Magic Dragons

Magic Dragons mean different things to different people, but most people think of the song, Puff, the Magic Dragon. When this song came out in the 60's, people would always sing along with Peter, Paul, and Mary. It's still a cute little tune. PUFF, THE MAGIC DRAGON CHORUS Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee. Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal Puff And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff, oh Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee. Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee. Together they would travel on boat with billowed sail Jackie kept a lookout perched on Puff's gigantic tail Noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came Pirate ships would lower their flags when Puff roared out his name, oh CHORUS A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys Painted wings and giants's rings make way for other toys. One grey night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar. His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane. Without his lifelong friend, Puff could not be brave So, Puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave, oh CHORUS By Peter Yarrow and Leonard Tipton On Peter, Paul & Mary's MOVING, IN CONCERT, and 10 YEARS. Copyright 1963 Pepamar Music. ****************************************************** The song got a new lease on life when it sparked controversy during the 2008 presidential election. In March 2007 David Ehrenstein penned an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times called “Obama the Magic Negro.” Soon afterward, conservative satirist Paul Shanklin wrote a parody which ran on Rush Limbaugh’s show featuring an Al Sharpton impersonator singing, among other lyrics: "Barack the Magic Negro lives in D.C./ The L.A. Times they called him that/ 'cause he's not authentic like me... When asked about the parody song Barack Obama said: “I don’t mind, Idon’t mind. I don’t mind folks poking fun at me. That’s part of the job." Others did mind, of course, including the co-writer of the original “Puff the Magic Dragon” song, Petter Yarrow.