"In The Wind" by Peter, Paul, and Mary (October, 1963)

Dad's Take:

This one brings back memories. My mom has this record, and I heard it a lot growing up. When I got a bit older, I used to play it myself. This and her Kingston Trio albums helped me develop my inner folkie at an early age.

I remember as a small child really liking "Hush-A-Bye." "Stewball" has always been a favorite, probably my favorite on the record. Brad might have fun imaging Little Dad singing along. "Rocky Road" is another favorite. Later, I appreciated their "Go Tell It On The Mountain" (this is the version I hear in my head when I think of this song, even though they changed it from a Christian spiritual to a civil rights anthem). Of course, the album features their classic "Blowin' In The Wind," which probably helped as much as anything to cement Dylan's place in the cultural mind.

So, for me, this is truly a classic album, one that has always been there, as long as I can remember. I haven't listened to it for many years, but it holds up to my grown-up ears as well. Songs like "Long Chain On" and their gorgeous cover of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" still hold up well.

"In The Wind" is a feel-good record for me. It's like a bridge between the fifties folk of the Kingston Trio and the heavier folk of the Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. The harmonies are impeccable, with a perfect blend that inspired later groups like the Mamas & the Papas.

Brad's Take:


Folk music was in full force by the time In The Wind was released so it's no surprised that this album shot up to #1 on the Billboard charts. It might have helped that they cashed in on Bob Dylan's success by releasing their own versions of "Blowin' In The Wind" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" as their singles for this album.

It's a shame that they didn't release a single of an original song because they were great songwriters. "Rocky Road" would have been a good choice for a single, in my opinion. "Very Last Day" could have been a good one, as well. In that song, you can definitely hear where the Mamas & the Papas got their harmonies for "California Dreamin'."

Before listening to this, "Puff The Magic Dragon" was the only Peter, Paul, and Mary song I could have named off the top of my head. I liked that little ditty and the movie when I was younger, but it's not on this album. I was kind of bummed about that.

I kind of liked the album. The 60s folk music/hippy scene isn't something I can relate to at all so it's hard to get into these folky albums. It was fun listening to it though, imagining watching a young version of my dad swaying back and forth to "Stewball."