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.
I dig Rock And Roll Music
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I love to get the chance to play (and sing it)
I figure it's about the happiest sound goin' down today
The message may not move me
Or mean a great deal to me
But hey! It feels so groovy to say
I dig the Mamas and the Papas at "the trip"
And they got a good thing goin'
When the words don't get in the way
And when they're really wailing
Michelle and Cass are sailin'
Hey! they really nail me to the wall
Donovan kind of in a dream-like, tripped out way
His crystal images tell you 'bout a brighter day
And when the Beatles tell you
They've got a word "love" to sell you
They mean exactly what they say
I dig rock and roll music
I could really get it on in that scene.
I think I could say somethin' if you know what I mean
But if I really say it, the radio won't play it
Unless I lay it between the lines
Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa
Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa
Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa
The lyrics to "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" by Peter, Paul & Mary speak to the joy and exuberance that rock and roll music can bring. The singer loves playing and singing rock and roll because of how happy it makes them feel. The song pays tribute to some of the great rock and roll musicians and bands of the time, including The Mamas and The Papas, Donovan, and The Beatles. The singer highlights certain qualities that they appreciate in these artists, such as the lyrical simplicity of The Mamas and The Papas and the dreamlike quality of Donovan's music.
The line "But if I really say it, the radio won't play it / Unless I lay it between the lines" speaks to the censorship and conservatism of the time, when some radio stations would ban songs they deemed too risqué or controversial. The singer acknowledges that they can't simply say whatever they want in their music without risking the ire of radio censors. Despite this, rock and roll music is still incredibly important to the singer, and they feel that it represents a happy, joyful sound that is unmatched by anything else on the radio.
Line by Line Meaning
I dig rock and roll music
I love rock and roll music.
And I love to get the chance to play (and sing it)
I enjoy playing and singing rock and roll music.
I figure it's about the happiest sound goin' down today
Rock and roll music is the happiest sound around today.
The message may not move me
The lyrics of the music may not have a strong effect on me.
Or mean a great deal to me
The song's meaning may not be significant to me.
But hey! It feels so groovy to say
But it feels good to listen to and sing along with the music.
I dig the Mamas and the Papas at "the trip"
I really like The Mamas and The Papas, especially when they perform at "the trip" (possibly referring to the club Troubadour in LA).
Sunset strip in L.A.
The Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, California, where many famous rock and roll clubs and venues are located.
And they got a good thing goin'
The Mamas and The Papas have something special about the way they perform and create music.
When the words don't get in the way
Their music is especially enjoyable when the lyrics don't overpower the music.
And when they're really wailing
Their performance is especially powerful and impressive when they are "really wailing" or playing intensely.
Michelle and Cass are sailin'
The voices of Michelle Phillips and Cass Elliot (members of The Mamas and The Papas) are soaring and impressive.
Hey! they really nail me to the wall
Their performance is so good it "nails me to the wall" or captivates and impresses me.
Donovan kind of in a dream-like, tripped out way
Donovan's music often has a dream-like, trippy quality.
His crystal images tell you 'bout a brighter day
The imagery in his lyrics suggest a more positive and bright future.
And when the Beatles tell you
When The Beatles sing about
They've got a word "love" to sell you
Their music promotes the idea of love.
They mean exactly what they say
The Beatles truly believe in the message of love they promote in their music.
I dig rock and roll music
I love rock and roll music.
I could really get it on in that scene.
I really enjoy the atmosphere of the rock and roll music scene.
I think I could say somethin' if you know what I mean
I feel like I have something to contribute to the rock and roll music scene or culture.
But if I really say it, the radio won't play it
If I were to express my true thoughts and feelings in my music, it might not get played on the radio.
Unless I lay it between the lines
I would need to subtly convey my message within the lyrics in order for it to be accepted by the mainstream audience.
Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa
The repetition of these syllables doesn't have a concrete meaning, but rather adds to the overall rhythm and groove of the song.
Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa
The repetition of these syllables doesn't have a concrete meaning, but rather adds to the overall rhythm and groove of the song.
Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa
The repetition of these syllables doesn't have a concrete meaning, but rather adds to the overall rhythm and groove of the song.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE DIXON, JAMES MASON, NOEL PAUL STOOKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Pro1er
A masterpiece of both lyrics and music as is Creeque Alley by the Mamas & The Papas. They don't write songs like that anymore.
@MikeJones-rk1un
MSM censorship. Don't tell the truth whatever you do.
@klaytonvonkluge4905
Amazing music and time;
Mary T.'s enthusiasm and stage presence are positively infectious!
@bpabustan
Mary is the rocker of the three hehehehehe
@Milesco
@bpabustan : Well, she was the only one without an instrument, so she was more able to move around freely. But we like Mary. :-)
@paulwagner688
Especially considering her almost paralyzing stage fright. Why do you think her hands were always clenched in fists?
@jean-pierrejipi5720
Excellent
@angelicwolf909
Happiness is when you belt out music in front of a live audience for the very first time and you know, and they know, you not only have a hit ... but a masterpiece that will be iconic for decades.
@KellysClassics
I hear that...the music I grew up with in the 60s in Saskatchewan will always be w me...including P, P & Mary
@NKEEFE54
I miss going to their shows. They were always like you were sitting with them and everyone was singing together. I miss Mary so much but have been able to see both Paul and Peter since her passing. Great timeless music, it is still as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.