I discovered Peter, Paul & Mary in the early 80s thanks to my neighbors, the Rovelstads. There was a concert on TV and my mom and I, along with other neighbors, gathered at their house to watch. The harmonies were dazzling and, while I know I’d heard “Puff the Magic Dragon” sung by other people, it was the first time I’d heard them perform it. The concert was the first time I heard songs like “If I Had A Hammer,” “Leaving on A Jet Plane,” “500 Miles,” “Lemon Tree,” “I Dig Rock and Roll Music” and “Early Morning Rain.”
Over the years I’ve picked up random Peter, Paul & Mary collections and one of the best is Peter, Paul & Mary In Concert from 1964. The song “A ‘Soalin” became an instant favorite. The harmonies here are among their best and the story told before the song begins is fantastic.
I pick this as a Geek Out now for a couple reasons. “A ‘Soalin,” as you’ll find out when you play it, is the perfect fall/holiday song. It’s also a way to acknowledge last month’s death of Mary Travers whose voice works so well in this song. I hope you enjoy the performance as much as I do.
