Peter Yarrow
Peter Yarrow
Peter Yarrowis an American singer and songwriter who found fame with the 1960s folk music trio Peter, Paul and Mary. Yarrow co-wroteone of the group's greatest hits, "Puff, the Magic Dragon". He is also a political activist and has lent his support to causes that range from opposition to the Vietnam War to the creation of Operation Respect, an organization that promotes tolerance and civility in schools...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionFolk Singer
Date of Birth31 May 1938
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
Such times of crisis have inevitably brought 'music of conscience' to the fore and I expect we will be hearing more and more of it in the immediate future. When people feel empowered to come together and raise their voices, also will mean raising their voices in song as well.
The ethic behind songs of conscience doesn't change, even though the issues are altered from generation to generation.
The songs we sing invite the participation of the listener, who is central to finding a way of creating the life of the song at that listening. It's the difference between poetry and didactic writing. One tells you, 'This is it,' and the other says, 'Let's find this together.'
The songs worked as a different kind of rhetoric, one that could reach the fence-sitters.
We've lived through a time in which people have felt they could forge their own future and make a better world. We may not have achieved our dreams in the time frame that we once believed was realistic, but the magnitude of what is yet to be achieved only confirms the importance of our commitment. Knowing this, we can't stop now.
People can overcome their differences, and when united, move toward a world of greater fairness and justice. As in folk music, each person has a unique role to play.
Most of my work for the past 25 years has been devoted to organizing demonstrations, benefits and campaigns, many of which have had the effect of bringing a policy debate to public focus or moving a political agenda forward. It's become a cliché to say 'think globally and act locally,' but it works.