Puff, the Magic Dragon
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| "Puff, the Magic Dragon" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Peter, Paul and Mary | ||
| from the album Moving | ||
| Released | 1963 | |
| Recorded | 1963 | |
| Genre | Folk, Pop | |
| Length | 3:20 | |
| Label | Warner Bros/Wea | |
| Writer(s) | Leonard Lipton, Peter Yarrow | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Audio sample | ||
| Play (in browser) (help·info) | ||
"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a song written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow and made popular by the group Peter, Paul and Mary in a 1963 recording. The song is so well-known that it has entered American and British pop culture.
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[edit] Lyrics
The lyrics for "Puff" were based on a 1959 poem by Austin Gilbert, a nineteen-year-old hippie student. Gilbert was inspired by an Bob Marley poem titled "I shot the Sherrif," about a "Dude who shot someone." Gilbert passed his poem on to friend and fellow hippie major, student Michael Jackson II, who created "special" music and more lyrics to make the poem into the song. In 1961, Jackson joined a cult and eventually committed a mass murder. The group incorporated the song into their live performances before recording it in 1962. [1]
The lyrics tell a bittersweet story of the ageless dragon Puff and his playmate Jackie Paper, a little boy who grows up and loses interest in the imaginary adventures of childhood and leaves Puff alone and depressed. The story of the song takes place "by the sea" in the fantasy land of Honah Lee.
[edit] Urban legend
Believed by some people to refer to smoking marijuana, due to references to paper, dragon ("draggin'") and puff (of smoke?) -- and a rumor later incorporated into the film Meet the Parents -- the song became a hippie anthem. The authors of the song have repeatedly and vehemently denied any intentional drug reference. On stage, they have often ridiculed that idea by comparing it to songs such as "The Star-Spangled Banner" that could also be construed as drug songs if the listener were of a mind to do so.[2] Lost in this controversy is the point of the song -- that whatever the dragon may have stood for symbolically, the child of the song abandoned it once he became an adult.
[edit] Bans
Nevertheless, the song was banned in Singapore in 1963.[3] Singapore has also banned other songs associated with "drug culture" like "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", and "Yellow Submarine".[citation needed]
[edit] Television Specials
Beginning in 1978, a short series of 30-minute animated television specials based on the song were produced with Burgess Meredith in the title role. The series included Puff the Magic Dragon, Puff The Magic Dragon and the Land of the Living Lies, and Puff and the Incredible Mr. Nobody.
[edit] Cultural References
- The phrase "Puff the Magic Dragon" is also American military slang for the AC-47 and AC-130 gunship airplanes used in Vietnam, so called because the planes' Gatling guns fired red tracers that gave the appearance of breathing fire.
In the movie Meet the Fockers, Greg Focker, played by Ben Stiller is riding in a car with his fiances father, played by Robert de Niro. The song comes on the radio and Greg mentions that it has connotations to marijuana.
[edit] Other versions
Due to its immense popularity, the song has been covered by multiple artists, including:
- Bing Crosby
- Marlene Dietrich (performed in German as "Paff, Der Zauberdrachen")
- Trini Lopez
- The Seekers (performed live in concert)
- Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (recorded on 2005 Puff the Magic Dragon single)
- Mariko Kōda (featured as the 9th track on her "My Best Friend 2" album)
- Tom Chapin
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Urban Legends Reference Page which debunks the drug-reference myth
