Comments on: “Puff the Magic Dragon” Controversy

By: Heather Doll

Heather Doll — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:53:16 +0000

i would just like to claify,
that lucy in the sky with diamonds was also not a drug reference.
it was based on a drawing you can find online that john lennon’s son, julian, made of his kindergarten schoolmate lucy.

By: Angus

Angus — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:36:06 +0000

Whether there are hidden references to drugs or not, the song is a better song when interpreted as being about a boy’s growing up/loss of innocence.

When interpreted as a drug song, it’s pretty boring.

By: Steaksauce

Steaksauce — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:05:21 +0000

We all find hidden meanings in things, don’t we? When someone “discovers” one – or latches onto one – are they not simply spinning it to the way they perceive it? Whether you think it’s about smoking or something other than the way it was originally intended, you find a way to embrace what meaning you have placed it to be, which still returns songs back to why we love them in the first place. You identify with it.

Reading what others have written: Losing the love in your life; your children moving on; getting stoned; abandonment… and yet isn’t the song about losing one’s innocence? Isn’t that what each one places in its meaning? So it rings true, but only if you embrace your own meaning, rather than applying it to everyone. Drug use is still innocence lost. Which is still the root meaning of this beautiful song.

By: lisa

lisa — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:32:03 +0000

Lisa Out!

By: lisa

lisa — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 03:30:51 +0000

Wow. I am a kid and you guys sicken me with the drug thing!

By: drive10117

drive10117 — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:37:41 +0000

I think that Puff is a kite.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 21:05:29 +0000

I believe that songs are a way for use to interpret the way we want o relate to them. Depending on the person whether you relate to smoking up or whether you you relate to losing an Imagination/ innocents. I can see why people would believe its about smoking up and I can see why others would believe its about innocents.

Just keep in mind that whatever the song means to you it can mean something totally different to another. That’s the power of true music.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:19:18 +0000

Lucy in the sky with Diamonds is not necessarily about a drug trip either. In an interview with John Lennon he stated that the song was written because his son brought home a picture he drew of a girl in his class named Lucy. In this picture she was in the sky, with diamond like things around her. I like it how you defend the innocence of one song by shooting down another that you didn’t even research about. These songs have the same innocence to them; so don’t go making assumptions about a song like you criticize people for doing with Puff.

By: Scooter

Scooter — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:40:14 +0000

Puff the Magic Dragon about drugs? Would Peter, Paul, & Mary ever sing a song with hidden meaning? Why, of course not. And, they meant every word, literally, when they sang I Love Rock and Roll Music.

By: Michael Holland Shepard

Michael Holland Shepard — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:15:49 +0000

Michael Holland Shepard at 12 years old wrote the song Puff The Magic Dragon. He also drew the picture of Puff on Peter, Paul and Marys second LP. In the picture the name Michael is included in the title Puff The Magic Dragon. Unfortunately this song was pirated. It was first sung by Elvis Presley and also the group, The Limeliters. Their release is pending full recognition of the songwriter Michael Holland Shepard, full royalties paid, a stop to the violence and theft of all properties and other songs writen by Michael. Including amoung others Bye Bye Miss American Pie, Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog, Horse With No Name, Little Boxes, Tiny Bubbles, Little Old Lady From Pasadina, Michael Row The Boat Ashore, etc… etc… etc…