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.
It Ain't Me Babe
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
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I'm not the one you want, babe, I'm not the one you need
You say you're lookin' for someone who's never weak but always strong
To protect you and defend you, whether you are right or wrong
Someone to open each and every door
But it ain't me, babe, no, no, no
It ain't me, babe, it ain't me you're looking for
Go lightly from the ledge, babe, go lightly on the ground
I'm not the one you want, babe, I'd only let you down
You say you're lookin' for someone who will promise never to part
Someome to close his eyes for you, someone to close his heart
Someone to die for you and more
But it ain't me, babe, no, no, no
It ain't me, babe, it ain't me you're looking for
Go melt back in the night, babe, 'cause everything inside is made of stone
There's nothin' in here moving and anyway I'm not alone
You say you're lookin' for someone to pick you up each time you fall
To gather flowers constantly and to come each time you call
A lover for your life and nothing more
But it ain't me, babe, no, no, no
It ain't me, babe, no, no, no
It ain't me, babe, it ain't me you're looking for
Oh, it ain't me, babe, no, no, no
It ain't me, babe, it ain't me you're looking for, babe
In Peter Paul & Mary's song "It Ain't Me Babe," the lyrics are directed towards someone who is looking for a specific type of person to be in their life. The singer in the song is telling this person that they are not the one they want or need, despite the person's belief that they are. The singer goes on to reject the idea that they could be the person the other is looking for, emphasizing the singer's lack of qualities such as strength, loyalty, and love. The song concludes with the singer repeating the phrase "it ain't me, babe" to make it clear that they are not the person the other is looking for.
The lyrics of "It Ain't Me Babe" reflect the common theme of rejection found in many of Bob Dylan's songs. The song was originally written and recorded by Dylan in 1964 and later covered by Peter Paul & Mary in 1965. It became a hit for the folk group, earning them a Grammy nomination. The lyrics have since become an anthem for those who wish to reject others' expectations of them, emphasizing the importance of being true to oneself rather than conforming to others' desires.
Line by Line Meaning
Go away from my window, leave at your own chosen speed
Please leave my property and my life of your own accord and at the pace of your choosing.
I'm not the one you want, babe, I'm not the one you need
I am not the person suitable for your love and companionship even if you think you do.
You say you're lookin' for someone who's never weak but always strong
To protect you and defend you, whether you are right or wrong
Someone to open each and every door
You claim you are in search of someone who is consistently stalwart and is there to defend and safeguard you, even when you are not right, and to be your rescuer in all situations.
But it ain't me, babe, no, no, no
It ain't me, babe, it ain't me you're looking for
I am afraid I am not that someone for you even though you may wish I were.
Go lightly from the ledge, babe, go lightly on the ground
I'm not the one you want, babe, I'd only let you down
Please step down safely and carefully from the high place you are on, I am not the right person for you, and I may disappoint and hurt you.
You say you're lookin' for someone who will promise never to part
Someome to close his eyes for you, someone to close his heart
Someone to die for you and more
You are looking for someone who is ready to make a lifetime commitment to you, is self-sacrificing and protective of your welfare and your love.
Go melt back in the night, babe, 'cause everything inside is made of stone
There's nothin' in here moving and anyway I'm not alone
Please retreat to the darkness of the night since I cannot give you what you are looking for, I am not emotionally expressive, and yet there are other people around me.
You say you're lookin' for someone to pick you up each time you fall
To gather flowers constantly and to come each time you call
A lover for your life and nothing more
You want someone who can embrace your flaws and be your caregiver, the one who brings you joy and comes when you beckon.
Oh, it ain't me, babe, no, no, no
It ain't me, babe, it ain't me you're looking for, babe
I know I am not the right person for you no matter how much you try, and I must decline your offer.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind