WE SING THE SONGS THAT PETER, PAUL & MARY SANG

We Sing the Songs That Peter, Paul & Mary Sang    by Barbara Biddison

​On this past Sunday afternoon we music lovers gathered in the Coolidge to listen, and to add our voices, to this fine afternoon of music.  It was a benefit for the HG Treble Choir and their performance tour in May. But, in actuality, we in the audience,  all benefitted by singing along with the kids, and the Gmeiner Open Mic Group, and Chris Eckert, and Pine Pitch.   I'm also led to believe that the choir kids did not know who Peter, Paul and Mary might be, so the show served an educational purpose as well.  We elders learn something too when we discover that "our growing up familiarity" with, say, the Beatles or Peter, Paul and Mary, does NOT mean that our grandchildren have the same memories.  Or that they even know what these "Beatles" things are.  So what we've  for decades fondly remembered has no recognition factor for them. We must fix that!!!  We must have them sing songs that will teach them!!!  And in the process we bring pleasure to the folks who lived through that time period.

Some of the songs that we remember from our past are "'Blowin' in the Wind''' and "Early Mornin' Rain" and"Michael Row the Boat Ashore" and, of course "This Land is Your Land."  All those years ago when our sons were about 15 and 18 we spent a sabbatical semester in England, and when we were ready to leave for home some friends of theirs came to our little rented house and sang for them/with them John Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane."  Another one of the Peter, Paul and Mary songs. So, it was good for me to revisit these songs in the Coolidge in 2024.

A real bonus for this afternoon full of singing was the audience itself.  We were invited to sing along with these Peter, Paul and Mary songs.  And this invitation actually worked because the audience had
amongst us people who are old enough to remember the songs.  And so we sang, and we were surrounded by others who were singing.  And the Coolidge filled with song.  I can still hear and feel that space so richly full of music.. ​

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