Sunday, September 02, 2007
Puff the Magic Dragon

This interview with Pete Yarrow, co-writer of Puff and co-author of Puff,the Magic Dragon book which we've just published took me straight back to 1963. I couldn't find an original version so here is a much more recent performance

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

I was at a boarding school with little heating and little entertainment bar sport. The highlight of the week was the Sunday afternoon singles chart lists on the radio. The Beatles were riding high, Presley released Devil in Disguise, Gerry and the Pacemakers released the best-ever football anthem You'll Never Walk Alone and who could forget Brian Poole and the Tremeloes and Do You Love Me? (now that I can dance)? In the middle of all this edgy stuff came the sweetest little song from a clean-cut American folk trio.

Peter, Paul and Mary Photo

I'll bet that as soon as you saw the title of this blog you started to hum the tune in your head. I also bet that most of you never knew how to spell Honah Lee - and what on earth is it? Buy the book (and CD) and find out.

Finally, just in case you missed this wonderful advertisement for Western education...

#    |  Comments [8]  | 
9/2/2007 11:01:37 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
Is that Ricky Gervais singing? is that his first go?

(that will get your visits up)
tim coates
9/2/2007 12:23:36 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
OMG, Children`s Favourites. I am off to buy this NOW. One of my fave songs of all time. Thanks Richard.
SUSAN HILL
9/2/2007 12:25:05 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
BOUGHT IT BOUGHT IT BOUGHT IT.
SUSAN HILL
9/2/2007 1:56:23 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
Mrs South Carolina's performance wasn't as bad as some I've seen from George W...!
Tim Howles
9/3/2007 10:48:02 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
I am never one to question your facts, Richard, but you, like Wikipedia, have your facts wrong about Brian Poole and 'Do you love me'. It was the Dave Clark Five who had the biggest hit in the UK with it, knocking the Beatles off No.1 for the first time in a long time - to much relief for us Stones fans, who were sick of Beatles saccharine 'pop'. The Dave Clarke Five weren't much better, but they were different, at least.

Just shows how urban myths gain credibility: who among the Wiki generation have heard of Brian Poole, or Dave Clarke. So, a myth lives on. Roll on more OA!!!!? Who reviews the reviewers!?
John Manger
9/4/2007 9:42:40 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
John, You're right of course. I confess I was surprised it was Brian poole. Here's the link to the Dave Clarke version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSBdrLC7ABU. Perhaps you should correct the wiki entry?
richard charkin
9/5/2007 1:55:34 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
For what it is worth, my crazy librarian friend has a lounge act in which he sings Puff in French. There's a video of it on youtube. Ah...the Internet...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHBD0Iw6mJM

(He also raps the intro to the Cantebury Tales in Middle English. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0oSOnTlbT8)

David Silverman
9/6/2007 8:31:48 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
Sorry to be late to the party I was away!

Richard don't beat yourself up! It was BP & the Ts that had the No.1 with 'Do You Love Me'. It was the DC5's first hit single but good old Brian, the former butcher's boy from Dagenham, stormed to the top. It also beat another version of the song by Bern Elliot and The Fenmen.
Richard Havers