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.
Old Coat
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Life is a hard road to travel, I believe.
I look to the east, I look to the west,
A youth asking fate to be rewardin'.
But fortune is a blind god, flying through the clouds,
and forgettin' me on this side of Jordan.
Life is a hard road to travel, I believe.
Silver spoons to some mouths, golden spoons to others,
Dare a man to change the given order.
Though they smile and tell us all of us are brothers,
never was it true this side of Jordan.
Take off your old coat and roll up your sleeves,
Life is a hard road to travel, I believe.
Like some ragged owlet with its wings expanded,
Nailed to some garden gate or boardin'.
Thus will I by some men all my life be branded
Never hurted none this side of Jordan.
Take off your old coat and roll up your sleeves,
Life is a hard road to travel, I believe
The song "Old Coat" by Peter, Paul, and Mary is a poignant reflection on the struggles of life and the inevitability of hardship. The lyrics advise the listener to take off their old coat and roll up their sleeves, indicating that effort is required to weather the difficulties of the road ahead. The singer looks both east and west, hoping that fate will be kind to him, but recognizes that fortune is fickle, leaving some behind while lifting others up. The phrase "this side of Jordan" refers to the river that marked the eastern border of Israel, symbolizing the idea that some people are simply born onto the wrong side of life's divides.
The second stanza of the song speaks to the inherent inequality of the world, where some are born with silver or golden spoons in their mouths while others struggle in poverty. The song acknowledges the idealistic notion that all people are brothers, yet notes the harsh reality that such equality never seems to exist "this side of Jordan." The final stanza continues this theme, comparing the singer to a "ragged owlet" pinned to a gate or board, unable to escape the narrowness of others' opinions. The singer bemoans that he has never hurt anyone, yet he still faces persecution and is unable to shake the stigma that comes with his station in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Take off your old coat and roll up your sleeves,
Prepare yourself for the hard work ahead, life is not easy.
Life is a hard road to travel, I believe.
Life is a difficult journey, and it takes courage and perseverance to make it through.
I look to the east, I look to the west,
I search for hope and opportunity in all directions.
A youth asking fate to be rewardin'.
As a young person, I have high hopes for the future and believe that hard work will be rewarded.
But fortune is a blind god, flying through the clouds,
Luck is unpredictable and doesn't always favor those who deserve it.
and forgettin' me on this side of Jordan.
I feel left behind and forgotten on this side of the river Jordan, a symbol of being stuck in a difficult situation.
Silver spoons to some mouths, golden spoons to others,
Some people are born into wealth and privilege, while others struggle to make ends meet.
Dare a man to change the given order.
It takes great courage to challenge the existing power structure and strive for a more just society.
Though they smile and tell us all of us are brothers,
Despite claims of equality, the reality is that not all people are treated equally or fairly.
never was it true this side of Jordan.
In this difficult situation, equality and fairness seem like distant and unattainable ideals.
Like some ragged owlet with its wings expanded,
Like a helpless creature struggling to survive, I am doing my best to navigate through life.
Nailed to some garden gate or boardin'.
Trapped in a difficult situation, unable to break free and move forward.
Thus will I by some men all my life be branded
I fear that I will always be judged and labeled by others because of my circumstances.
Never hurted none this side of Jordan.
Despite my struggles, I have done nothing wrong and don't deserve to be judged or punished for my situation.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ELENA MEZZETTI, MARY ALLIN TRAVERS, NOEL PAUL STOOKEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind