"Puff, the Magic Dragon"
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	Leonard Lipton, Peter Yarrow
Audio sample
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"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. Puff the Magic Dragon album This work is copyrighted. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... The trio Peter, Paul and Mary (often PP&M) is an American musical group that was one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the 1960s. ... Moving is the second album released by Peter, Paul & Mary, which was released in 1963. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Folk can refer to a number of different things: It can be short for folk music, or, for folksong, or, for folklore; it may be a word for a specific people, tribe, or nation, especially one of the Germanic peoples; it might even be a calque on the related German... For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... Leonard (Lenny) Lipton was born May 18, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York. ... Peter Yarrow (born May 31, 1938) is an American singer best known as Peter from Peter, Paul and Mary. ... Image File history File links Puff. ... Image File history File links Puff. ... For other uses, see Song (disambiguation). ... Leonard (Lenny) Lipton was born May 18, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York. ... Peter Yarrow (born May 31, 1938) is an American singer best known as Peter from Peter, Paul and Mary. ... The trio Peter, Paul and Mary (often PP&M) is an American musical group that was one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the 1960s. ... Year 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Popular culture, sometimes abbreviated to pop culture, consists of widespread cultural elements in any given society. ...

Lyrics

The lyrics for "Puff, the Magic Dragon" were based on a 1959 poem by Leonard Lipton, a nineteen-year-old Cornell student. Lipton was inspired by an Ogden Nash poem titled "Custard the Dragon," about a "Really-O, Truly-O, little pet dragon." Lipton passed his poem on to friend and fellow Cornell student Peter Yarrow, who created music and more lyrics to make the poem into the song. In 1961, Yarrow joined Paul Stookey and Mary Travers to form Peter, Paul and Mary. The group incorporated the song into their live performances before recording it in 1962. Leonard (Lenny) Lipton was born May 18, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York. ... Cornell is the name of some places in the United States of America. ... Frederic Ogden Nash (August 19, 1902 – May 19, 1971) was an American poet best known for writing pithy and funny light verse. ... Cornell is the name of some places in the United States of America. ... Peter Yarrow (born May 31, 1938) is an American singer best known as Peter from Peter, Paul and Mary. ... Noel Paul Stookey (born December 30, 1937) is a singer-songwriter best known as Paul in the trio Peter, Paul and Mary. ... Mary Travers (born 9 November 1936 in Louisville, Kentucky) is a member of the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, the other two members being Peter Yarrow and Noel Paul Stookey. ... The trio Peter, Paul and Mary (often PP&M) is an American musical group that was one of the most successful folk-singing groups of the 1960s. ...

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.

A 2007 book adaptation of the song's lyrics by Yarrow, Lipton and illustrator Eric Puybaret gives the story a happier ending with a young girl (presumed by reviewers to be Jackie Paper's daughter [1]) seeking out Puff to become his new companion.

Other interpretations

It's believed by some to refer to smoking marijuana, due to references to paper, dragon ("draggin'") and puff (to 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. As said by the author himself, "Puff" is about the hardships of growing older, certainly not drugs. 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.^[1] Cannabis, also known as marijuana[1] or ganja,[2] is a psychoactive product of the plant Cannabis sativa L. subsp. ... Meet the Parents is a 2000 comedy film starring Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller. ... Singer of a modern Hippie movement in Russia The hippie subculture was a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread around the world. ... An assortment of psychoactive drugs A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior. ... The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States, with lyrics written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key. ...

Bans

The song was banned in Singapore in 1963.^[2] Singapore has also banned other songs associated with "drug culture" like "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", and "Yellow Submarine". ^{[citation needed]} Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is a song written mainly by John Lennon (credited to Lennon/McCartney) and recorded by The Beatles for their 1967 album Sgt. ... Music sample Yellow Submarine ( file info) Problems? See media help. ...

Television specials

Puff holding Jackie Paper from the 1978 cartoon.

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. Image File history File links Jackie_Paper_and_Puff_2. ... Image File history File links Jackie_Paper_and_Puff_2. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... For the band, see Cartoons (band). ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Oliver Burgess Meredith (November 16, 1908[1] – September 9, 1997), known as Burgess Meredith, was a versatile American actor. ...

Here, Puff is depicted as a wielder of magic dedicated to helping troubled children resolve their personal issues.

Other versions

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Puff the Magic Dragon

Due to its immense popularity, the song has been covered by multiple artists, including: Image File history File links Wikisource-logo. ... The original Wikisource logo. ...

• Bing Crosby
• Marlene Dietrich (performed in German as "Paff, Der Zauberdrachen")
• Trini Lopez
• The Kingston Trio
• 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
• Dolly Parton
• Seal
• John Denver
• Southeast Asia version referring to US Air Force gunships
• Patsy Biscoe
• Grup de Folk (performed in Catalan as "Puff, el drac màgic")
• Broken Social Scene^[3]
• The Chipmunks (from the 1965 album, "The Chipmunks Sing With Children")
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
• Roger Whittaker
• The Irish Rovers
• Paul Shanklin Parody of the song done as "Barack the Magic Negro" in reference to a Los Angeles Times article in 2007. Shanklin imitates Al Sharpton singing the tune through a megaphone.

[2] Harry Lillis Bing Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 until his death in 1977. ... Marlene Dietrich IPA: ; (December 27, 1901 – May 6, 1992) was a German-born American actress, singer, and entertainer. ... Trini Lopez (born May 15, 1937) is a Mexican-American singer and guitarist. ... The Kingston Trios original lineup: Bob Shane, Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds The Kingston Trio is an American folk group. ... This article is about the Australian music group. ... Will Oldham, a. ... // Cover of Vitamin Punch!, one of Kōdas 2005 albums. ... Tom Chapin is a Grammy Award-winning musician, entertainer, and songwriter. ... Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is a Grammy-winning and Academy Award-nominated American country singer, songwriter, composer, musician, author, actress, and philanthropist. ... Seal Henry Olusegun Olumide Adeola Samuel (born February 19, 1963 in Paddington, London, England) is an English soul singer and songwriter. ... John Denver (December 31, 1943 â€“ October 12, 1997), born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr. ... Seal of the Air Force. ... The Douglas AC-47 Spooky was the first in a series of gunships developed by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. ... Patsy Biscoe is an Australian singer, notable for her television appearances on childrens television shows, Heres Humphrey and Fat Cat and Friends. ... Catalan can refer to: Catalan people Catalan language An inhabitant of Catalonia A Catalan speaker, whether or not from Catalonia proper (see Catalan Countries). ... Broken Social Scene is a Canadian indie rock supergroup, a musical collective currently including nineteen members, formed in 1999 in Toronto, Ontario. ... For the upcoming live-action/computer-generated film, see Alvin and the Chipmunks (film). ... Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock cover band that formed in 1995. ... Roger Whittaker Roger Whittaker (born March 22, 1936 in Nairobi, Kenya) is a British singer/songwriter and musician with worldwide record sales of more than 55 million. ... The Irish Rovers are a popular and long-running Canadian-Irish folk group created in 1963. ... Paul Shanklin is the creator of many of satirical bits used by Rush Limbaugh. ... This just IN !!!:paris hiltons new dog. ... This biographical article needs additional references for verification. ... A megaphone, with a three-inch lighter to scale. ...

See also

• European dragon
• List of fictional dragons
• Marijuana

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Dragon. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with dragons in literature and fiction. ... A Cannabis sativa plant The drug cannabis, also called marijuana, is produced from parts of the cannabis plant, primarily the cured flowers and gathered trichomes of the female plant. ...

References

The Urban Legends Reference Pages (also known as snopes. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...

External links

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• Urban Legends Reference Page which debunks the drug-reference myth
• Spooky and Puff