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"Puff, the Magic Dragon"
Single by Peter, Paul and Mary from the album Moving
Released	1963
Recorded	1963
Genre	Folk, Pop
Length	3:20
Label	Warner Bros/Wea
Writer	Leonard Lipton, Peter Yarrow
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"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a song written by Leonard Lipton and Peter Yarrow and made popular by the group Peter, Paul and Mary in a 1963 recording. The song is so well-known that it has entered American and British pop culture.

The lyrics for "Puff, the Magic Dragon" were based on a 1959 poem by Leonard Lipton, a nineteen-year-old Cornell student. Lipton was inspired by an Ogden Nash poem titled "Custard the Dragon," about a "Really-O, Truly-O, little pet dragon." Lipton passed his poem on to friend and fellow Cornell student Peter Yarrow, who created music and more lyrics to make the poem into the song. In 1961, Yarrow joined Paul Stookey and Mary Travers to form Peter, Paul and Mary. The group incorporated the song into their live performances before recording it in 1962.

The lyrics tell a bittersweet story of the ageless dragon Puff and his playmate Jackie Paper, a little boy who grows up and loses interest in the imaginary adventures of childhood and leaves Puff alone and depressed. The story of the song takes place "by the sea" in the fantasy land of Honah Lee.

A 2007 book adaptation of the song's lyrics by Yarrow, Lipton and illustrator Eric Puybaret gives the story a happier ending with a young girl (presumed by reviewers to be Jackie Paper's daughter [1]) seeking out Puff to become his new companion.

It's believed by some to refer to smoking marijuana, due to references to paper, dragon ("draggin'") and puff (to smoke) - and a rumor later incorporated into the film Meet the Parents - the song became a hippie anthem. The authors of the song have repeatedly and vehemently denied any intentional drug reference. Peter Yarrow himself insists that "Puff" is about the hardships of growing older, not drugs.^[1] But in January 2004 as Yarrow was on the campaign trail with personal friend and presidential hopeful John Kerry, Kerry was reportedly videotaped gesturing as if puffing a marijuana joint as Yarrow sang "Puff".^[2]

The song was banned in Singapore in 1963.^[3] Singapore has also banned other songs associated with "drug culture" like "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", and "Yellow Submarine".^{[citation needed]}

Puff holding Jackie Paper from the 1978 cartoon.

Beginning in 1978, a short series of 30-minute animated television specials based on the song were produced with Burgess Meredith in the title role. The series included Puff the Magic Dragon, Puff The Magic Dragon and the Land of the Living Lies, and Puff and the Incredible Mr. Nobody.

Here, Puff is depicted as a wielder of magic dedicated to helping troubled children resolve their personal issues.

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Puff the Magic Dragon

Due to its immense popularity, the song has been covered by multiple artists, including:

• Bing Crosby
• Marlene Dietrich (performed in German as "Paff, Der Zauberdrachen")
• Trini Lopez
• The Kingston Trio
• The Seekers (performed live in concert)
• Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (recorded on 2005 Puff the Magic Dragon single, and on the children's music album Songs for the Young at Heart)
• Mariko Kōda (featured as the 9th track on her "My Best Friend 2" album)
• Tom Chapin
• Dolly Parton
• Seal
• John Denver
• Southeast Asia version referring to US Air Force gunships
• Patsy Biscoe
• Grup de Folk (performed in Catalan as "Puff, el drac màgic")
• Broken Social Scene^[4]
• The Chipmunks (from the 1965 album, "The Chipmunks Sing With Children")
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
• Roger Whittaker
• The Irish Rovers
• Staind live acoustic album
• Paul Shanklin Parody of the song done as "Barack the Magic Negro" in reference to a Los Angeles Times article in 2007. Shanklin imitates Al Sharpton singing the tune through a megaphone.

[2]

• Gregory Isaacs (for the Reggae For Kids project).

• European dragon
• List of fictional dragons

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More spoken articles

   

• Urban Legends Reference Page which disputes the drug-reference interpretation.
• Spooky and Puff
• Song lyrics
• Puff The Magic Dragon video