The group made its television debut in either 1961 or 1962 on a talk show hosted by Mike Wallace and Joyce Davidson, though neither audio nor video footage has yet been found. By 1963, Peter, Paul, and Mary had recorded three albums. All three were in the Top ten the week of President Kennedy's assassination.
That year, the group also released "Puff the Magic Dragon", which Yarrow and fellow Cornell student Leonard Lipton had written in 1959, 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. One of their biggest hit singles was the Bob Dylan song "Blowin' in the Wind. They also sang other Bob Dylan songs, such as: "The Times They Are a-Changin'"; "Don't Think Twice, it's Alright"; and "When the Ship Comes In".
"Leaving On A Jet Plane" became their only #1 hit (as well as their final Top 40 hit) in December 1969, and was written by John Denver (who already had some success with The Chad Mitchell Trio), and first appeared on their Album 1700 in 1967. "Day Is Done", a #21 hit in June 1969, was the last Hot 100 hit that the trio recorded.
The trio broke up in 1970 to pursue solo careers, but found little of the success which they had experienced 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 45 shows a year.[1]
The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.
The trio became political activists for their commitment to peace in Central America and for supporting musically and personally the peace and social justice movement in America. Their inveterate support for Israel distinguishes them from other major folk singing groups and implies a uniqueness of consideration and courage in their political choices. They were awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience on September 1, 1990.[2]
In 2004, Travers was diagnosed with leukemia, leading to the cancellation of the remaining tour dates for that year. She received a bone marrow transplant and is recovering. She and the rest of the trio resumed their concert tour on December 9, 2005 with a holiday performance at Carnegie Hall.
Peter, Paul, and Mary received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award from Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006.
The trio sang in Mitchell, South Dakota, for the George and Eleanor McGovern Library and Center for Leadership dedication concert on October 5, 2006.
The trio canceled several dates of their summer 2007 tour, as Mary took longer than expected to recover from back surgery and later had to undergo a second surgery, further postponing the tour.[1] They will make up at least one of the dates, at the Northfork Theatre (formerly Westbury Music Fair) in June 2008.
Early Mornin' Rain
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a dollar in my hand
And an aching in my heart
And my pockets full of sand
I'm a long way from home
And I missed my loved one so
In the early morning rain
Out on runway number nine
Big 707 set to go
But I'm out here on the grass
Where the pavement never grows
Well, the liquor tasted good
And the women all were fast
There she goes my friend
She's rolling down at last
Hear the mighty engine roar
See the silver wing on high
She's away and westward bound
Far above the clouds she?ll fly
Where the morning rain don't fall
And the sun always shines
She?ll be flying over my home
In about three hours time
This old airport's got me down
It?s no earthly good to me
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground
Cold and drunk as I might be
You can't jump a jet plane
Like you can a freight train
So I?d best be on my way
In the early morning rain
So I?d best be on my way
In the early morning rain
Peter, Paul & Mary's "Early Mornin' Rain" is a sorrowful ballad about a traveler stranded on an old airport, dreaming of being reunited with his loved one. The singer begins the song with the lines "In the early morning rain / With a dollar in my hand," setting a mood of despair and an inability to move forward. The traveler is homesick and tired, with nowhere to go. He sees a 707 flight on the runway, ready to take off, and wishes to leave everything behind. However, he is stuck on the grass, with no pavement to walk on.
The lyrics go on to describe the traveler's hopeless situation, with sad undertones of loneliness, melancholy, and heartache. He finds solace in drinking liquor and engaging with fast women, all for a temporary escape. But as he sees the plane depart, he realizes how far away he is from what he desires. The final lines summarize the traveler's state of mind, stating that he's stuck on the ground while cold and drunk, without any way to escape via plane. The song's melancholic mood represents the frustration and agony of being stranded in a place that's not home.
Line by Line Meaning
In the early morning rain
The singer is in a state of despair, probably caused by a failed relationship, and is stuck at an airport with no money and nowhere to go.
With a dollar in my hand
The singer has very little money left to their name, highlighting their desperation and the lack of options they have.
And an aching in my heart
The singer is deeply saddened by their situation and longs to be reunited with their loved ones.
And my pockets full of sand
The artist is likely experiencing financial hardship, unable to afford basic necessities such as food and shelter.
