From her Web site.
You might now know who Mary Travers was or have heard of the group that made her famous, Peter, Paul and Mary, but if you were born after 1960, you probably grew up with their children's song about growing up, "Puff the Magic Dragon." Maybe, when you were young and not yet self-conscious you even danced in a small skit singing the song. Perhaps you needed encouragement from a song, "Would You Like to Learn to Dance?"
Yesterday, 16 September 2009, Mary Allin Travers (born 9 November 1936) died in Danbury, CT of cancer at age 72. She was famous as the Mary of the popular 1960s folk group Peter, Paul and Mary.
If you don't remember Peter, Paul and Mary or songs like "Blowin' in the Wind," "If I Had a Hammer" or "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," you probably grew up with "Puff the Magic Dragon." Recorded in 1963 by Peter, Paul and Mary, the song was written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow. It was based on a poem Lipton had written while a student at Cornell. He, in turn, was inspired by an Ogden Nash poem, "Custard the Dragon." Yarrow was a friend of Lipton and also studied at Cornell. There have been rumors that the song contained drug references, but this has been refuted by Yarrow.
The song has been covered by many people and musical groups: Bing Crosby, The Chipmunks, Dolly Parton, John Denver (the group recorded Denver's "I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane" before he was famous), Marlene Dietrich (in German), Seal and Claude Francois in French.
It was used, as the basis of a parody in 2008, "Barack the Magic Negro," by Chip Saltsman. Yarrow was angered, writing in response:
"Barack the Magic Negro" is not only offensive, it is shocking and saddening in the extreme. It flies in the face of America's deeply held hope for a new era in which common ground and mutual respect characterize the exchanges between our national leaders.
Peter, Paul and Mary formed in 1961 to sing about social injustice. Breaking up in 1970, the group later reformed in 1978, singing about the conditions in South Africa among other things. Travers also recorded albums as a solo artist.
In 1983, they released the album, "Such Is Love," which had the single, "Would You Like to Learn to Dance."
The Kentucky-born Travers is survived by her fourth husband, Ethan Robbins; two daughters, Erika Marshall and Alicia Travers; a sister, a half-brother John Travers; and two grandchildren.
On the Peter, Paul and Mary Web site, Peter Yarrow issued a statement.
Mary hid whatever pain or fear she might have felt from everyone, clearly so as not to be a burden. Her love for me and Noel Paul, and for Ethan, poured out with great dignity and without restraint. It was, as Mary always was, honest and completely authentic. That's the way she sang, too; honestly and with complete authenticity. I believe that, in the most profound of ways, Mary was incapable of lying, as a person, and as an artist. That took great courage, and Mary was always equal to the task.
In lieu of flowers, tomorrow a charity will be listed on that Web site for donations.
Below is a performance of the Peter, Paul and Mary song, "Would You Like to Learn to Dance?" and a video of Korean children dancing to "Puff the Magic Dragon." I couldn't find a video of Claude Francois' 1971 recording "Poff, le dragon magique," but here's Marlene Dietrich and her versions, "Paff der Zauberdrachen." The last video is of Peter, Paul and Mary performing the song.
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