Just A Minute With: Peter Yarrow

By Belinda Goldsmith

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Peter Yarrow, who found fame with 1960s folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary, is hoping that revisiting his hit song "Puff, the Magic Dragon" will end the belief once and for all that the song was about drugs.

Yarrow, 69, who co-wrote the song with Leonard Lipton in 1959, last year produced a book adaptation of the song which tells the story of an ageless dragon and his playmate Jackie who grows up, quits imaginary games, and leaves Puff alone and sad.

He also teamed up with his daughter Bethany Yarrow and cellist Rufus Cappadocia to produce a CD edition of "Puff" and several other songs with a TV special called "Peter, Bethany & Rufus: Spirit of Woodstock" being broadcast this month.

Yarrow, 69, who has long campaigned for social change on various fronts, spoke to Reuters about Puff, respect for others, and the power of folk music:

Q: So "Puff, the Magic Dragon" was not about drugs?

A: "No. That is hardly possible for many reasons. Even if I had had the intention of writing a song about drugs -- which I may have had at a later time -- I was 20 years old at Cornell in 1959 when it was written and I was so square at that time, as was everyone else. Drugs had not emerged then. I know Puff was a good dragon and would never had had drugs around him. Now you've heard that from the mouth of the dragon's daddy."

Q: Why could you never stop the rumor?

A: "When someone is convinced that a rumor is true there is nothing you can do. It's an annoyance as it defames the sweetness of a child's song. The song was forbidden on Singapore radio."