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.
Home On The Range/Don't Ever Take Away My Freedom
Peter Paul & Mary Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't ever take away my freedom, don't ever take it away
We must cherish and keep that one part of our lives
And the rest we're gonna find one of these days...
One of these days
I always thought that I'd see in my own lifetime
An end to poverty, injustice and warBut now I've learned that that job will take a long, long time
So there's one thing that must endure
[Chorus]
When I am old and thinking over the whole life that I've led
If there's one final wish left to me
I will pray that the children, who are yet to be born,
I will pray that they will always live free
[Chorus]
There is a time for the singing and the sunshine
There is a time for the thunder and the rain
There is a time for the changing of the seasons my friend
But there is one thing we must never change
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Peter Paul & Mary's song "Home On The Range/Don't Ever Take Away My Freedom" convey a profound message of cherishing and preserving one's freedom. The chorus emphasizes the importance of holding onto and protecting this fundamental aspect of life. The singer expresses their hope and belief that ultimately, despite the existence of poverty, injustice, and war, one day all of these problems will be solved. However, in the meantime, the one thing that must endure is freedom.
In the second verse, the singer reflects on their life and contemplates their final wish. They hope that the future generations, the children yet to be born, will always live free. This demonstrates a deep sense of concern for the preservation of freedom for future individuals, emphasizing its significance across generations.
The final verse acknowledges that life consists of both joyful and challenging moments. There are times of singing and sunshine, as well as times of thunder and rain. While seasons change and circumstances evolve, the one constant that should never be altered is freedom. It serves as a reminder that despite the ups and downs of life, freedom remains a fundamental value that should be fiercely protected.
Overall, the lyrics of "Home On The Range/Don't Ever Take Away My Freedom" deliver a powerful plea to safeguard freedom and ensure its endurance for all individuals, present and future.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't ever take away my freedom, don't ever take it away
Please never strip me of my autonomy, please never deprive me of this fundamental right
We must cherish and keep that one part of our lives
We should value and safeguard this crucial aspect of our existence
And the rest we're gonna find one of these days...
And eventually, we will discover solutions for the remaining challenges
One of these days
At some point in the future
I always thought that I'd see in my own lifetime
I constantly believed that within my lifespan
An end to poverty, injustice and war
An eradication of poverty, injustice, and warfare
But now I've learned that that job will take a long, long time
Yet, I have come to comprehend that this task will require an extensive duration
So there's one thing that must endure
Thus, there is one aspect that needs to persist
When I am old and thinking over the whole life that I've led
As I age and reflect upon my entire existence
If there's one final wish left to me
If there remains one last desire within me
I will pray that the children, who are yet to be born,
I will fervently hope that the future generations
I will pray that they will always live free
I will beseech that they shall perpetually experience liberty
There is a time for the singing and the sunshine
There exists a period for joyous melodies and the radiant sun
There is a time for the thunder and the rain
There comes a moment for powerful thunderstorms and gentle raindrops
There is a time for the changing of the seasons my friend
Seasons inevitably transition, my dear companion
But there is one thing we must never change
However, there is one aspect we should never alter
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PETER YARROW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind