What Do you Think "Puff The Magic Dragon" Is About?

Question

Peter Paul & Mary, I remember the 1st time I heard this in the 60's (shock), but years later I was told it was about smoking pot? I might tell you what I think later, or not

Answer 1

Watch the movie, it's only 1/2 hour long or so. It's about a boy (Jacky Paper) who can't talk. He befriends a magical dragon and after several adventures comes out of his sickness. ya, I know the weed theory too, it is bullshit. On top of that, I watched an interview with Peter, Paul and Mary on PBS and when they were asked they admitted that they wished they had thought of making it about pot but that it was really just a kids song.

Answer 2

I know, I never knew it was about smoking pot till I was in my 40's. I always liked the song and I have been to Hanalei. You probably remember it like I do. It is funny how those old songs stick in your head. " Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Hanalei." Going through Hanalei which incidentally is an incredibly gorgeous spot on the north shore of Kauai you can almost imagine Puff coming up out of the mist.

Answer 3

The answer is OBVIOUS! There's a lot of symbolism here! Follow me now: "Jackie Paper" represents the LIBERAL NEWS MEDIA and JACK KENNEDY in a MAJOR conspiracy with COMMUNIST CHINA (the Dragon). They "frolick in the Autumn mist" because there was a connection later on between the Chi-Coms and the U.S. Government "October Surprise" Bush Sr./Oliver North scandal (involving the Socialist Sandenestas) which happened in the FALL (Autumn).....Commies ALL support each other the world over! And "noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came" because now CHINA has flooded the world market with their SLAVE LABOUR PRODUCED GOODS (look in ANY store! Almost ALL goods are now "Made in China", so THEY pretty much control the world economy!). And "Jackie" (maybe JFK's widow in proxy for her beloved?) "kept a lookout perched on Puff's gigantic tail" as a way to KEEP US ALL UNDER SURVEILLANCE for the sake of HOMELAND SECURITY! He/she is on Socialism's "tail" because of the DECEPTIVE NATURE of the media and the Government! The "Land of Honah Lee" is OBVIOUSLY another reference to CHINA! That was where Bruce and his family was from (Lee....you know, the Martial Arts expert!) And the fact that Jackie "brought him strings and sealing wax, and other fancy stuff", well, that was CLEARLY a reference to the US giving "most favored nation status" to China.....there were "strings" attached that they would NOT nuke us, and it was a "sealed" deal, and so we get to indulge them with all our "fancy stuff" (like MONEY! Is that called BRIBERY?). "Puff" is a "rascal" because the Chinese pulled this off even in the face of some of the most HORRENDOUS human rights violations in modern history! (Remember "Tianamen Square"?) And what of "the REST of the story", Mr. Harvey? Well, that "little boy" that "came no more" was an OBVIOUS reference to JFK's ASSASSINATION! Old "JACK KENNEDY" got bumped off in the "billowed sea" of people during that Motor-cade in Dallas, and the "painted wings and giant rings" had OBVIOUS reference to the DRUG-HIPPY CULTURE of the "Woodstock 60's!" You know, it was all PSYCHEDEDLIC with the "rings" of the "Peace Sign", and gradually all this just "made way for other toys" like DVD's and IPODS and X-BOXES and "Virtual Reality".....and so those "Pirate Ships" like Vietnam and Korea and Taiwan and Laos and the Phillippines that had lived off the coast of "Honah Lee", they all gave up when Bruce "bit the dust" after "Enter the Dragon". And so, IN THE END, the "Mighty Dragon" will "cease his fearless roar" when our CORRUPT LIBERAL NEWS MEDIA AND GREEDY CORPORATE AMERICA CEASES TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEM ANY MORE! Then, "Puff" will just GO OFF and "slip into his cave" of ISOLATIONISM, no longer wanting to be a PLAYER in the "world economy" which will lead to a WORLD WIDE DEPRESSION, and we will ALL be miserable as our "life long friend" will no longer "play along the Cherry Lane" with PENNY AND LOIS (Lane!) which will NOT be so "Super" man! Then Lex Luther will rule as the EVIL WORLD DICTATOR, and then "the end" will come as the world enters into THE NEXT ICE AGE due to Puff's refusal to BLOW SMOKE anymore coupled with GLOBAL WARMING! And so, boys and girls, THE MORAL to this story is: NEVER SMOKE DOPE WHILE LISTENING TO PETER, PAUL AND MARY! All hail the SIXTIES! (Yea! Right!)

Answer 4

It's about pot, if they're making a sentence so obvious, either thay are doing it to confuse people and it's an inside joke or people are taking to much time to think about it. It's about smoking pot. And anyways they're hippies. What more do you want, come on, even Jack Byrnes (Meet The Parents) knows.

Answer 5

It is about growing up.
You people that think it is about weed. . . .
Well if the only frame of reference you have is a hammer then the whole world looks like a nail.
Scales fell like rain -- yeah that sounds like weed.
Dragons live forever but not so little boys -- yeah thats weed too.
Quit projecting and see what is there.

You people are an embarrassment to genuine potheads

Answer 6

It's about a magic dragon who lives off the coast of Hanalei on the Island of Kauai...Right? Or am I that naive?

Answer 7

no question its about pot peter paul and mary always denied it ..but you had to be stoned to write a song like that.

Answer 8

"Puff the Magic Dragon" did indeed hit the mj. But when it was outlawed he transformed into Godzilla.

Answer 9

I thoght it was about a dragon but smoking pot is nice too.

Answer 10

About a little boy and his imaginary friend, who just happens to be a dragon instead of a person.