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
Peter Yarrow quotes about
* We have come this far always believing that justice would somehow prevail. This is the burden, this is the promise, and THIS is why we will not fail.
We Americans are world leaders and we must lead by example - particularly in times that require careful deliberation before any precipitous action - lest we fail to walk in the shoes of those we might injure.
The spirit of Woody Guthrie lives in the heart of Chris Chandler.
I can't help but react to the painful realities of the two-tiered society we live in, where the signs of poverty and inequity are everywhere. Almost twenty five percent of our children live at or below the poverty line. We expect the no-option life cycle of the poor to be interrupted by the weak social safety net and then wonder why building more jails doesn't solve the problems.
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.
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.
People may say 'What can I do? I'm only one person.' But we've proven that when we come together demonstrate, and speak our piece, there is no way the power structure can avoid being attentive.
Such honesty comes with a price, but when you get past the hurt and shock of realizing that you're faulted and frequently wrong, you also realize that you are really loved and respected for who you are, and you become a better person.
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.
The songs worked as a different kind of rhetoric, one that could reach the fence-sitters.
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 ethic behind songs of conscience doesn't change, even though the issues are altered from generation to generation.