Controversial 60s folk legend who wrote Puff The Magic Dragon and always denied its meaning is dead at 86

Daily Mail UK ^ | January 7, 2025 | JUSTIN ENRIQUEZ

[Cowgirl of Justice]

The first song I ever learned. Or was it ‘Little Red Caboose’?

Peter is probably in Heaven with Mary singing ‘Leaving on a Jet Plane’....

❤️

[cyclotic]

I said I heard it’s common to go through the wrong door. But yea, go ahead and equate that with perverse behavior.

[PIF]

But Puff lives on in a slightly differnt shape

[Rio]

Happened to Jeff Foxworthy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5edVIiaPdAs

[Cowgirl of Justice]

Here he is singing it with Cass Elliot. Beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRe648clNjg

[Buttons12]

500 Miles is on an album in my family’s vinyl collection, trotted out now and then when someone needs cheering up. It is a beautiful tune. Gets me misty because my mom used to sing it to me when I was little. Great song to be rocked to.

A singer named Richard Anthony sang a French version you can hear on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyqtV7b0Kl0

[BudgieRamone]

Probably no worse than Arlo Guthrie and Alice’s Restaurant. Saw him in concert, and he said if he had known how popular it was going to be, he would have made it a lot shorter.

[Thrownatbirth]

My hippie friends were shocked when I showed them the REAL Puff.

[sjmjax]

Interesting view points on the subject.

I grew up in the sixties and this song much a part of that history.
I never associated it with drug use.

It was about the challenges of coming of age and letting go of childhood fantasies.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

That is indeed beautiful. Thanks.

Cass Eliott of course always makes me think of the short-lived “The Mamas and the Papas” and their amazing songs and harmonies. They broke up way too soon.

Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. was a great singer (another name I never knew about!)

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“mom used to sing it to me when I was little.” That is SO sweet. What a lovely memory!

[JackFromTexas]

“A dragon lives forever,
but not so little boys...”

Those who miss this need to read up on Tolkien and the sorrow of the Elves.

[fwdude]

Now let’s talk about The Yellow Submarine.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“Richard Anthony sang a French version”

Wow, that is wonderful! I love the completely different lyrics. Thanks for sharing that!

[kawhill]

Yep, he also wrote “Day is Done”, which I always thought was a good tune.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I just added “J’entends Siffler Le Train” to my Spotify playlist “Folk Songs” and “Liked Songs.” Thanks again.

[ifinnegan]

So many nice comments.

Do people not know are care he was a child molesting communist?

[higgmeister]

I*t took me a minute because you misspelled his name, Paul Stookey,

[When do we get liberated?]

LOL!! Do we have the same sister???!

[frank ballenger]

I forgot that.

I remember how the media always tried to find phrases to make crimes against young children seem not really so bad.
Still doing it.