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.
Garden Song
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
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All it takes is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row, someone bless these seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below 'til the rain comes tumbling down
Pullin' weeds and pickin' stones, we are made of dreams and bones
I feel the need to grow my own 'cause the time is close at hand
Grain for grain, sun and rain, I'll find my way in nature's chain
Inch by inch, row by row, I'm gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row, someone bless these seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below 'til the rain comes tumbling down
So plant your rows straight and long, temper them with prayer and song
Mother earth can keep you strong if you give her love and care
Now an old crow watching hungrily from his perch in yonder tree
In my garden I'm as free as that feathered thief up there
Inch by inch, row by row, I'm gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row, someone bless these seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below 'til the rain comes tumbling
Inch by inch, row by row, someone bless these seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below 'til the rain comes tumbling down
The lyrics to Peter, Paul & Mary's "Garden Song" convey a deep appreciation and reverence for nature and the process of cultivating life. The songwriter vows to create a beautiful garden by taking small steps towards its fruition, "inch by inch, row by row." With just basic tools like a rake and a hoe, and a piece of fertile ground, the garden will thrive. The songwriter asks someone to bless the seeds that they sow and warm them from below until the rain comes tumbling down. The act of gardening is used metaphorically as a symbol of spiritual growth and progress that can be achieved through small, focused efforts.
The following verses emphasize the importance of persevering through challenging moments when there are obstacles in the way. The songwriter is aware of their own vulnerability, made of "dreams and bones," and feels the need to grow their own garden as the time is near. They will find their place in nature's chain through grain for grain, sun and rain, tuning their body and brain to the music of the land. Finally, they urge the listener to "plant [their] rows straight and long" and to "temper them with prayer and song." Giving care to Mother Earth will keep people strong, as they are reminded by an old crow watching hungrily nearby.
In summary, the "Garden Song" encourages the listener to take action and create something beautiful, whether it be a garden or a metaphorical representation of spiritual development. The lyrics emphasize the importance of perseverance through difficulties, and the need for care and attention to achieve the desired outcome. It is both a grounded and uplifting ode to the joys of gardening and life's journey as a whole.
Line by Line Meaning
Inch by inch, row by row, I'm gonna make this garden grow
I will slowly and steadily work on my garden, taking one step at a time to make it flourish
All it takes is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground
With basic tools and good soil, I can create a garden
Inch by inch, row by row, someone bless these seeds I sow
I ask for the blessing of someone or something greater as I plant these seeds
Someone warm them from below 'til the rain comes tumbling down
I hope that someone, perhaps the sun or the Earth, will help the seeds germinate before the rain arrives
Pullin' weeds and pickin' stones, we are made of dreams and bones
By clearing out obstacles and difficulties, we can create something beautiful and lasting
I feel the need to grow my own 'cause the time is close at hand
As the world becomes more uncertain, it is important for me to cultivate my own food and resources
Grain for grain, sun and rain, I'll find my way in nature's chain
By participating in the natural world, the cycle of life and growth, I feel connected and balanced
I tune my body and my brain to the music of the land
Gardening helps me find harmony between my physical and mental selves, and teaches me to listen to the rhythms of nature
So plant your rows straight and long, temper them with prayer and song
To create a healthy garden, it is important to be deliberate and respectful, using prayer and music to infuse positive energy
Mother earth can keep you strong if you give her love and care
By nurturing the soil and showing gratitude to the Earth, we can draw from her strength and resilience
Now an old crow watching hungrily from his perch in yonder tree
Even in the midst of nature's beauty, there is competition and struggle for resources
In my garden I'm as free as that feathered thief up there
Despite the challenges, my garden is a place where I can find freedom and creativity, even in the midst of nature's chaos
Inch by inch, row by row, someone bless these seeds I sow
I ask for the blessing of someone or something greater as I continue to tend to my garden
Someone warm them from below 'til the rain comes tumbling do
I hope that someone or something greater will continue to guide and support my plants until they are fully grown
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID MALLETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind