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.
Very Last Day
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody gonna pray on the very last day
Oh when they hear that bell a-ring the world away
Everybody gonna pray to the heavens on the judgment day.
Well you can sing about the great king David
And you can preach about the wisdom of Saul
But the judgment falls on all mankind
All equal and the same
When the Lord He calls your name
Get ready, brother, for that day.
[Chorus]
Well one day soon all men will stand
His word will be heeded in all the land
Men shall know and men shall see,
We all are brothers and we all are free
Mankind was made of clay
Each of us in the very same way
Get ready, brother, for that day
[Chorus]
Oh well the law is given and the law is known,
A tale is told and the seed is sown,
From dust we came into dust we'll go,
You the know the Lord once told us so.
Each brother takes His hand,
Heed the meaning of the Lord's command
Get ready, brother, for that day.
[Chorus]
The lyrics of the song "Very Last Day" by Peter, Paul, and Mary are based on the biblical concept of the Judgment Day, conveying a message of unity and equality among all human beings, who will eventually face the same fate when the trumpet sounds. The chorus of the song repeats the idea that everyone will pray, regardless of their social status or beliefs, when the end of the world arrives.
The verses of the song focus on different aspects of this concept. The first verse mentions the famous figures of David and Saul and establishes that no one will be exempt from judgment, emphasizing that everyone is equal before the Lord. The second verse highlights the idea that someday soon all humans will acknowledge the Lord, leading to a sense of brotherhood and freedom. The last verse talks about the inevitability of death and the importance of following the Lord's command, suggesting that we should prepare ourselves for that final day.
The lyrics of "Very Last Day" encourage listeners to reflect on their actions and beliefs and prepare themselves for the afterlife, conveying the message of hope and unity. The song is a reminder that no matter what our differences may be, we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord, and we will all face the same judgment when the time comes.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody gonna pray on the very last day
On the Judgment Day, everyone will pray for salvation.
Oh when they hear that bell a-ring the world away
When the trumpet sounds signaling the end of the world.
Everybody gonna pray to the heavens on the judgment day.
On the Judgment Day, all people will pray to the heavens for mercy.
Well you can sing about the great king David
Talking about King David who was a great king in the Bible.
And you can preach about the wisdom of Saul
Talking about King Saul who was known for his wisdom in the Bible.
But the judgment falls on all mankind
The Judgment Day is for everyone, no matter the social status.
When the trumpet sounds the call.
The coming of Judgment Day will be signaled by the sound of a trumpet.
All equal and the same
We are all created equal and we are all the same in the eyes of God.
When the Lord He calls your name
When you are called by the Lord on Judgment Day.
Get ready, brother, for that day.
Be prepared for the coming of Judgment Day.
Well one day soon all men will stand
One day soon everyone will stand before God’s presence.
His word will be heeded in all the land
God's word shall be obeyed in all nations.
Men shall know and men shall see,
All people shall know and see the truth about God.
We all are brothers and we all are free
All people are brothers and should be free in the eyes of God.
Mankind was made of clay
God created humankind from clay according to the Bible.
Each of us in the very same way
We are all created in the same way and therefore equal.
Oh well the law is given and the law is known,
God’s laws have been given and are known to all people.
A tale is told and the seed is sown,
A story is shared so others can be enlightened.
From dust we came into dust we'll go,
God created humanity from dust and will take us back to dust when we die.
You the know the Lord once told us so.
This knowledge comes from the words of the Lord in the Bible.
Each brother takes His hand,
All people can hold the hand of God and be saved.
Heed the meaning of the Lord's command
Obeying the commands of the Lord as written in the Bible.
Get ready, brother, for that day.
Be prepared for the coming of Judgment Day.
[Chorus]
Refrain repeats the main message of the song.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NOEL PAUL STOOKEY, PETER YARROW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind