1963 Puff, The Magic Dragon (Peter, Paul & Mary)
I feel like I'm cheating already, with my Peter, Paul & Mary love-in. But without official rules for this #Adventmusic exercise, I'm sticking with my choice. And really, how could I not? There might not be any more iconic song from my childhood than Puff the Magic Dragon. And no, before you ask, I'm not going to entertain thoughts about whether or not it's about taking drugs. If it is for others, then OK. But for me, it will always be a song about childhood, imagination, friendship, and growing up.
Over the years they've tweaked the lyrics to make it more inclusive, less gender-specific, and more optimistic at the end of the song (Puff the Magic Dragon lives by the sea -- PRESENT TENSE!). I understand the reasoning. After all, there is nothing that says "little Jackie Paper" has to be a boy, and then there is the whole issue of a children's song telling the tale of a depressed dragon who slinks into his cave never to be seen again. But I don't know. Call me obtuse, but it never occurred to me that when Jackie Paper grew up and stopped playing with Puff it meant the dragon died. For me, the song is the essence of childhood, and celebrates this wonderful but all too brief time of excitement, discovery, imagination and friendship. And even though children grow up and life changes, inside our imagination, and whenever this song is sung, I'm a child again and Puff is always there.
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