so courageous day after day
Gunned down on a highway (as we often recall)
I hear a scream; I have a dream
The love of it all
Still the world is in labor
She groans in travail
She cries with the eagle, the dolphin
She sighs in the song of the whale
While the heart of her people
Prays at the wall
A spirit inside is preparing a bride
For the love of it all
For the love of it all
Like the stars and the sun
We are hearts on the rise
Separate eyes with the vision of one
No valley too deep, no mountain too tall
We can turn back the night with merely the light
From the love of it all
And so we are marching to 'to give peace a chance'
Brother and sister as one in this mystery dance
Long ago on a hilltop where now the curious crawl
A man on a cross paid the ultimate cost
For the love of it all
For the love of it all
We are
united in song
A symphony of souls
We're all One, we belong
In the depths of our hearts, we can hear the call
To rise up above and be wrapped in the love
Of it all
The lyrics of Peter, Paul & Mary's song For the Love of It All describe the beginning of life and creation, as well as the human experience of choice and love. The song starts by painting a picture of the origins of life, describing the tumultuous formation of the world and the "master of now" that existed at its center. It then transitions to the fall of humanity from grace, represented by the story of Adam and Eve and the choice to eat the forbidden fruit. Despite this fall, the lyrics emphasize the power of love and the willingness to go anywhere and endure anything for the sake of it. The song also acknowledges the suffering and pain of the world, including the loss of angels and the groaning of the earth as it longs to be restored to its intended state. Despite this, the lyrics offer hope for a brighter future, one in which love ultimately triumphs over fear and division.
Line by Line Meaning
In the beginning, as life became form
As life was forming, the world was changing and taking shape
The oceans heaved, the mountains were cleaved
The earth was rocky and wild with moving tides and erupting land
The firmament stormed
The sky was dark and dangerous with storm clouds brewing
At the center of being, immensely small
Despite how vast the universe may seem, everything is connected and comes from a small source
Was the master of now, don't ask me how
There is a force that controls the present moment, but it is beyond explanation
The Love of it all
This force is called love and it is what binds everything together
And the seasons were many
As the world evolved, different weather patterns emerged and seasons changed
Creation was new
The earth was still fresh and new
And there on a tree (deceptively free)
A forbidden fruit hung from a tree
A forbidden fruit
Eve ate the fruit and thus disobeyed God's wishes
Upon leaving the garden, after the fall
Eve and Adam were then banished from the Garden of Eden
One thing was clear; we chose not to hear
Despite what God told them, they chose to follow their own free will
But for the love of it all
Despite humanity's mistakes, there is still love in the world
I would go anywhere
Love is worth everything and anything
To the ends of the earth
No distance is too far to find love
What is it worth if Love would be there?
Love is invaluable and priceless
Walking the thin line between fear and the call
It takes courage to pursue love in the face of fear
One learns to bend and finally depend
Through experience, one learns to be flexible and rely on love
On the love of it all
Love is what sustains us through difficult times
"Irresistible targets"
Some say that even angels can be taken down
I heard someone say
This is a common belief among people
They were speaking of angels
Angels are revered for their bravery and strength
Who are so courageous day after day
They constantly face challenges but do not falter
Gunned down on a highway (as we often recall)
Sometimes even the most heroic can fall victim to violence
I hear a scream; I have a dream
It is a haunting reminder that we must strive for peace in this world
The love of it all
Love is the driving force behind peace
Still the world is in labor
The world is still changing and evolving
She groans in travail
The world is not without its pain and hardships
She cries with the eagle, the dolphin
The world is also beautiful and full of wonder
She sighs in the song of the whale
Nature is full of its own music and sounds
While the heart of her people
The world's inhabitants
Prays at the wall
Still have faith and hope in the face of adversity
A spirit inside is preparing a bride
The world is constantly changing and preparing for something new and better
For the love of it all
Love is at the heart of this transformation
Like the stars and the sun
Humans are small but part of a grander cosmic scheme
We are hearts on the rise
Our hearts yearn for progress and growth
Separate eyes with the vision of one
Despite our differences, we all strive for the same things
No valley too deep, no mountain too tall
With love and determination, we can overcome any obstacle
We can turn back the night with merely the light
Love has a power that can brighten even the darkest moments
From the love of it all
This is why love is so important and worth fighting for
And so we are marching to 'to give peace a chance'
We are still fighting for peace even when it seems impossible
Brother and sister as one in this mystery dance
Despite our differences, we are all part of the same human family
Long ago on a hilltop where now the curious crawl
The ultimate sacrifice was made on a hill, where now people come to witness its historic significance
A man on a cross paid the ultimate cost
Jesus died for humanity's sins
For the love of it all
This ultimate act of love is why we should strive for peace and understanding
For the love of it all
Love should be at the center of all our actions and pursuits
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NOEL PAUL STOOKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind