Customer Reviews

Very Best of Peter Paul & Mary

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It is hard to believe that they released their very first Warner Brothers single more than 47 years ago. And although Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers get credit for producing Rhino's brand new 2005 release "The Very Best of Peter Paul and Mary", I find it hard to believe that these folks ever really thought of themselves as a singles act or worried too much about how successful their records were on Billboard's Hot 100. Peter Paul and Mary were much more concerned with the issues they sang about and with the "live" performances they gave. Yet the fact of the matter is that Peter Paul and Mary made a half dozen Top Ten hits and amassed an impressive total of 19 charted hits. During their heydey in the 1960's they sold a ton of albums as well. The group still performs on a fairly regular basis, continues to record new material and boasts an extremely loyal following.

For collectors like myself, Rhino has finally given us a pretty comprehensive single disc collection cleverly entitled "The Very Best of Peter Paul and Mary". Fans of the group would quickly point out that the 25 tunes on this CD do not necessarily represent the best songs the group ever made. I would be the first to agree with that assessment. Rather, "Very Best" presents the groups biggest and best singles as well as a number of memorable tunes from the groups most popular albums. Of course you will find the familiar hits you heard on the radio like "For Lovin' Me", "Puff The Magic Dragon", "Blowin' In the Wind" and their biggest hit ever from 1970 "Leaving On A Jet Plane". You will also hear Peter Paul and Mary belt out some of folk music's most important and memorable songs. Enjoy great renditions of Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land", Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" as well as Pete Seeger's classic "If I Had A Hammer". Listen to some of PP&M's lesser known gems like "The Great Mandala (The Wheel of Life)" and "El Salvador" a haunting tune written by Noel Paul Stookey in the mid-eighties. For a brief period in the early 1970's the group took a hiatus from performing and each recorded solo albums. This collection also features a solo recording by each from this period including Noel Paul Stookey's memorable "Wedding Song (There Is Love) which was a pretty big hit back in 1971.

"The Very Best of Peter Paul and Mary" replaces a vinyl copy of the 1970 release "Ten Years Together--The Best of Peter Paul and Mary" in my collection. It is a major upgrade. The remastering job is wonderful and Rhino has provided a 20 page booklet to peruse. For most people looking for a good overview of their work this collection will surely fill the bill. Highly recommended!

This collection is superior to any of the other "best-of" releases. Peter, Paul & Mary have been, throughout their successful career, consistently talented capturing their audiences attention and delight for 40 some years.

This collection includes their major hits as well as the best of their other works. Solo efforts -- The Wedding Song, Follow Me, and Weave me the Sunshine -- round out the collection.

Unlike other "best-of" collections which are essentially vinyl re-packages, this one contains proper re-masterings and provides great value for anyone who enjoys the folk-rock experience.

When reviewing PP&M's other 'Best of' CD (10 Years Together), I advised that this 'Very Best of' CD is better value, and I stand by that. It has solo efforts by each of the trio, including Noel (Paul) Stookey's very fine The Wedding Song (There is Love). It has all the tracks that the other CD has, plus 12 more. That's almost twice as many. So this is very definitely the one to go for.

Today's listeners might prefer to hear some of these songs from the writers themselves - Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver - rather than these covers. At the time, we preferred the sweet tones of PP&M. They did a lot to start the careers of Dylan and Denver.

As a cultural phenomenon, the 60s didn't really get going until 1963 or 64, so PP&M anticipated this slightly and their early style has much of 50s skiffle in it. This music is the bridge between skiffle and late 60s folk-rock, and between Pete Seeger/Woodie Guthrie social awareness and mid-60s protest songs. It's the genuine article; there is nothing on this album that would be out of place in a folk club.

The Very Best of Peter, Paul & Mary is an impressive CD with twenty-five (yes, twenty-five) wonderful folk rock songs by Peter, Paul & Mary. They sing and play beautifully; and this album proves they were--and still are--extremely talented. The sound quality is excellent and the artwork is very well done.

"Early In The Morning" starts the CD with some great harmonizing and they sing their separate parts well, too. The guitar work is beautiful and Peter, Paul & Mary never sounded better! "Lemon Tree" is a classic folk rock song and this always was one of my very favorite tunes by Peter, Paul & Mary. They sound great and the guitars work well for "Lemon Tree." "If I Had A Hammer" is a song of hope for a better future and a better quality of life than people had in the turbulent 1960s; and these musicians don't ever miss a beat!

"Puff, The Magic Dragon" still manages to tug at my heartstrings even though I first heard it roughly forty years ago; this touching song really is very beautiful. I don't know if the rumors about hidden meanings of the lyrics are true or not; I just like the song for what it is at face value. "This Land Is Your Land" is a stunning ballad that gets the royal treatment from Peter, Paul & Mary who sing this with panache, heart and soul. It's a beautiful and somewhat catchy number that is clearly a major highlight of this album. "Blowin' In The Wind" also stuns me with its beauty; Peter, Paul & Mary sing this to perfection--and beyond! Peter, Paul & Mary cry out for social justice and this all works very well.

"Stewball" was always one of my favorite Peter, Paul & Mary songs even though it wasn't their very biggest hits; this tune about a horse that ran good races is very touching. "Leaving On A Jet Plane," however, is definitely one of their greatest hits; and I especially like Mary's contributions to the vocals on this number. "I Dig Rock And Roll Music" shines like silver and gold when they do this awesome cover; and I predict you'll love this number if you haven't heard it already.

"Day Is Done" has great vocal effects and I really like "Day Is Done." "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" gives us a particularly sensitive ballad that showcases Peter, Paul & Mary's fine vocal talents. The album ends with "Don't Laugh At Me;" this song about people, relationships, and the need for respect for all the people makes a fine ending to this great album.

Peter, Paul & Mary will never be forgotten; their music is timeless and this album proves it. I highly recommend this album for their fans; and people who love folk rock music will love this album forever.

Peter, Paul, and Mary were among the best known folk singers of their time. Their voices interacted so well one with another. Their harmonies are classic. This CD has 25 songs on it, including a handful of later pieces. However, most are from the 1960s and early 1970s.

My reactions to a handful of the cuts:

"Lemon Tree" is one of their early treasures. Recurring lines:

"Don't put your faith in love,
Love is like a lemon tree.
Lemon tree very pretty. . . .
But the fruit of the lemon is impossible to eat."

A love song with an unhappy ending. Harmonies are great, with simple instrumental support. Neat song indeed!

Pete Seeger's "If I Had a Hammer" is another classic. Peter, Paul, and Mary fans will be tapping their toes as they listen to this. An enchanting work.

Another Seeger song, "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" This was one of the first anti-war songs I listened to in the 1960s. From the opening lines about "Where have all the flowers gone" to "Where have all the Husbands gone" to "Where have all the soldiers gone" to "Gone to graveyards, every one." Another of their classic tunes.

Then there is "Puff the Magic Dragon." Dopes in the 1960s thought that this was a druggie song. I don't hear that message at all here. Another enchanting song, with a poignant close.

And now for something completely different. . . Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'." This version is very different from the composer's. But Peter, Paul, and Mary place their own imprint on the song and it works well on those terms.

And there's so much more. . . . Other Dylan works abound ("Blowin' in the Wind," "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," etc.). And "Stewball." And "500 Miles." And "Leavin' on a Jet Plane." One of my absolute favorites of theirs is on this CD: "The Great Mandela."

Peter, Paul, and Mary fans should be well pleased with this CD. And those not so familiar with the trio will find this a nice entree into their body of work. All in all, an estimable work.

My heart fluttered when this collection was brought to my attention. The idea you could get all their familiar hits, plus some additional gems, like Paul Stookey's "Wedding Song (There Is Love)" seemed like a no-brainer. I've been wanting one of their compilations for some time now, having missed their '(Ten) Years Together/The Best of Peter, Paul, and Mary' on vinyl for years, but seeing their selection on this C.D. made it a done deal.

The C.D. keeps all the songs of the former collection intact, but the additional material makes one beg for an explanation why they hadn't thought of it earlier. (The answer to that is probably along the same lines as other artists: They want you to buy the original albums and only refer to "'Ultimate Greatest Hits" packages as a follow up.) Now's as good a time as any. One of the great advantages of this C.D. is the crystal clear sound. On the CD player in my living room or in the car or even in my MP3 player, these vintage songs translate better than nearly any oldies venue I can think of, much like the resonance of Sam Cooke, which is the way I wish they'd all sound. Having a look at their former collection from 2003 (of the same title) reveals some improvement in their content.

Now to the selection. They wisely keep what we've grown accustomed to intact. "Lemon Tree," "500 Miles," "Puff the Magic Dragon," "If I Had a Hammer," "Leaving on a Jet Plane," and "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" all sound great with their trademark three-part harmonies backed up with the barest essential instrumentation. Then, there's the additions, such as the gospel-like "Early in the Morning," Woody Gurthrie's "This Land Is Your Land," and Pete Seeger's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?".

The Post PPM years produced a few gems as well. Besides the aformentioned "Wedding Song...," Peter Yarrow's "Weave Me the Sunshine" and Mary Travers' version of John Denver's "Follow Me" are worthy additions. Honorable mention should go to later songs "El Salvador" and "Don't Laugh Me," which update the subject matter well for their legacy.

After repeated listenings to this vintage collection, I wonder sometimes why I should listen to any processed recordings again. The fresh ingredients of voices and instruments are so basic, yet essential that they almost beg for an updated response for using synthesizers and digital recordings. The selection notes indicate remastering of their recordings, so there has been a happy translation to this C.D., but the liner notes are very good about relaying their history, which is a formidable one indeed. (As many know well, besides Seeger, Guthrie, and John Denver, Bob Dylan penned many of their popular covers.)

Peter Paul and Mary were one of the great sources of musical enjoyment in the Sixties. A number of their songs have become musical classics. And a few are among those I used to sing to my children and at times still sing with them. "Puff the Magic Dragon" "Five Hundred Miles" "If I had a Hammer" are I believe my greatest PPM favorites. Each one has a special quality of its own .There is a longing and nostalgia in some of these songs which is especially moving. The upbeat rhythm and strength of "If I had a Hammer" more connects in my mind with the idea of a life lived in vigor than it does with what PPM had in mind 'social justice'. In fact this element which was so important to them, their whole political shtick was for me irrelevant. I just enjoyed their music.
They provided moments of great joy in my life, especially as I have said in singing these song with my children.

"If you miss the train I'm on
You will know that I have gone
You can hear the whistle blow
Five hundred miles.

Five hundred miles
Five hundred miles
Five hundred miles
Five hundred miles
You can hear the whistle blow
Five hundred miles."

There are 25 cuts in this latest CD of Peter, Paul and Mary. Whatever your favorite is, it surely is included here. Although this group made their first recording in 1962, they are still relevant today. "The Cruel War" is still raging; "This Land Is Your Land," "The Times They Are A Changin" and "If I Had A Hammer" ring just as true as the first time Peter, Paul and Mary sang them. While many of these selections are from their earlier years, they do include "Don't Laugh At Me (2003), the song that so beautifully endorses diversity. Anyone who as a kid had no idea where a fly ball would land as he played the outfield in a softball game can relate to that one.

There are decent notes by Barry Alfonso, along with the dates that each selection was recorded and a select discography. In many of the photos incuded these folks look almost like adolescents, they are so young; but we all were back then.

If you could only buy one CD by this marvelous group that helped make the 60's what that period was, this recording would be the one.

A delight. Great sound quality. Wonderful and moving songs. Even their Vietnam War protest songs are soft and touching. One of the greatest groups of all time. Boy, can they sing!!!!!!!!

great old songs and new ones that inspire and make one feel and think!
i played this for my friends....and sent one to my son who is a teacher.