The Tragedy of "Puff the Magic Dragon"

I love "Puff the Magic Dragon." And the Peter, Paul and Mary recording cannot be beat. It is awesome to the 270th degree. But I cry each moment I hear it defiled by people saying it's about drugs. It's such a sad song. The little boy has his friend but then he grows up. And when Jackie doesn't come anymore, Puff doesn't have any reason to live, and it's so sad. And sometimes I cry. But why do we have to destroy the way that see Puff and his friends? Talk about depressing. And then people try to ruin it with drug connotations, and it makes me sad.

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee,
Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. oh

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on puffs gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flag when Puff roared out his name. Oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant rings make way for other toys.
One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the Cherry Lane.
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave,
So puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee.

Comments

Kim said…
Thank you! I get so angry at Chris when he tries to pull that drug card on poor ol' Puff. Such a sweet song!
April 3, 2009 at 9:40 AM
p said…
PPM have long denied any such allegations.
April 3, 2009 at 1:16 PM
p said…
We even listened to it on the way home from Clark's farewell yesterday.
May 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
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