Mary Travers Is Dead. Also: Folk Music Is Painful to Revisit
Pour a little out for Mary Travers this morning; the Peter, Paul and Mary member died yesterday at 72. (Worst headline: "Mary Travers is Gone. Puff! Just Like That.")
Peter, Paul and Mommy, the group's first children's album, was the first album I really loved. My favorite song was the first one, "The Marvelous Toy." So I thought last night that I would listen to some of its songs.
Big mistake!
How did this little-man-named-Rumplestiltskin style of singing ever capture the boomers' hearts?
However, on the video below, you can see why Travers' voice was so important to the group's sound. She turns an excruciating song choice into very nearly a pleasure.
Major caveat: This clip is freaking weird. PP&M, the Smothers Brothers, and DONOVAN all perform snippets of their songs in the round. I believe this was on network television.
7:02 pm
I was a teenager In the sixtys and never really listened to Folk Music, I was a Motown Fan. But there was an exception, PP@M. Or should I say Mary? Puff the majick Dragon, Mary singing "And When I die" Still can be heard In the recesses of my old mind. Another loss to us all. Her voice and music as she said herself to be carried on by "One child born In this world to carry on, To carry On".
5:22 am
If this is all that you know of these accomplished people, I feel sorry for you.