First Time Reaction | Peter, Paul, Mary - Puff The Magic Dragon | Who Are They?

[@cathariney.3877]

I’m 60 years old, and this song is one of my fondest memories from childhood.

[@beadybaby]

I am 56. It was huge, wasn’t it? ❤❤❤

[@jolenewitzel7919]

Growing up I don't think there wasn't any child who didn't know this song. ❤

[@rosemarywatson1231]

In the 60's, this group and this song was very popular.

[@sukie584]

This is a song that to those of us of a certain age(I’m 64) -youngest Boomers & elder GenX holds a really special place in our hearts. The song is about childhood & the end of Childhood.

[@dagmar.6954]

Love this trio. They were an American folk group formed in New York City in 1961. "Puff, the Magic Dragon" was released in 1963. Despite rumors that the song refers to drugs, it is actually about the lost innocence of childhood. They had a lot of great hits such as "Lemon Tree", "500 Miles", "If I Had A Hammer", "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "Leaving On A Jet Plane", "Day Is Done". They recorded quite a few of Bob Dylan's songs such as "Blowin' In The Wind", "The Times They Are a-Changin'", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", "When The Ship Comes In".

[@daveking9393]

They had a greatest hits album called ten years together that I grew up on I know every song I listen to it throughout my entire life I hope one day you get to listen to all the songs of that LP

[@fordp69]

I saw them perform this at the Carter Barron Amphitheater in DC back in the 60's, I was raised on folk.

[@samgilbert5684]

At 52, this song still makes me cry as I remember the cartoon

[@clhsocial]

Peter Yarrow, who co-wrote the song, sang lead. I saw PP&M play live numerous times in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Peter is now 86 and Noel Paul Stookey will be 88 in December. Sadly, Mary Travers passed away in 2009, when she was just 72.

[@michaelestabrook2018]

puff the magic dragon was the nick name of a vietnan gunship.

[@garyzink1927]

I saw them sing at my college during the late 70's. They were outstanding, but her voice was the most powerful and soul filling warm sound ive ever experienced! Enjoy your insightful research and responses. I also sang this song to my son at bed every night for years! Peace from Northern Michigan.

[@kbrewski1]

The perfect followup to this song is LEGEND OF A MIND by THE MOODY BLUES. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR REACTION!!

[@leannmiller7153]

It’s about the lost innocence of children. The little boy outgrew his imaginary friend, Puff. End of story😎

[@BrownMBA]

They were a very popular folk band in the 60s. Love them and love this song but it makes me cry. When Jackie Paper forgets abandons Puff, it makes me think of a kid growing up and forgetting about his dog. 😢

[@kbrewski1]

It's just a sweet little children's folk song dude. Of course people were quick to giggle and turn it into a "drug song". The kid had a Magic Dragon and he called it "Puff". See Meet the Parents.

[@Gira21Gramos]

I was OBSESSED with this song as a kid and soooooo sad for Puff.

[@kellieweyrauch4033]

Thank you for the clear up, we were not allowed to sing it in church, because of the reference

[@mikeross14]

It's a song for the kids remember it Well!

[@IAMisLove]

👍Awesome, this brings back a lot of memories😊. 🖖❤

[@davidw7]

Their cover right after the original.... is a classic Folk anti-war song and also used and sung by Peter, Paul and Mary at the Martin Luther King Jr.... famous march/protest MLK made his - I have a dream speech" among others. The song being "BLOWING IN THE WIND" They also sung their song "If I had a hammer". Another cover that was a hit for them "Leaving on a jet plane"

[@AP-gb3eh]

At 65 I still get a little teary at Puffs demise 💔 the loss of childhood imagination ☮️

[@subwaygoddess1]

I love this group. You should check out "If I Had a Hammer" next!

[@andreasmith6528]

I’ve heard it was drug related, but the group said it absolutely is not. I was a very small child when this came out and there wasn’t a kid who didn’t know this song.

[@glassontherocks]

That was Little "Joker" Paper. Take a Puff. Cute weed song .

[@mikeselznick7855]

Songs like "Blowin in the Wind" and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" are the songs of the protest movement from so long ago. The harmonies are fantastic.

[@Xeroforte]

"it doesnt get into how they formed" Lol 99% of band wikipedia pages get into how they form, and it's usually in the history section

[@cindyknouff1724]

How far we've come from a time of innocence that this song would be thought to be about drugs. It's about the imagination and daydreams of children. About growing up and putting those childhood thoughts behind to learn about the real world. What happens to our imaginary friends when we no longer bring them to life. Childhood passes so fast, for some faster than others.

[@melaniewells9934]

Please react too LOWDOWN BY BOZ SCAGGS YOU WILL LOVE IT !

[@NancyMoran-r3b]

People were more innocent at that time. Maybe it’s about drugs but many, many adults and children took the story at face value and accepted it as a child’s fairy tale.

[@P-M-869]

This is a little boy's imaginary friend. But sadly, he grew older and forgot about Puff. Another great Folk group was The Kingston Trio.

[@mikeross14]

also name of a Vietnam war",Machine gun or other weapon used on Huey chopper!

[@NancyMoran-r3b]

The name is STUCK EE

[@stephanietip]

I have the original on vinyl

[@penrod6540]

1 of the most famous folk groups of the sixties. Very big with protest songs. this is cute but far from their best song Incredible harmonies. Its not about weed but the loss of innocence tho many thought so at the time I believe they all met in Grenich village playing the clubs Another very similar group from Australia is the Seekers with a female lead singer and 3 men

[@pixelrancher]

The Beatles also denied Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (LSD) was about drugs. They admitted it was years later.

[@dagmar.6954]

John Lennon said that his inspiration for the song came when his 3 year old son Julian showed him a nursery school drawing that he called "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". John then wrote the song in the imagery of "Alice In Wonderland".

[@pixelrancher]

@@dagmar.6954 That was the inspiration. But the song itself was about LSD. "In a 2004 interview with Uncut magazine, McCartney confirmed it was "pretty obvious" drugs did influence some of the group's compositions at that time, including "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", though he tempered this statement by adding, "[I]t's easy to overestimate the influence of drugs on the Beatles' music."

[@dagmar.6954]

@@pixelrancher I think people read much more into songs than is necessary. Sometimes a dragon is just a dragon & sometimes a drawing is just a drawing. John Lennon has also stated that people were always looking for hidden meanings in their songs.

[@pixelrancher]

When Canada legalized cannabis use across Canada in June 2018 with the Cannabis Act, the recreational use of cannabis came into effect on October 17, 2018. To celebrate, the Dominion Carillonneur - Dr. Andrea McCrady - rang the bells in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill (Canada's building housing the government) to "Puff The Magic Dragon" as roughly 10,000 people brought in the event through a cloud of smoke.

[@michaelj3414]

Brother, are you lost? This is not a road you should head down. You should turn around and go back.

[@kellieweyrauch4033]

It is about drugs that was made into a kids song🤣🤣

[@sukie584]

No it’s not. It’s about the end of childhood.

[@daveking9393]

Wrong!