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.
Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got to thinking it over what I had missed.
I got me a girl, I kissed her and then
Oh lord, I kissed her again.
Chorus:
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine,
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine
I asked her to marry and be my sweet wife,
And we would be so happy the rest of our lives.
I begged and I pleaded like a natural man,
And then, oh lord, she gave me her hand.
(chorus)
I worked mighty hard and so did my wife,
Workin' hand in hand to make a good life.
With corn in the field and wheat in the bins,
I was, oh lord, the father of twins.
(chorus)
Our children they numbered just about four,
They all had sweethearts knockin' at the door.
They all got married and they didn't hesitate;
I was, oh lord, the grandmother of eight.
(chorus)
Now that we're old, and ready to go,
We get to thinkin' what happened a long time ago.
We had a lot of kids, trouble and pain,
But, oh lord, we'd do it again.
(chorus)
The song "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" by Peter Paul & Mary presents a nostalgic look back at a young love that turns into a long-lasting, productive partnership. The singer of the song starts by remembering his first kiss and then proposing to his beloved. They work hard together on a farm, and despite their struggles, they raise four children who soon marry and make them grandparents. The couple reflects on their lives and realizes that they wouldn't want it any other way, despite the challenges they faced. The chorus "Oh, kisses sweeter than wine" serves as a refrain to emphasize the deep affection the couple had for each other.
The song is a celebration of enduring love that goes beyond physical attraction. The narrative structure of the song is linear, following the singer's life from youth to old age, serving as a reflection on the passing of time and the meaning of love. The lyrics can be interpreted as a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, as the couple overcame difficulties such as hard labor, raising children, and financial struggles. The song's simplicity and catchy chorus have made it an enduring classic, a timeless tribute to love and the joys of family.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a young man and never been kissed
As a young man who had never been kissed before, I started to ponder what I was missing out on.
I got to thinking it over what I had missed.
I thought long and hard about all of the experiences I had never had before.
I got me a girl, I kissed her and then
I found myself a lovely lady and kissed her once, and then again.
Oh lord, I kissed her again.
I enjoyed kissing her so much, I couldn't help myself but to do it again.
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine,
Kissing my lady was so enjoyable that it was like sipping on the sweetest wine.
I asked her to marry and be my sweet wife,
I asked her to marry me and be my soulmate for life.
And we would be so happy the rest of our lives.
I promised her that we would live a happy, joyous life together forever more.
I begged and I pleaded like a natural man,
I made a heartfelt plea to her like any man in love would do.
And then, oh lord, she gave me her hand.
After much wooing, she finally accepted my offer of marriage.
I worked mighty hard and so did my wife,
Both my wife and I worked extremely hard to make a good life for ourselves.
Workin' hand in hand to make a good life.
We worked together, side by side, to build a life we could be proud of.
With corn in the field and wheat in the bins,
Our hard work paid off with a bountiful harvest of corn and wheat.
I was, oh lord, the father of twins.
We were blessed with the birth of twins, for which I was eternally grateful.
Our children they numbered just about four,
Over time, we had four children, each of them unique and loved in their own way.
They all had sweethearts knockin' at the door.
Our children all found love and companionship in their own lives.
They all got married and they didn't hesitate;
Each of our children fell in love and got married without any delay.
I was, oh lord, the grandmother of eight.
Our family continued to grow, and I was blessed with the arrival of eight grandchildren.
Now that we're old, and ready to go,
As we reach the end of our lives, we reflect on all that we have experienced.
We get to thinkin' what happened a long time ago.
As we look back on our lives, we can't help but wonder where all the years have gone.
We had a lot of kids, trouble and pain,
We had our fair share of difficulties and heartaches, especially in raising our children.
But, oh lord, we'd do it again.
Despite all of the struggles we faced, we wouldn't change a thing, because everything led us to where we are today.
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine,
Throughout every stage of our lives, we always remember the sweet, intoxicating feeling of our early kisses and enduring love.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music
Written by: FRED HELLERMAN, HUDDIE LEDBETTER, LEE HAYS, PETE SEEGER, RONNIE GILBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Luka Morić
When I was a young man and never been kissed
I got to thinking it over what I had missed.
I got me a girl, I kissed her and then
Oh Lord, I kissed her again.
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine,
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine
I asked her to marry and be my sweet wife,
And we would be so happy the rest of our lives.
I begged and I pleaded like a natural man,
And then, Oh Lord, she gave me her hand.
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine,
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine
I worked mighty hard and so did my wife,
Workin' hand in hand to make a good life.
With corn in the field and wheat in the bins,
I was, Oh Lord, the father of twins.
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine,
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine
Our children they numbered just about four,
They all had sweethearts knockin' at the door.
They all got married and they didn't hesitate;
I was, Oh Lord, the grandmother of eight.
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine,
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine
Now that we're old, and ready to go,
We get to thinkin' what happened a long time ago.
We had a lot of kids, trouble and pain,
But, Oh Lord, We'd do it again.
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine,
Oh, kisses sweeter than wine
Natty Ice
My dad used to sing this song to my sister and I every night before we went to bed. I love this song so much, especially the Peter, Paul & Mary version!
bethany3844
Beautiful harmonies. This version really brings out the melancholy of the song.
Mike Sable
This is the best version of this song. I wish Peter, Paul and Mary could be rediscovered. Just fabulous.
Vilmos Tóth
This song was sung on our wedding. Both are immortal.
Adam Stokke
This is just sublime.
Tina Jones
We were so lucky to have them in our lives!
smartalek180
The Weavers / Pete Seeger version is the first I knew (and maybe the original?). But the harmonies that it seems only PP&M can bring take it to, as the kidz might say, a whole 'nother level. Thank you so much, SpaceO, for sharing it here. [discreetly wipes away tear; musta strained my eye a bit staring at that beautiful Klimt]
dandy7989
beautiful ! I always loved this song.
Celtic SkyWoman
The BEST version of this beautiful song...
Cesar Gracie
Wonderful song ,i love it!