One of the most achingly beautiful songs ever written. Utterly timeless. Mandala- man- dal-uh. I can’t even sing it without crying. What a heartfelt reaction!
Generally speaking it (the Mandala) represents the spiritual journey, starting from outside to the inner core, through layers . . . Thanks so much for the reaction . . . It is such a joyful surprise when a song I found meaningful when I was a late teenager is again discovered, over five decades later by a current young person . . . Now young Daniel find the live recording between the writer Peter Yarrow and Richie Havens done many decades after this studio version . . . Even if you don't publicly react, listen to that version . . . Notice how the intensity of that same song can sweeten with age . . .
I've been a fan of PP&M since I was a young girl in the early sixties, but I didn't hear this wonderful song until I was in my 50s. Thank you for your wonderful reaction and analysis. I always appreciate your thoughts, especially on such powerful music. Keep it up! 🎵❤️🎵
Great group. My mom loved folk rock and in addition to Peter, Paul and Mary, she also loved a folk rock group at that time came out of Australia called The Seekers. That was one of my mom's favorite groups. Great vocals and harmonies. "I'll Never Find Another You" is a classic. They also cover Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice (It's Alright).
Love this trio. They were an American folk group formed in 1961. They had a lot of great hits such as "Puff, The Magic Dragon", "Lemon Tree", "500 Miles", "If I Had A Hammer", "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "Leaving On A Jet Plane", "Day Is Done". They recorded quite a few of Bob Dylan's songs such as "Blowin' In The Wind", "The Times They Are a-Changin'", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", "When The Ship Comes In".
I had not heard this before; thank you for doing this. I was fortunate to see PP&M a couple of times. So much power and emotion in their voices. And with a great gift for connecting with the audience, showing genuine thoughtfulness and a joyful sense of humor too. No one who saw them live could accuse them of taking themselves too seriously, which I think added impact to their more serious songs.
A beautiful song from one of my favorite all-time albums, "1700" by Peter Paul & Mary. They were an incredibly talented folk group, beyond all others, IMHO. My understanding of what the "Great Mandala" refers to is the karmic wheel of life as it relates to war, specifically the filthy rotten Vietnam War. I can't thank you enough for reacting to this one! Daniel my young friend, you are wise beyond your years.
Helene here. Wow, I was a huge fan of PPM from around 1961-64 during the folk craze, but then lost touch with them….so I’ve never heard this song before. What a powerful statement, with amazing melodic lines and harmonies. I had honestly forgotten what beautiful voices they had. I need to revisit them.
When I heard this for the first time time it sent chills right through my me I spoke to Peter once and I told him it was the most beautiful and heartbreaking song I ever heard I’m of the age of the Viet Nam war and this song hit right on the mark those who thought this was a terrible war and killed so many of our young men and traumatized many more of our brave soldiers M
Love your analysis and what you had to say on a personal level. I'm 65 now, and I can tell you my convictions and views have changed many times and I continue to evolve the older I become. But there are still basic values and convictions that have remained the same throughout the years. As wildly popular as Peter, Paul & Mary were in the 60s, this was the first time I have ever heard this song; although always knowing what they stood for, I was not surprised by the lyrics. Great reaction, and thanks for introducing me to a song I should've already been familiar with!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for reviewing this song. In my estimation it is the most emotionally impactful anti-war song ever written. Add to that the conflict between generations as well as fathers and sons. This song was released not long after I received my draft lottery number which was 4. That meant I was going to Vietnam if I ever lost my student deferment. This encapsuled every fear I had about that. To this day I can not listen to this without a tear or two coming to my eyes. Again, thank you.
There is just as good music now, but unfortunately it doesn't get a chance to be heard like the music of the 60's did due to the idea that music is now only valued in monetary ways. Due to the times, great music was allowed to be played on the radio while now anything that speaks truth is buried by the unending pop music fare out there.
I have most of PP& M early records, first 6 albums or so, and i found a video online of "somtime lovin" what amazing songwriters involved in their music.
This was the B side of the 1967 hit "I "I Dig Rock and Roll Music," a considerably more frivolous song. It's almost yin and yang sides. The song does not hold out much hope that the different points of view towards war and it's necessity will be resolved. And time seems to be bearing that out. It's been going on for 10,000 years.
I grew up listening and loving P,P&M and fell in love with this song the first time I heard it. Still sing it to myself at times, still too relevant today. Had lots of fears for my college pals because of the draft back then. Lost a few of them, and a cousin. So very useless, these wars. Thought of it at the start of the Iraq invasion, too. "Oh when will they ever learn?"
I am surprised I have never heard this but growing up in the South...no wonder. What a crock of powerful writing! (My crock chef is 5 star.) There was a time when people came out of the womb singing Peter, Paul & Mary songs...the urge to be a beatnik was that strong. The very young would screw up the lyrics. I kept singing "Puff the Magic Marker", conflating the song with the future writing tool. If I had a hammer, I'd hammer them apart, but I don't, It is a screwdriver. Orange and vodka. If I had a Hummer, I'd Hummer in the morning. Before traffic wakes up, and the eagle flies. Peter, Paul, & Mary were in the age of vertebrates. Dylan, Hendrix, Cohen, CSNY. Never too pusillanimous to speak truth to power. Break on through. You are way ahead of the pack. Use the top of your head, and the depths of your heart, and you will go far. You will anyway.
Strange that this is the 33rd anniversary of the Tiehenemin Square massacre, during which we did nothing. I despise war but I also see the reasons for it. Human nature is a sad strange thing sometimes.
Useless information -- among the several songs used at Philadelphia Flyers games in the 1970s, "If I had a Hammer" was often played by the organist at the Spectrum whenever their enforcer, Dave "THE HAMMER" Schultz got into a fight. They also used the theme to "Hogan's Heroes" to describe his legion of fans, "Schultz's Army".
Some one should do a video ranking the great sports organists. That’s good info Firebird, I may not have learned this if it wasn’t for you. I saw a couple of rock shows there maybe Dave the Hammer was in the crowd idk
@@Hartlor_Tayley He had a novelty song called "The Penalty Box" which went to #1 on the charts in Philadelphia, beating out Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom"! LOL
While I mentioned the popular Australian folk rock group, The Seekers, I failed to mention their Oscar nominated, #1 hit, "Georgy Girl", the title song from the 1966 British comedy movie of the same name.
Don't worry about your children's convictions. Worry about your own. "If you're not a rebel when you're 20, you have no heart. If you're not a bourgois when you're 40 you have no brain." Life changes you. "When I was a child I spoke like a child, and I saw with a child's eyes. And an open door was to me then like the stars are to the skies. Funny how life lives up to all your expectations, with adventures for the stout of heart and the lure of the open spaces. Now I'm grown and I speak like a woman, and I see with a woman's eyes. And an open door is to me now like the saddest of goodbyes." (Mary Chapin-Carpenter, "The Moon and St. Christopher")
Listening to this again, I can feel the anti-war passionate feelings of yesterday boiling up in me once more. I loved it when it was first released, and still do. Very nice review.
Nelson Mandella protested against colonialism and apartheid in South Africa. He spent many YEARS in prison, much of it on hunger strikes. He finally won: the European regime finally collapsed, he was freed, became Prime Minister. S.A. became a better place, at least for a time.
Oh, Daniel, this is just an incredibly beautiful song, that I'm sorry to say I never heard before. I only had one PP&M album, the iconic "In the Wind" album from late 1963, when I was only 10 years old, and had just started buying singles and albums. It was a huge hit album for them! It was released only 4 months before The Beatles invaded America! From that time on, I never bought any other albums except The Beatles (with ONE exception being "All Summer Long" by The Beach Boys!! Also a fantastic album!) By the time "The Great Mandella" came out, I was 14 years old. It was the "B" side to a fantastic song and HUGE radio hit called "I Dig Rock & Roll Music". It was/is truly one of the best pop songs EVER, IMO. Please do check it out!! But back to this song! I am stunned at how incredibly good this song is!! Just so beautiful, moving, powerful! It borders on progressive, which I guess is not surprising, given the "progression" of music at the time! Three years after that time, I married a soldier, 50% just in hopes that would keep him out of Vietnam. This was a great share, Daniel - a very cool surprise!
If you haven't already you need to react to Blowing in the Wind written by Bob Dylan sung by Peter Paul and Mary covered hundreds of times and Puff the Magic Dragon
🪖 If you find this genre and subject matter of music to be that moving, then there are two other 1960s tracks you should definitely listen to at some point: Buffy St. Marie's "Universal Soldier" and Phil Ochs' "I Ain't A Marching Anymore." With the latter, you have a choice of the original with just guitar & voice, or a single version that was in print for awhile with an orchestral overdub.
My hope is that humanity will mature enough to come together and evolve to the point of abolishing borders and divided religions, as in John Lennon's vision of a one- world utopia.
Perhaps, in time, quite a bit of time, under specific new set of prelates. Concepts bearing these prefaces at the present time has a name. A one world, monolithic corpretized version of Communism. With due respect, a very strong nay.
@@georgewodicka4839 You have an interesting way of phasing your insights. Are you saying you don't agree with this vision if it's communism? I don't like communism, or even socialism. Concepts that might have had a noble premise, that have become perverted in the real world, subjecting the masses to essentially a slave level existence without any rights or freedoms, while the ruling class walks away with all the goodies. Hopefully if humanity is able to reach a level of awareness, enough to unite in a world without a separation of artificial barriers, then they would also adopt a system of equitable economics, such as a truly social democratic lifestyle reminiscent more of Europe, than Russia or China.
Hi Daniel: While you listened to this song, and you looked up the definition (Hinduism), you made me think that whoever wrote this did this as a twist on the Bhavagita (translated as the Book of Love). In it, Arjuna is asked by Krishna to fight. Arjuna has relatives on both sides and doesnt want to. Krishna tells him that if he fights and destroys his enemies, life will still go on and on and urges him on to fight. As a Seeker of any truth, this confused me because I learned that this was Ghandi's favorite book; it had to have another meaning. The thing that hit me at some point, was that the Book had nothing to do with physical war, it had to do with Life and our own war within ourselves, our query between the material world and the spiritual one. Maybe the writer of the Great Mandala read the Book and took it literally? Or twisted its meaning to fit the times he lived in?
Welcome to the Mandela effect. I grew up on the best of PP&M on tape. Listened to it over and over. This wasn’t on it for whatever reason. History has patterns bc history is written by the controllers and they know what works to control the sheeple.
Two responses to your commentary: 1. I have always thought that it was his father who was saying these things all the way through. His other son died because of the war, and he has to justify his continued support of the war despite that, so he continues to criticize this son throughout; 2. Partly as follow-up to the first comment, I believe the father/narrator says all those terrible things in the end - "We are free now, we can kill now, we can hate now, now we can end the world" - in order to be able to convince himself that "we're not guilty, he was crazy." Nothing else can convince him that "we're not guilty," so he clings to his own fantasy.
I know you want to be positive about the future, but if we continue to do what we are doing to our world, then things will only get worse. We can never get back to morality by doing the same thing over and over again.. The ever changing world of destroying nature(which is the basis of our existence) can only be bad for the human race. When technology and so called "progress" trumps the basic staple of our humanity, we will never end the cesspool of muck we are drowning in.
You're kinda cute. You have to listen to Deep Purple first, to get an inkling of what music was all about in the late sixties, early seventies. Led Zeppelin also. And Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep and some such, just to keep on the rock side of things. Because, hey, that's what it was all about, eh?
Thanks Daniel. Thanks Steve. That was a very worthy choice. I often wonder what happened to my generation. We were the generation that stopped the war! We tried to get ourselves back to the garden. And then we went back to money markets and tax evasion and war hunger. Well not all of us...
Wow I’m excited for you to listen to the Great Mandala! I was 14 or so when I fell in love with the album this is on: Album 1700. Mandella is the pronunciation. It means Wheel of Life And the whole album is excellent. Now you’ve listened and reacted. Yes you understand the message. Of course. And yes their harmonies were always terrific. Listen to the whole album when you get a chance.
Thanks for picking this song. It sadly is as relevant today as when it was written. Peter, Paul and Mary were among that group of singers like Dylan and Joan Baez, who were kind of a conscience for the world. The first three albums I ever bought were PP&M albums. My senior year of high school, 1971, was a terrifying time as we faced the draft to fight in divided part of the world inside our own divided country. I was in a folk trio at that time. Great Mandala was a centerpiece of our sets. The words were sung with a lot of heightened emotion. Keep working on your own music.
I got to see them in my little 750 person college gym over 50 years ago. It was amazing time to go to college because we got to see so many groups that became huge later.
My father and I didn't disagree on much, but serving in the war in Vietnam was one thing we didn't see eye to eye on... My dad was a WWII vet, trained for the invasion of Japan. I grew up during the Vietnam war and could see that it was a very different situation than the "justifiable" war with German, Italy, and Japan. We agreed to disagree. As it turned out, the Vietnam war did end before I was old enough to be drafted, so I was not put to the test. Not totally sure how I would have handled it...
Don't think I had heard this before. Very powerful and beautifully heartfelt, albeit heavily idealistic. The world is more complex than this, and things aren't as black and white as they seem. It brings back a time of upheaval in American life. Good choice , Daniel, and good reaction.
Controversy was seldom broadcast then; just as it is being silenced even now. I completely missed this powerful song during the Vietnam War. After the death of ethics, we are free to kill and destroy the earth with no regret......no problem to the ol' conscience.
Funny I discovered them couple days ago, I was checking versions of the song 'Early morning rain'. I found theirs to be the best one along with another one. Lover their rendition of Early Morning Rain and 500 Miles.
I just bought me an old LP Album 1700 and listen to this song for the first time and I was thrilled by these harmonies in combination with These words. Very Great song! And very good sounding take.
When I hear this song, I always feel as though we are all caught in that mandala, riding through eternity, watching the world and all humanity's mistakes. You look as young as the boys I graduated with, approximately fifty percent of whom never returned from that needless war. Imagine if you were drafted into a certain death; it's no wonder my generation protested so vehemently. We didn't even know what we were defending. Just go and die, or if you were one of the lucky ones, you could come home and have PTSD for the rest of your life. My husband served, and he is still emotionally suffering from all that he saw . . . and all that he was forced to participate in. If you want to get the real feeling of that war, view, "Good Morning Vietnam," with Robin Williams, in addition to this song. I loved how your eyes reacted to its lyrics. You are very perceptive. You have helped me to relive some of the sadness and anguish I felt during that era. And yes, the mandala continues to spin. Thank you for hearing me out.
PP&M is one of the most influential groups of all time! Kept being involved in different social demonstrations for decades! One of my favorite groups! Please take a listen to "If I had a Hammer," "Lemon Tree," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?," "Cruel War", and "500 Miles." Each member did a solo song or few also. For Mary: I recommend her studio version of John Denver's "For Baby". Peter wrote "Puff the Magic Dragon" and Noel "Paul" wrote and performed "A Wedding Song" which is a great song too! Love that you are listening to Peter, Paul, and Mary!
Money, in essence, perhaps the ultimate double-edged sword. In so many cases, the root of many evils, but needed by all for at least minimal sustenance. And throughout history, many wars were fought for noble causes. Not as many in the last several decades, unfortunately. Great transfers of wealth through governments and corporations, seeming to be primary catalysts for most conflicts. A sort of world-wide mania, fueling these machinations. Powerful song, thoughtful reaction.
Just a note here: In 1967, when this song was released, head-shops were popping up in cities, cottage industry style. Beyond the beads, incense, and roach clips, was the poster section where day-glo blacklight mandala posters were in heavy stock.
One of the most achingly beautiful songs ever written. Utterly timeless. Mandala- man- dal-uh. I can’t even sing it without crying. What a heartfelt reaction!
Folk superstars, they match great songs with perfect harmonies and that something special that you can't duplicate.
Generally speaking it (the Mandala) represents the spiritual journey, starting from outside to the inner core, through layers . . . Thanks so much for the reaction . . . It is such a joyful surprise when a song I found meaningful when I was a late teenager is again discovered, over five decades later by a current young person . . . Now young Daniel find the live recording between the writer Peter Yarrow and Richie Havens done many decades after this studio version . . . Even if you don't publicly react, listen to that version . . . Notice how the intensity of that same song can sweeten with age . . .
Wow is right. I’m 57 and have never heard this song before. Powerful. Chilling.
I've been a fan of PP&M since I was a young girl in the early sixties, but I didn't hear this wonderful song until I was in my 50s. Thank you for your wonderful reaction and analysis. I always appreciate your thoughts, especially on such powerful music. Keep it up! 🎵❤️🎵
Great group. My mom loved folk rock and in addition to Peter, Paul and Mary, she also loved a folk rock group at that time came out of Australia called The Seekers. That was one of my mom's favorite groups. Great vocals and harmonies. "I'll Never Find Another You" is a classic. They also cover Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice (It's Alright).
Love this trio. They were an American folk group formed in 1961. They had a lot of great hits such as "Puff, The Magic Dragon", "Lemon Tree", "500 Miles", "If I Had A Hammer", "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?", "Leaving On A Jet Plane", "Day Is Done". They recorded quite a few of Bob Dylan's songs such as "Blowin' In The Wind", "The Times They Are a-Changin'", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", "When The Ship Comes In".
I’m a huge Dylan fan but I heard his songs first from Peter Paul & Mary, and Judy Collins.
I had not heard this before; thank you for doing this. I was fortunate to see PP&M a couple of times. So much power and emotion in their voices. And with a great gift for connecting with the audience, showing genuine thoughtfulness and a joyful sense of humor too. No one who saw them live could accuse them of taking themselves too seriously, which I think added impact to their more serious songs.
Great Reaction Again My Friend
A beautiful song from one of my favorite all-time albums, "1700" by Peter Paul & Mary. They were an incredibly talented folk group, beyond all others, IMHO. My understanding of what the "Great Mandala" refers to is the karmic wheel of life as it relates to war, specifically the filthy rotten Vietnam War. I can't thank you enough for reacting to this one! Daniel my young friend, you are wise beyond your years.
Helene here. Wow, I was a huge fan of PPM from around 1961-64 during the folk craze, but then lost touch with them….so I’ve never heard this song before. What a powerful statement, with amazing melodic lines and harmonies. I had honestly forgotten what beautiful voices they had. I need to revisit them.
When I heard this for the first time time it sent chills right through my me I spoke to Peter once and I told him it was the most beautiful and heartbreaking song I ever heard I’m of the age of the Viet Nam war and this song hit right on the mark those who thought this was a terrible war and killed so many of our young men and traumatized many more of our brave soldiers
M
Love your analysis and what you had to say on a personal level. I'm 65 now, and I can tell you my convictions and views have changed many times and I continue to evolve the older I become. But there are still basic values and convictions that have remained the same throughout the years. As wildly popular as Peter, Paul & Mary were in the 60s, this was the first time I have ever heard this song; although always knowing what they stood for, I was not surprised by the lyrics. Great reaction, and thanks for introducing me to a song I should've already been familiar with!
Great breakdown and review Daniel.
Chills, tears,the whole nine yards.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for reviewing this song. In my estimation it is the most emotionally impactful anti-war song ever written. Add to that the conflict between generations as well as fathers and sons. This song was released not long after I received my draft lottery number which was 4. That meant I was going to Vietnam if I ever lost my student deferment. This encapsuled every fear I had about that. To this day I can not listen to this without a tear or two coming to my eyes. Again, thank you.
4. 😳
Nostalgic for the 60's now. Those were fantastic years in music. I was 20 when they began performing and saw them frequently on Ed Sullevan.
Wow, someone on this channel older than I! I was in my early teens when they hit in 1961
@@w.geoffreyspaulding6588 I just finished my 1st year of high school then (soph not fresh)
There is just as good music now, but unfortunately it doesn't get a chance to be heard like the music of the 60's did due to the idea that music is now only valued in monetary ways. Due to the times, great music was allowed to be played on the radio while now anything that speaks truth is buried by the unending pop music fare out there.
I have most of PP& M early records, first 6 albums or so, and i found a video online of "somtime lovin" what amazing songwriters involved in their music.
You should listen to Peter Yarrow and Richie Havens live duet version of this - just them and acoustic guitar. It is gorgeous, too. And powerful.
Such extraordinary writers and performers! I loved Peter, Paul, and Mary!
This was the B side of the 1967 hit "I "I Dig Rock and Roll Music," a considerably more frivolous song. It's almost yin and yang sides. The song does not hold out much hope that the different points of view towards war and it's necessity will be resolved. And time seems to be bearing that out. It's been going on for 10,000 years.
I grew up listening and loving P,P&M and fell in love with this song the first time I heard it. Still sing it to myself at times, still too relevant today. Had lots of fears for my college pals because of the draft back then. Lost a few of them, and a cousin. So very useless, these wars. Thought of it at the start of the Iraq invasion, too. "Oh when will they ever learn?"
What a beautiful song. One of mother’s favourite groups. Yes, always relevant. Take your place on the mandala. We have to have hope though✌️
Gentle, simple, beautiful and chillingly current for so many people.
I am surprised I have never heard this but growing up in the South...no wonder. What a crock of powerful writing! (My crock chef is 5 star.)
There was a time when people came out of the womb singing Peter, Paul & Mary songs...the urge to be a beatnik was that strong. The very young would screw up the lyrics. I kept singing "Puff the Magic Marker", conflating the song with the future writing tool. If I had a hammer, I'd hammer them apart, but I don't, It is a screwdriver. Orange and vodka. If I had a Hummer, I'd Hummer in the morning. Before traffic wakes up, and the eagle flies.
Peter, Paul, & Mary were in the age of vertebrates. Dylan, Hendrix, Cohen, CSNY. Never too pusillanimous to speak truth to power. Break on through. You are way ahead of the pack. Use the top of your head, and the depths of your heart, and you will go far. You will anyway.
You should hear Richie Havens perform this song with them. It's intense. I was raised on Peter Paul and Mary. They informed my world view.
Folk music royalty in the 60s. They had hits with material written by Bob Dylan, John Denver, as well as their own compositions.
Strange that this is the 33rd anniversary of the Tiehenemin Square massacre, during which we did nothing. I despise war but I also see the reasons for it.
Human nature is a sad strange thing sometimes.
“If I had a Hammer” is another sixties anthem by Peter Paul and Mary. Great reaction. It’s interesting to hear this song after so many years
Useless information -- among the several songs used at Philadelphia Flyers games in the 1970s, "If I had a Hammer" was often played by the organist at the Spectrum whenever their enforcer, Dave "THE HAMMER" Schultz got into a fight. They also used the theme to "Hogan's Heroes" to describe his legion of fans, "Schultz's Army".
Some one should do a video ranking the great sports organists. That’s good info Firebird, I may not have learned this if it wasn’t for you. I saw a couple of rock shows there maybe Dave the Hammer was in the crowd idk
@@Hartlor_Tayley He had a novelty song called "The Penalty Box" which went to #1 on the charts in Philadelphia, beating out Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom"! LOL
@@firebird7479 oh man that’s beautiful and as it should be. Lol and here it is. I love it. Lol. ua-cam.com/video/pTKcw7M1_SI/v-deo.html
@@Hartlor_Tayley I worked with one of his sons. Met Dave a few times over the years. Good people. Good family.
While I mentioned the popular Australian folk rock group, The Seekers, I failed to mention their Oscar nominated, #1 hit, "Georgy Girl", the title song from the 1966 British comedy movie of the same name.
Don't worry about your children's convictions. Worry about your own. "If you're not a rebel when you're 20, you have no heart. If you're not a bourgois when you're 40 you have no brain." Life changes you. "When I was a child I spoke like a child, and I saw with a child's eyes. And an open door was to me then like the stars are to the skies. Funny how life lives up to all your expectations, with adventures for the stout of heart and the lure of the open spaces. Now I'm grown and I speak like a woman, and I see with a woman's eyes. And an open door is to me now like the saddest of goodbyes." (Mary Chapin-Carpenter, "The Moon and St. Christopher")
Listening to this again, I can feel the anti-war passionate feelings of yesterday boiling up in me once more. I loved it when it was first released, and still do. Very nice review.
Petr Paul and Mary were different than the other folk groups. Mary and her silky blonde hair and the guys with goatees...suoer!
Nelson Mandella protested against colonialism and apartheid in South Africa. He spent many YEARS in prison, much of it on hunger strikes. He finally won: the European regime finally collapsed, he was freed, became Prime Minister. S.A. became a better place, at least for a time.
Oh, Daniel, this is just an incredibly beautiful song, that I'm sorry to say I never heard before. I only had one PP&M album, the iconic "In the Wind" album from late 1963, when I was only 10 years old, and had just started buying singles and albums. It was a huge hit album for them! It was released only 4 months before The Beatles invaded America! From that time on, I never bought any other albums except The Beatles (with ONE exception being "All Summer Long" by The Beach Boys!! Also a fantastic album!)
By the time "The Great Mandella" came out, I was 14 years old. It was the "B" side to a fantastic song and HUGE radio hit called "I Dig Rock & Roll Music". It was/is truly one of the best pop songs EVER, IMO. Please do check it out!!
But back to this song! I am stunned at how incredibly good this song is!! Just so beautiful, moving, powerful! It borders on progressive, which I guess is not surprising, given the "progression" of music at the time! Three years after that time, I married a soldier, 50% just in hopes that would keep him out of Vietnam.
This was a great share, Daniel - a very cool surprise!
You married a soldier to help keep him out of Nam? Bless you forever Miss Astor. 🌷
You should listen to their song El Salvador.
If you haven't already you need to react to Blowing in the Wind written by Bob Dylan sung by Peter Paul and Mary covered hundreds of times and Puff the Magic Dragon
🪖 If you find this genre and subject matter of music to be that moving, then there are two other 1960s tracks you should definitely listen to at some point: Buffy St. Marie's "Universal Soldier" and Phil Ochs' "I Ain't A Marching Anymore." With the latter, you have a choice of the original with just guitar & voice, or a single version that was in print for awhile with an orchestral overdub.
My hope is that humanity will mature enough to come together and evolve to the point of abolishing borders and divided religions, as in John Lennon's vision of a one- world utopia.
Perhaps, in time, quite a bit of time, under specific new set of prelates. Concepts bearing these prefaces at the present time has a name. A one world, monolithic corpretized version of Communism. With due respect, a very strong nay.
@@georgewodicka4839 You have an interesting way of phasing your insights. Are you saying you don't agree with this vision if it's communism? I don't like communism, or even socialism. Concepts that might have had a noble premise, that have become perverted in the real world, subjecting the masses to essentially a slave level existence without any rights or freedoms, while the ruling class walks away with all the goodies. Hopefully if humanity is able to reach a level of awareness, enough to unite in a world without a separation of artificial barriers, then they would also adopt a system of equitable economics, such as a truly social democratic lifestyle reminiscent more of Europe, than Russia or China.
Hi Daniel: While you listened to this song, and you looked up the definition (Hinduism), you made me think that whoever wrote this did this as a twist on the Bhavagita (translated as the Book of Love). In it, Arjuna is asked by Krishna to fight. Arjuna has relatives on both sides and doesnt want to. Krishna tells him that if he fights and destroys his enemies, life will still go on and on and urges him on to fight. As a Seeker of any truth, this confused me because I learned that this was Ghandi's favorite book; it had to have another meaning. The thing that hit me at some point, was that the Book had nothing to do with physical war, it had to do with Life and our own war within ourselves, our query between the material world and the spiritual one. Maybe the writer of the Great Mandala read the Book and took it literally? Or twisted its meaning to fit the times he lived in?
Mahat Ghandi would go on hunger strikes. I became a spiritualist and experienced unconditional love and have a better understanding of judgment.
Welcome to the Mandela effect.
I grew up on the best of PP&M on tape. Listened to it over and over. This wasn’t on it for whatever reason. History has patterns bc history is written by the controllers and they know what works to control the sheeple.
"Whatshername" also from 1700
Two responses to your commentary: 1. I have always thought that it was his father who was saying these things all the way through. His other son died because of the war, and he has to justify his continued support of the war despite that, so he continues to criticize this son throughout; 2. Partly as follow-up to the first comment, I believe the father/narrator says all those terrible things in the end - "We are free now, we can kill now, we can hate now, now we can end the world" - in order to be able to convince himself that "we're not guilty, he was crazy." Nothing else can convince him that "we're not guilty," so he clings to his own fantasy.
My favorite Peter, Paul, and Mary song and also a great anti-war song
Well, you finally perform an older song by a great group with many hits, but pick one of their minor, unknown songs.
I know you want to be positive about the future, but if we continue to do what we are doing to our world, then things will only get worse. We can never get back to morality by doing the same thing over and over again.. The ever changing world of destroying nature(which is the basis of our existence) can only be bad for the human race. When technology and so called "progress" trumps the basic staple of our humanity, we will never end the cesspool of muck we are drowning in.
You're kinda cute. You have to listen to Deep Purple first, to get an inkling of what music was all about in the late sixties, early seventies. Led Zeppelin also. And Black Sabbath, Uriah Heep and some such, just to keep on the rock side of things. Because, hey, that's what it was all about, eh?
Thanks Daniel. Thanks Steve. That was a very worthy choice. I often wonder what happened to my generation. We were the generation that stopped the war! We tried to get ourselves back to the garden. And then we went back to money markets and tax evasion and war hunger. Well not all of us...
Wow I’m excited for you to listen to the Great Mandala! I was 14 or so when I fell in love with the album this is on: Album 1700.
Mandella is the pronunciation.
It means Wheel of Life
And the whole album is excellent.
Now you’ve listened and reacted. Yes you understand the message. Of course. And yes their harmonies were always terrific. Listen to the whole album when you get a chance.
Thanks for picking this song. It sadly is as relevant today as when it was written. Peter, Paul and Mary were among that group of singers like Dylan and Joan Baez, who were kind of a conscience for the world. The first three albums I ever bought were PP&M albums. My senior year of high school, 1971, was a terrifying time as we faced the draft to fight in divided part of the world inside our own divided country. I was in a folk trio at that time. Great Mandala was a centerpiece of our sets. The words were sung with a lot of heightened emotion. Keep working on your own music.
I got to see them in my little 750 person college gym over 50 years ago. It was amazing time to go to college because we got to see so many groups that became huge later.
My father and I didn't disagree on much, but serving in the war in Vietnam was one thing we didn't see eye to eye on... My dad was a WWII vet, trained for the invasion of Japan. I grew up during the Vietnam war and could see that it was a very different situation than the "justifiable" war with German, Italy, and Japan. We agreed to disagree. As it turned out, the Vietnam war did end before I was old enough to be drafted, so I was not put to the test. Not totally sure how I would have handled it...
Your ability to dissect the lyrics is amazing Daniel. I never heard this song...don't know why....because I love PP&M.
I think that there is to much war and we are still the same so what did going to war do for us. Because it will happen again and to many people die
YAY!!!!! Love the old folkies. Thanks so much!
Don't think I had heard this before. Very powerful and beautifully heartfelt, albeit heavily idealistic. The world is more complex than this, and things aren't as black and white as they seem. It brings back a time of upheaval in American life. Good choice , Daniel, and good reaction.
What you said 100% especially the upheaval.
Never heard this before. I guess it didn't get much radio play.
Controversy was seldom broadcast then; just as it is being silenced even now. I completely missed this powerful song during the Vietnam War.
After the death of ethics, we are free to kill and destroy the earth with no regret......no problem to the ol' conscience.
Funny I discovered them couple days ago, I was checking versions of the song 'Early morning rain'. I found theirs to be the best one along with another one.
Lover their rendition of Early Morning Rain and 500 Miles.
Early morning rain is Gordon Lightfoot and yes PPM did the best version except for Gordon himself.
I've enjoyed their abilities of telling stories. This one is quite touching.
I just bought me an old LP Album 1700 and listen to this song for the first time and I was thrilled by these harmonies in combination with These words. Very Great song! And very good sounding take.
When I hear this song, I always feel as though we are all caught in that mandala, riding through eternity, watching the world and all humanity's mistakes. You look as young as the boys I graduated with, approximately fifty percent of whom never returned from that needless war. Imagine if you were drafted into a certain death; it's no wonder my generation protested so vehemently. We didn't even know what we were defending. Just go and die, or if you were one of the lucky ones, you could come home and have PTSD for the rest of your life. My husband served, and he is still emotionally suffering from all that he saw . . . and all that he was forced to participate in. If you want to get the real feeling of that war, view, "Good Morning Vietnam," with Robin Williams, in addition to this song. I loved how your eyes reacted to its lyrics. You are very perceptive. You have helped me to relive some of the sadness and anguish I felt during that era. And yes, the mandala continues to spin. Thank you for hearing me out.
great song - that being said, wars may be good or bad - if a war is being waged against tyranny, then fight we must
I saw them live a singing that song. They are my friends I played my celtic harp at Mary's request back in 2004. I was so sad when Mary passed away.
PP&M is one of the most influential groups of all time! Kept being involved in different social demonstrations for decades! One of my favorite groups! Please take a listen to "If I had a Hammer," "Lemon Tree," "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?," "Cruel War", and "500 Miles." Each member did a solo song or few also. For Mary: I recommend her studio version of John Denver's "For Baby". Peter wrote "Puff the Magic Dragon" and Noel "Paul" wrote and performed "A Wedding Song" which is a great song too! Love that you are listening to Peter, Paul, and Mary!
Money, in essence, perhaps the ultimate double-edged sword. In so many cases, the root of many evils, but needed by all for at least minimal sustenance. And throughout history, many wars were fought for noble causes. Not as many in the last several decades, unfortunately. Great transfers of wealth through governments and corporations, seeming to be primary catalysts for most conflicts. A sort of world-wide mania, fueling these machinations. Powerful song, thoughtful reaction.
Just a note here:
In 1967, when this song was released, head-shops were popping up in cities, cottage industry style. Beyond the beads, incense, and roach clips, was the poster section where day-glo blacklight mandala posters were in heavy stock.
Profound and chilling and achingly beautiful.
Please check out their live version.