Peter, Paul and Mary – Puff (The Magic Dragon)

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  General Comment:Those who explain the Peter Paul & Mary song "Puff, the Magic Dragon" as a marijuana metaphor explain that Puff's homeland "Hanah Lee" is actually the town of Hanalei, which, according to them, is renowned for its marijuana. The cliffs on the side of the beach are said to look like a dragon. This interpretation was rejected by the song's authors.

  Flag moparmusclecarson June 16, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I used to sing this song to my son when he was a baby, and when he was having colic, I'd rock him and sing to him. As he grew up, oh say two, three, etc, he'd ask for me to sing to him the "puff song momma". Here we are, 29 years later, and he asks me why would I pick a song about DRUGS as a lullaby?!! I was shocked to say the least that he would think I would choose a song about drugs. Then he goes on to say "oh yeah, paper???? get it, rolling papers!" and then makes reference to "dragon is draggin on a joint". I talked to him about this in length, and I think that he will not have a jaded view of a childhood memory. He gave me a big hug, said that he will always remember me singing to him, and that in itself will always.....always be a good memory!
  I remember back when it was said that one of the Beatles songs when played backwards was about the devil! LOL One can put an interpretation on anything....peace out!

  Flag musicmuse71on June 09, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:Whether this song is about Marijuana (more likely Opium of Heroin since that's known as dragon and never being able to match the ecstacy of the first experience chasing the dragon) or loss of innocence or Vietnam (what an incredible post!) I think the answer is yes in the same way that to Peter, Paul or Mary will be received affirmatively to The True. It's really a question of how we conceptualize wonder and things that do not reconcile with the brain.I mean, maybe Puff is a an imaginative little boy's kite with string sealing wax and tail and a puff of air is all it takes to make the magic happen. And he made so many or kept revising or adding on to his great dragon,he was nicknamed "Jackie Paper" it doesn't matter because the irreconcilable is an invitation for collaboration with the Universe rather than getting lost within the maze or the mind or scared to venture out of it. When I was little and learned this song I was told it was about "Nessie" and whether she is or isn't is still an open question. Gong Xi Fa Cai! Gong Hey Fat Choy!

  Flag Musieon January 19, 2012   Link

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    I mean praying to St. Peter, Paul or Mary.

    Flag Musieon January 19, 2012  
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  General Comment:Yes...conform to every 60s stereotype and assume every song is about drugs. The song isn't about drugs, weed, lsd or any of that. Like others have said, it's about growing from childhood to adulthood.
  
  ""When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."" 1 Corinthians 13:11
  
  ""JACKIE PAPER"" -- Paper? must mean rolling papers! ""A DRAGON NAMED PUFF??"" -- must mean weed. Come on. If that's not reaching, then let's go ahead and suggest Cat Stevens' "Peace Train" is about heroin. By that logic it must be...he says TRAIN in it!! >.>

  Flag throatmotoron December 21, 2011   Link

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  My Opinion:I'm on the "this is not about drugs" team. You can take drug innuendos out of ANYTHING if you really want it to be there. I'm sure you've all seen the "subliminal messages" in Disney movies. Of course they aren't really there (well, except for the Rescuers Down Under lol) but if people want to see it, they will. I mean, for crying out loud, do you really believe that Salinger was writing a secret "How to Kill John Lennon and Why You (Yes, YOU Chapman!) Should Do It" ? Of course not. But that's what Chapman thought.
  
  You guys are spitting out these "facts" about "Honah Lee", Lenny Lipton, pot growing on the coast, opium, years and dates etc. as if you actually know. It's something you just looked up on the internet or heard from some other unreliable source. The most reliable source I've heard someone mention in here is a bathroom book and even that could just be full of bullshit.
  
  And as far as PPM SAYING this song has no drug reference - well, you can't use that as evidence either. The Beatles consistently denied that they used any drugs or put drug innuendos in their songs. But of course they used drugs and of course some of their songs are drug references (not as many as you think, though!).
  
  My point is, you guys can sit here and throw your "facts" at each other all you want, we're not going to come to any conclusion - ever. So instead of the straight-edge people calling people "dirty stupid hippie stoners" and instead of stoners calling the other people in here "douche bags", let's just all take the song for what it means to us. That's what music is about, isn't it? Interpreting it for ourselves and using it to help us understand ourselves and better ourselves?
  
  To me, I really honestly believe this song is about - like others have already said - the loss of innocence/imagination/creativity as we grow older. Which is why the versions of the song that sing the last verse in present tense make me so happy. (: Because if Puff the Magic Dragon LIVES (present tense) by the sea, then that means that the innocence/imagination/creativity are still there. ! (: <3
  
  Long long and prosper, everyone. ;)
  

  Flag forevermusic05on October 20, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:I always got the feeling that Puff was a toy kite (perhaps the Chinese dragon kind) frolicking in the mist/ by the sea/along the cherry lane... the boy imagined going everywhere while flying his kite, like he was flying himself and everything was below him (noble kings/princes/pirates)... the boy grew up and stopped flying(and repairing) the kite, it fell apart, and got put away into the closet... this always seemed clear to me, although maybe I was high when I first thought of it... Whether it be about Vietnam, marijuana, or just growing up, it's still about loss of innocence... (painted wings/ giant rings/ sealing wax/ paper/ string) all things related to the building and maintaining of kites...

  Flag consarniton September 13, 2011   Link

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    I always imagined the same thing, from the very first time I heard this as a child. Later I made the drug connection as an adolescent without anyone every trying to "enlighten" me about that possible meaning.

    Flag amusedoneon October 04, 2011  
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  My Interpretation:It is NOT about drugs. It is about growing up and leaving childish fantasies behind and taking ones place in adult society

  Flag CuteSparkinaon June 20, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:At least from my point of view, this song is not about drugs. I won't say that people who think it is are wrong. Peter said it wasn't about them, but we are all entitled to our opinions.

  Flag Treadingonyourdreamson May 09, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:I dare any of you to listen to this song while alone and sing along.
  
  Someone asked "why would he bring the dragon sealing wax?"
  
  Puff was an imaginary friend, but he probably had some sort of medium: like a "dragon" he made out of strings, sealing wax and "other fancy stuff." Then he'd pretend he was going on adventures with him, like visiting kings and scaring away pirates. Eventually the kid grew up and stopped playing with it, so it ceased to "roar"/live. Eventually it started to fall apart ("green scales fell like rain") so the parents moved it into the garage...or threw it away ("sadly slipped into his cave").
  
  I can relate to this. When I was a kid, I had an imaginary friend that was basically the rocking horse I sat on 24/7 as a toddler.

  Flag Malumultimuson November 16, 2010   Link

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    I concur

    Flag consarniton September 13, 2011  
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  General Comment:Interesting. I listened to this a few hours ago and it seemed to me that Puff was a toy dragon. That's why Jackie Paper loved him as a boy, and then disappeared without a word-like Jackie grew up and had more important things to worry about than toy dragons. Then the second verse was about the games Jackie imagined with Puff.

  Flag SideshowJazz1on October 17, 2010   Link

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