Folk Music

In 1966 John Denver wrote and recorded the song — but with the title “Babe, I Hate to Go.” He pressed about 250 copies of the record and gave it to his friends. Peter Paul and Mary loved it. They arranged it with beautiful harmonies and recorded it for their 1967 album titled Album 1700. However, the song charted successfully for them when they released it as a single in 1969. Then it topped the charts, rising to  #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and the U.S. Adult Contemporary Chart. It went to #2 in the U.K.

The folk music revival began in the late 1950s Peter Paul and Mary joined right in and became one of the best Sixties folk music groups. They were Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers. They formed in New York City in 1961 and did their folk and folk rock music together for almost 50 years. Travers died in 2009. Yarrow and Stookey  continue to perform as a duo and solo

Here are the lyrics to “Leaving on  a Jet Plane” by Peter Paul and Mary:

“All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go
I’m standing here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin’, it’s early morn
The taxi’s waiting, he’s blowin’ his horn
Already I’m so lonesome I could cry.

[Chorus:]
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you’ll wait for me
Hold me like you’ll never let me go.
I’m leavin’ on a jet plane
I don’t know when I’ll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go.

There’s so many times I’ve let you down
So many times I’ve played around
I tell you now, they don’t mean a thing
Every place I go, I think of you
Every song I sing, I sing for you
When I come back, I’ll wear your wedding ring.

[Chorus]

Now the time has come to leave you
One more time let me kiss you
Then close your eyes, I’ll be on my way.
Dream about the days to come
When I won’t have to leave alone
About the times, I won’t have to say,

[Chorus]”

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free online songs there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Leaving on a Jet Plane” by Peter Paul and Mary.