Peter, Paul And Mary Songs Ranked

Photo: ITA-International Talent Associates, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Our list of Peter, Paul, and Mary songs highlights a truly legendary vocal trio that was extremely popular in the 1960s. No matter your age, if you were alive in the 1960s, you heard Peter, Paul, and Mary. The group originated in New York City in the early 1960s, formed by Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey, and Mary Travers. The group was formed by music manager Albert Grossman. The trio was an instant hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The group released their first album, entitled Peter, Paul and Mary, in 1962. The album went straight to number 1 on the US Billboard top 200 album chart. It remains their most famous album, having sold two million copies. That’s a pretty good start.

Their success would not end with their first album. Peter, Paul, and Mary continued to release albums throughout the entire decade, becoming one of the biggest-selling acts of the 1960s. In a decade that saw so many changes in music with the arrival of the British Invasion bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and The Kinks, plus the infiltration of psychedelic music and progressive rock, Peter, Paul, and Mary stood as an alternative to those who just wanted to enjoy simple folk pop music with beautiful harmonies and angelic voices.

Peter, Paul, and Mary released their second album, titled Moving, in 1963. That album reached number 2 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The band released another record that year, titled In The Wind, which would become their second number-one album on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 albums chart. Peter, Paul, and Mary would never hit number one again on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 albums chart, but they would have two more top 10 albums: In Concert in 1964 and A Song Will Rise in 1965. That same year, 1965, Peter, Paul, and Mary released the album See What Tomorrow Brings, which reached number 11 on the U.S. Billboard Top 200 albums chart. In 1966, continuing their one-album-a-year release schedule, Peter, Paul, and Mary released Late Again. Their final album of the 60s was titled Peter, Paul, and Mommy and was released in 1969. Of the 10 albums Peter, Paul, and Mary released in the 1960s, eight went gold, and their first album went platinum.

Peter, Paul, and Mary broke up in 1970. Like many bands that had great success in the 1960s, the band broke up so its members could pursue solo careers, breaking free from whatever they felt held them back. In 1981, the band reunited, began touring again, and released albums. Sadly, in 2009, Mary Travers died at the age of 72. Fans of 1960s music, Peter, Paul, and Mary will always remember their songs with great joy. This list of Peter, Paul, and Mary songs celebrates 10 of their best.

# 10 – I Dig Rock And Roll Music

We open our ranked list of Peter, Paul, and Mary songs with “I Dig Rock and Roll Music.” The song was released in 1967 on the band’s album entitled Album 1700. It was Peter, Paul, and Mary’s first top ten hit in 4 years since the remake of the Bob Dylan single “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.” The song “I Dig Rock and Roll Music.” was an outstanding recording by Peter, Paul and Mary. The song was written by Paul Stookey, James Mason and Dave Dixon. The song was sort of a tribute to the The Mamas & the Papas referencing the band in the song multiple times. It also referenced Donovan by imitating his voice and The Beatles both lyrically and melodically. It’s all made perfectly sense based on the song’s title. This was a great one. And the recording sounds so good.

# 9 – If I Had A Hammer

Continuing with our Peter, Paul, and Mary songs list, we turn to the band’s second single of their career, entitled “If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song).” The song was originally released in the 1940s by the Weavers. The song was written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hayes. The song would become part of traditional folklore, a genre in which Peter, Paul, and Mary had great success. “If I Had a Hammer (The Hammer Song)” would become Peter, Paul, and Mary’s first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. They opened the band’s eyes to the success they could have with traditional folk music and the large audience that loved it. The vocals on this are spectacular, as well as that great guitar strumming.

# 8 – Day Is Done

At number eight on our Peter, Paul, and Mary songs list, we turn to the song “Day Is Done.” Like many 1960s musical artists who protested the Vietnam War, Peter, Paul, and Mary did the same with Peter Yarrow’s song in 1968. “Day is Done” was released on the album Peter, Paul and Mommy. The song hit number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was a top 10 hit on the U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts, peaking at number seven. “Day is Done” became one of the most popular Vietnam War protest songs of the 1960s.

# 7 – Where Have All The Flowers Gone

Peter, Paul, and Mary’s first album was a spectacular collection of traditional folk songs, with every tune on it capable of becoming a big hit. The album’s closing song, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone? was written by Pete Seeger. It was never released as a single by Peter, Paul, and Mary, but it stands as one of our favorite songs by Peter, Paul, and Mary. This one is simply breathtaking. A song that really depicts the sadness of war and the loss of soldiers’ lives.

# 6 – Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright

Opening with that traditional Bob Dylan guitar sound, one would never know this was Peter, Paul, and Mary until the vocals came in. Even on the first verse, which is sung by just a single voice, the listener may have wondered. But it’s when those harmonies come in very slowly that the game is over. This great Bob Dylan song was a big hit for Peter, Paul, and Mary, reaching the Billboard top 100 and peaking at number 10 in 1963. The song was released on the album In The Wind. It was the second Bob Dylan single in a row that the group released from that album.

# 5 – Too Much Of Nothing

At the halfway point on our Peter, Paul, and Mary songs list, we present the song “Too Much Of Nothing.” The song was released in 1967 as the lead single from the album entitled Late Again. “Too Much Of Nothing” would become a top 40 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 35. “Too Much Of Nothing” was written by Bob Dylan and was released on the great album The Basement Tapes, which featured Bob Dylan with The Band.

# 4 – The Lemon Tree

At number four on our Peter, Paul, and Mary songs this week is Peter, Paul, and Mary’s debut single, entitled Lemon Tree. The song was released on the album Peter, Paul and Mary. The song “Lemon Tree” is a traditional folk song written by Will Holt in the 1950s. Peter Paul Mary had a top 40 hit with the song, which peaked at number 35 on the US Billboard Hot 100. The song “Lemon Tree” has been recorded by many artists over the years, including The Seekers, Chad and Jeremy, the Kingston Trio, and even Bob Marley and the Wailers.

# 3 – Leaving On A Jet Plane

Everyone who grew up in the sixties and seventies remembers “Leaving On A Jet Plane” as a very famous John Denver song. Peter, Paul, and Mary recorded the song in 1967 for their album entitled Album 1700. The group released it as a single , actually two years late,r in which would become Peter Paul and Mary’s only number one single of their career as it hit the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1969

# 2 – Puff (The Magic Dragon)

It’s amazing that a children’s poem would be such a big hit, but this one was. Peter, Paul, and Mary’s rendition of Leonard Lipton’s children’s poem in “Puff (The Magic Dragon)” became a massive hit for the group. The song was the lead single from the band’s second album, entitled ” Movie. “Puff (The Magic Dragon)” would hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963.

# 1 – Blowin’ In The Wind

We close out our Peter, Paul, and Mary songs list with their rendition of Bob Dylan’s famous song Blowin’ In The Wind. This song infiltrated mass culture Beyond just pop culture. It was so huge in the 1960s. One of the greatest protest songs ever written, not just about war, but about the quest for peace, for freedom, for men and women’s simple quest to live a happy, fair, and pain-free life. Where were the answers to all of that? Well, of course, the song lets you know.

Updated February 6, 2026

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