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.
The Fox
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Prayed for the moon to give him light
For he had many a mile to go that night
Before he reached the town-o, town-o, town-o,
Many a mile to go that night before he reached the town-o
He ran ′til he came to a great big pen
Where the ducks and the geese were kept therein
Before I leave this town-o, town-o, town-o,
A couple of you are gonna grease my chin before I leave this town-o!"
He grabbed the grey goose by the neck
Threw the ducks across his back
He didn't mind the "quack, quack, quack"
And the legs all danglin′ down-o, down-o, down-o,
He didn't mind the "quack, quack, quack" and the legs all danglin' down-o
Then old mother Flipper Flopper jumped out of bed
Out of the window she popped her head
Cryin′, "John, John, the grey goose is gone
And the fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o,
John! John! The grey goose is gone and the fox is on the town-o!"
Then John he ran to the top of the hill
Blew his horn both loud and shrill
The fox he said, "I better flee with my kill
For they′ll soon be on my trail-o, trail-o, trail-o,"
The fox he said, "I better flee with my kill for they'll soon be on my trail-o"
Well he ran til he came to his cozy den
There were his little ones, eight, nine, ten
Cryin′, "Daddy, daddy, better go back again
Cause it must be a mighty fine town-o, town-o, town-o,
Daddy, daddy, better go back again cause it must be a mighty fine town-o!"
Then the fox and his wife, without any strife
Cut up the goose with a carving knife
They never had such a supper in their life
And the little ones chewed on the bones-o, bones-o, bones-o,
They never had such a supper in their life and the little ones chewed on the bones-o!
The song "The Fox" is a traditional folk song that tells the story of a fox's journey through the night in search of food. The fox sets out on a chilly night and prays for the moon to give him light as he has many miles to go before he reaches the town. The journey leads the fox to a big pen where ducks and geese are kept. He proclaims that a couple of them will 'grease his chin' before he leaves town. The foxy thief proceeds to grab a grey goose by the neck and throws ducks across his back. Despite the commotion and noise, the fox manages to escape with his kill.
As the fox heads back to its cozy den, the farmer notices the missing bird and runs to the hilltop to sound the alarm with his horn. The fox, realizing he is being followed, flees the scene with his kill while the farmer and his companions give chase. Although the fox is able to outsmart his pursuers, he is confronted at his den by his wife and children who ask him to go back to the town for more food.
The song contains a number of cultural and traditional elements, including the communal singing of work songs and folktales, which were often used to pass down oral histories or teach valuable lessons through storytelling. The lyrics depict a classic example of a fox preying on unsuspecting animals, they also speak to the risks involved in venturing out into the world alone, and the need to be resourceful and clever in the face of danger.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the fox went out on a chilly night
The fox ventured out into a cold night.
Prayed for the moon to give him light
The fox hoped for the moon's light to guide him.
For he had many a mile to go that night
The fox had a long journey ahead.
Before he reached the town-o, town-o, town-o,
He needed to reach his destination.
Many a mile to go that night before he reached the town-o
The fox had a considerable distance to cover before he could reach his destination.
He ran ′til he came to a great big pen
The fox scampered until it reached a large pen.
Where the ducks and the geese were kept therein
The pen housed ducks and geese.
He said, "A couple of you are gonna grease my chin
The fox threatened some of the birds.
Before I leave this town-o, town-o, town-o,
Before he left the area.
A couple of you are gonna grease my chin before I leave this town-o!"
He demanded that some birds surrender to him.
He grabbed the grey goose by the neck
The fox caught the gray goose by the neck.
Threw the ducks across his back
The fox threw the ducks on his back.
He didn't mind the "quack, quack, quack"
The fox had no concern for the distressed ducks.
And the legs all danglin′ down-o, down-o, down-o,
The ducks' legs hung down as they hung on his back.
Then old mother Flipper Flopper jumped out of bed
Someone in the town woke from sleep.
Out of the window she popped her head
The townsperson stuck their head out of the window.
Cryin′, "John, John, the grey goose is gone
She called out to John, informing him of the goose theft.
And the fox is on the town-o, town-o, town-o,
The fox was loose in the area.
John! John! The grey goose is gone and the fox is on the town-o!"
She repeated the information to alert John.
Then John he ran to the top of the hill
John rushed to a hilltop.
Blew his horn both loud and shrill
John made a loud noise with his horn.
The fox he said, "I better flee with my kill
The fox realized he needed to escape with his prey.
For they′ll soon be on my trail-o, trail-o, trail-o,"
He worried that others would pursue him.
The fox he said, "I better flee with my kill for they'll soon be on my trail-o
The fox felt the need to escape because of the forthcoming pursuit.
Well he ran til he came to his cozy den
The fox ran to his comfortable den.
There were his little ones, eight, nine, ten
The fox found his children in the den.
Cryin′, "Daddy, daddy, better go back again
The young foxes begged their father to go back.
Cause it must be a mighty fine town-o, town-o, town-o,
They thought the intended destination must be wonderful.
Daddy, daddy, better go back again cause it must be a mighty fine town-o!"
The little foxes insisted he go back.
Then the fox and his wife, without any strife
The fox and his wife cut the goose without argument.
Cut up the goose with a carving knife
The fox hacked the goose into pieces.
They never had such a supper in their life
The fox family enjoyed an unprecedented feast.
And the little ones chewed on the bones-o, bones-o, bones-o,
Even the young foxes ate the bones.
They never had such a supper in their life and the little ones chewed on the bones-o!
The fox family had an exceptional meal while even the young ones enjoyed it.
Writer(s): Pd Traditional, J Baird
Contributed by Elijah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.