Wednesday, May 12, 2010
My research paper is about a song called Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter Paul and Mary, which was banned. I chose this assignment, because I was wondering how does a children's folk song gets banned. I felt that by doing this some research on it I would get my question answered. I'm finding out while I'm working on my research paper, that there is not a lot of information on this song and what all happened with the song. The only thing I might see this research paper is if I'm going to have enough information to cover six pages. This is the biggest concern that I really have. I just have to use my information wisely and make it stretch. Besides worrying about the six pages I feel my research paper is going to be okay. I'm starting to find out some answers to my research very interesting. In so many words my research is coming together slowly. I'm starting to find out a research paper is a lot of work has it's not as easy as I though it was going to be. Now for me to overcome the obstacle that I have regarding, if I'm going to have enough information or not to cover a six page essay. I would have to find songs that have been banned and compare it to the songs different or the same. See if they were banned for the same reason or for a different reason. If I do this it would give I more to write about and my research paper would be more interesting to read for the reader. Right now I have information for my research paper, but I need to put in more sources and more about my opinion on what I think about the banning of "Puff the Magic Dragon". I also need to put information about the artist and creators of the song. What they are all about and what inspired them to write the song. Then what their reactions were when they found out that their song was going to be banned, because they said the song had something to do with drugs. The strangest thing about this is nowhere in the song does it talk about drugs, but to this person the song was talking about drugs and then had other people believing it. I feel what this person was so wrong and I still can't believe how some people actually believed this person. Didn't they pay attention to Perter, Paul and Mary's lyrics? The song was so innocent, plus it was a folk song for children. This folk song was about a dragon that lived by the sea and the song also became a very popular song. I feel that the person that talked wrong about the song was just jealous that tit was so popular. I'm finding out that this research paper is turning out to be very interesting.
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It's interesting that you have chosen to research this song because I just recently read an article detailing how the song was written. How accurate the story was, I am not sure, but it was very interesting nonetheless. Apparently, the song was originally a poem written by a friend of Peter Yarrow’s who had been inspired by the poetry of Ogden Nash. He thought: “If Ogden Nash can write stuff like that, so can I!” and then went to Peter Yarrow’s apartment, typed it out on his typewriter, and satisfied that it was out of his system, left the poem on the typewriter. Yarrow later found the poem, adapted it for music and gave his friend (whose name I can’t remember… starts with an L, I think) credit as a co-author. I would be very interested in what your research turns up about reasons for this song being banned. As you have said, there is nothing about drugs in it at all!
ReplyDeleteI encourage you as the semester draws to a close to continue working hard on this paper and finish strong. I am starting to feel the “burn out” as I’m sure you are as well. Continue to work hard because it will all be over soon. We will then be on the other side with that feeling of accomplishment at having done a job well! Keep it up!
I think that the song you choose is very interesting. In one of my English classes in high school the teacher used it as an example of how a musician or song writer can get a message about drugs across with out ever even mentioning them. I think that it is awesome that your research is showing that the song was not even about drugs. I never got what he was saying. I wish that I could remember what he was saying about the lyrics so that could help you with your research, but I can not remember a thing just sitting there reading the song and not getting what he was saying.
ReplyDeleteFinding good useful information about a bout a scarce topic can be very frustrating. Maybe you could try a different search engine. Have you looked in ebooks. They can be easier to search sometimes. Also some music magazines might have archives and there may be an article to two about it in them. I hope that I have helped you with some of my ideas.
Keep up the good work and know that the semester will soon end and all of this will be done and over.