I'm a long way from home
The artist is far away from their hometown and feels lost and isolated.
And I missed my loved one so
The singer is deeply longing for their loved ones and wishes to be reunited with them.
With no place to go
The singer is completely stranded, with no idea where to go or what to do next.
Out on runway number nine
The artist is observing an airplane on the runway, likely feeling envious of the passengers who are able to leave and embark on new adventures.
Big 707 set to go
The artist is watching a large airplane about to take off, emphasizing the stark contrast between their own situation and the excitement of those on board.
But I'm out here on the grass
The artist is far removed from the airport terminal, symbolizing their distance from the world of travel and adventure.
Where the pavement never grows
The singer is surrounded by barren land with no prospects or opportunities for growth or development.
Well, the liquor tasted good
The artist has turned to alcohol in an attempt to numb their pain and forget their troubles, highlighting the depths of their despair.
And the women all were fast
The singer has taken comfort in the company of women, although their actions were likely motivated by lust and a desire for a temporary distraction from their problems.
There she goes my friend
The singer watches the airplane take off, feeling envious of those on board and resigned to their own unchanging circumstances.
She's rolling down at last
The airplane has taken off and is now rolling down the runway, leaving the singer behind and continuing on its journey without them.
Hear the mighty engine roar
The artist hears the loud roar of the airplane's engines, emphasizing the power and speed of the aircraft.
See the silver wing on high
The artist watches the airplane soaring into the sky, symbolizing its freedom and escape from the artist's own problems.
She's away and westward bound
The airplane is headed westward, towards new adventures and opportunities.
Far above the clouds she'll fly
The airplane will rise above the clouds, reaching new heights and experiencing an entirely new perspective on the world.
Where the morning rain don't fall
The airplane will fly into an area where rain rarely falls, highlighting the vast differences between the artist's current situation and the freedoms of those on board.
And the sun always shines
The airplane is heading towards a sunny destination, emphasizing the opportunities and possibilities it represents.
She'll be flying over my home
The airplane will fly over the artist's home town, reminding them of the life they once had and fueling their desire to escape their current situation.
In about three hours time
The airplane will arrive at its destination in approximately three hours, marking the beginning of a new journey and a new chapter in the lives of its passengers.
This old airport's got me down
The artist is depressed and feeling trapped by the mundane surroundings of the airport, highlighting their desperate situation.
It's no earthly good to me
The airport has no value or significance to the singer, who is stuck there with no way out.
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground
The singer is unable to move or progress, stuck on the ground and in their current situation.
Cold and drunk as I might be
The singer is cold and possibly inebriated, highlighting their desperate state and lack of hope.
You can't jump a jet plane
The artist is frustrated by their lack of options and the inability to simply jump on a plane and leave their problems behind.
Like you can a freight train
The artist acknowledges that they have limited options available to them, wishing they could simply jump on a freight train and leave their problems behind.
So I'd best be on my way
The singer realizes that they must leave the airport and try to find a way out of their current situation.
In the early morning rain
The singer is still in a state of despair, but has resolved to leave the airport and try to find a new path forward.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gordon Lightfoot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jaimepepito2441
It's already 2023, I'm already 73 and yet I'm still loving to listen to this never fading song!!!
@jeffryphillipsburns
There’s no “yet” about it. Everyone continues to like the music of his youth.
@sterlingsomerville4096
Well l am 62 , loving the ole song,s ,they were great time,s ,as America @Canada was made great then,hope it coming back soon .
@soozkoozhooz5902
I'm 65 and find this song just haunting. I still can't get enough.
@jaylayland2867
63 and this song still soothes something in my soul.
@maggiegarber246
I am 74 and when my classmates were all abuzz about the Beatles, I was a huge PPM fan.
@janetsmith4458
Thank you Gorden Lightfoot for all your beautiful, heartfelt music. You will be remembered and missed...😢
@TheSuzberry
Forever.
@patrickryan1515
"Flying high above the clouds" He's away and Heaven-bound.
@coinneachmaclellan3121
And Ian Tyson of Ian and Sylvia, who wrote the Canadian classic, "Four Strong Winds", and with Sylvia was the first to record "Early Morning Rain" thus kick-starting Gordon's career, passed away just four months before Gordon.