Peter Paul and Mary Albums Ranked

Peter, Paul, and Mary was an American folk group formed in New York City in 1961, during the American folk music revival phenomenon. The trio was composed of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Noel Paul Stookey, and contralto Mary Travers. The group’s repertoire included songs written by Yarrow and Stookey, early songs by Bob Dylan, as well as covers of other folk musicians. After the death of Travers in 2009, Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform as duo under their individual names. Mary Travers said she was influenced by Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and the Weavers. In the documentary Peter, Paul & Mary: Carry It On — A Musical Legacy, members of the Weavers discuss how Peter, Paul, and Mary took over the torch of the social commentary of folk music in the 1960s. The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. Peter, Paul, and Mary received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006. Here are all of Peter Paul and Mary’s albums ranked.

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10. The Very Best Of Peter, Paul And Mary, 2005

“Fun to listen to these tunes now that many are folk standards. I can’t get the movie “A Mighty Wind” out of my head when I do, though- PP&M should have gone off to Tibet and stayed after they broke up in 1970, then they would have been not near so easy to parody.”

9. The Very Best Of, 1993

“An album that contains some of the groups most well known songs, I had forgotten how good they are and this reminded me, its an album to savour and some of their cover versions are equal to the original if not better. I have now listened to this album a number of times and its made me want to explore some of their other work.”

8. See What Tomorrow Brings, 1965

“Some traditional folk tunes and other more modern (as in 60′) tunes written by folk artists such as Gordon Lightfoot, Tom Paxton, even a song by blues artists Terry and McGee, sung with excellent harmonies. The only other group that I know of that is very similar to Peter, Paul & Mary, is Canada’s Ian & Sylvia, in the excellent vocal harmony department and reworking of traditional folk songs. Peter, Paul & Mary are known for singing protest songs and songs such as ‘Hangman’, an old traditional, and ‘Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime’, on this album, the lyrics alone are a piece of history. With acoustic guitars and a bass and these great voices, a pure folk album. Love it.”

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7. Album 1700, 1967

“Personally, I bought Album 1700 for the double bonus of “the Great Mandela (The Wheel of Life)” and for “I Dig Rock and Roll Music”. The former is a slow melodic story number that benefits from the extra play time at the end of the a side. I also feel the themes (anti war, futility, life Andy death) are accessible and moving, certainly one of the better examples of the style by ppm. The second is a humorous pop-rock song which is a little confused about ‘rock and roll’ as a genre (referencing the mamas and the papas, Donovan(?) and the Beatles). While the song seems like a piss take of pop rock groups in the mid-60s, the (justifiable) cynicism is directed towards the pop music culture more than the artists.”

6. A Song Will Rise, 1965

“A Song Will Rise is the best Peter, Paul and Mary album I have heard to date and perhaps the best introduction LP to the group. In fact, it makes a strong case for a higher rating, but like every PP&M album I have, the amount of musical oddities pulls the otherwise beautiful album back to the realms of the morals. As with almost all of their material, expect sixties folk in large abundance. This album sets itself apart from the other PP&M works primarily through song selection. It is expected that the singing be solid, and it is, but the melodies found here edge out most of the other material I have heard from them. Counter these great melodies with musical duds like “Talkin’ Candy Bar Blues” and you have a very polarized album. Side A opens strongly with the Bob Dylan track “When the Ship Comes In.” This is followed by my favorite track on the album, “Jimmy Whalen.” This track features great lead vocal melodies from Mary. Peter and Paul provided harmonizing vocals to produced the albums most somber piece.”

5. In Concert, 1964

“Another one that I got to know because of my Mom. Only unlike some of those older, folkier bands that she grew up with, Peter, Paul and Mary I actually find pleasant to listen to. They have some fun renditions for cover songs, but what makes this album a little special is some of the dialogue and chat between songs. Most live albums strip that stuff out, but here it really enhances the experience. Performers that actually take time to communicate with the audience are more fun to listen to.”

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4. The Best Of Peter, Paul & Mary-Ten Years Together, 1970

“So many great songs especially the Bob Dylan covers and the humorous I Dig Rock N Roll Music (sly slam on mediocre lyrics of radio pop) For Lovin Me the only weak song should have had Where Have All The Flowers Gone instead but can easily be listened to twice in a row for a really mellow hour”

3. In The Wind, 1963

“The folk trio released another collection of pleasant campfire songs with fine vocal harmonies and acoustic guitar. Very Last Day has lyrics about the Final Judgement, but it’s more positive than the Bible, with a message of human brotherhood. The accompaniment consists of rhythmical chord strumming. Hush-A-Bye is a traditional lullaby. Long Chain On is about an escaped convict. Tell It on the Mountain is a lively arrangement of the Christmas spiritual. Polly Von is an Irish folk song about a man who accidentally shot his love, mistaking her for a swan. Of the three Bob Dylan covers Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right stands out, with a beautiful example of fingerpicking. Freight Train was written by folk singer Elizabeth Cotten. They bring back memories of an innocent past.”

2. Moving, 1963

“Moving, is a solid continuation of their debut album. Engrossed in the folk revival wave, it is their second album that is one of their most widely recognized works, due largely to the inclusion of “This Land is Your Land” and “Puff (the Magic Dragon).” Moving presents an album full of a wide variety of folk numbers, but the overall sound takes on a more serious tone when compared with their debut. This seriousness comes at the hands of a few tracks, most notably “Gone the Rainbow” and “Old Coat.” This allows the group to broaden their sound and further appeal to listeners like myself. I have come to appreciate both the fast, energetic tracks and the slower, more somber ones as well.”

1. Peter, Paul And Mary, 1962

“Anyone who’s learning to play guitar chords will find the perfect campfire songs here. There’s enough variation, ranging from folk ballads over children’s songs to protest songs. In the sad 500 Miles, Mary sings about homesickness. This Train imitates the rhythm and whistle of said vehicle. Pete Seeger’s If I Had a Hammer is a lively plea for brotherly love. The circular Where Have All the Flowers Gone wraps an anti-war message in a jacket of wit. Both, a message to which today’s politicians should listen. It’s another era, but in all their innocence these songs with the three voices, guitar, and plucked bass remain beautiful.”