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.
Too Much Of Nothing
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One man's temper might rise, while the other man's temper might freeze.
In the days of long confessions, we can not mock a soul
When there's too much of nothin', no one has control.
[Chorus]
Say hello to Valerie, say hello to Marion,
Send them all my salary, on the waters of oblivion.
Too much of nothin' can make a man abuse a king,
He can walk the streets and boast like most but he don't know a thing.
It's all been done before, it's all been written in the book.
But when it's too much of nothin', nobody should look.
[Chorus]
Too much of nothin' can turn a man into a liar
It can cause some man to sleep on nails, another man to eat fire.
Everybody's doin' somethin', I heard it in a dream
But when it's too much of nothin', it just makes a fella mean.
[Chorus]
Peter, Paul & Mary’s "Too Much of Nothing" is a song that tackles the idea of excess and its effects on human behavior. The central theme of the song is the notion that too much of anything can be harmful, and it can drive people to extremes. The opening verse introduces us to the idea that when people are faced with an excess of something, it can make them feel ill at ease. The second verse delves into the idea that too much of something can make people feel like they have lost control. The third verse speaks to how it can turn a man into a liar, sleep on nails or even eat fire.
The chorus is somewhat uplifting, as it switches from describing the negative aspects of excess to talking about sending money to two women, Valerie and Marion, on the waters of oblivion. This phrase refers to sending money out to sea as both women are unknown, which gives it a sense of positivity and hope, like starting fresh. The song implies that there is a sort of redemption or hopefulness in recognizing when one has too much of something.
Overall, “Too Much of Nothing” by Peter, Paul & Mary is a cautionary song that reminds us of the importance of moderation, and the need to recognize when we have too much of something.
Line by Line Meaning
Too much of nothin' can make a man feel ill at ease
When a man has an abundance of nothing to do, that can lead to restlessness and discomfort
One man's temper might rise, while the other man's temper might freeze.
Different people react differently to idleness: some may become angry, while others become apathetic
In the days of long confessions, we can not mock a soul
When people try to open up and share their feelings, it is important to listen with sincerity rather than to make fun of them
When there's too much of nothin', no one has control.
When there's nothing to do, there's no clear direction or purpose, leaving people feeling lost and directionless
Say hello to Valerie, say hello to Marion, Send them all my salary, on the waters of oblivion.
The artist acknowledges the futility of their actions and is willing to let go of anything and everything, giving it all up to the sea of oblivion
Too much of nothin' can make a man abuse a king
When a person is idle and has nothing to do, they may turn to lashing out and using their power or influence in negative ways
He can walk the streets and boast like most but he don't know a thing.
Even if someone appears confident and successful on the surface, deep down they may feel lost and uncertain about their direction in life
It's all been done before, it's all been written in the book.
Even if someone thinks they are being original, there are countless examples of similar situations and ideas that have come before
But when it's too much of nothin', nobody should look.
When there's nothing happening, there's no point in paying attention or trying to find meaning in it
Too much of nothin' can turn a man into a liar
Not having enough to occupy oneself can lead to deceiving others and telling lies to fill the void and appear more interesting
It can cause some man to sleep on nails, another man to eat fire.
The same lack of direction can manifest in different ways for different people, some turning to inflicting pain and others to enduring it
Everybody's doin' somethin', I heard it in a dream
The artist has a sense that there is always activity happening around them, even if they cannot see it or participate in it themselves
But when it's too much of nothin', it just makes a fella mean.
Too much idleness and nothingness can turn a person bitter and resentful, lashing out at others in frustration and boredom
[Chorus]
The repeated chorus emphasizes the idea that too much of nothing leads to meaninglessness and despair
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind