Posted by JARF on May 24, 2000 at 00:17:19:
In Reply to: OK OK it is not excatly carrionfields but I have to know posted by Knight Rider on May 23, 2000 at 23:23:51:
> >4. and lastly....yes...the famous children's song...."Puff the Magic Dragon"...is a song about Marijuana. (give a listen to it sometime and see for yourself).
> >
> >do-,do,do,do,ti-,so-,la-,do,do,so---
>
> OK where is the Marijuana besides that his name is PUFF and all you can think of is Drugs.
>
> PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea
> And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Hanalei,
> Little Jackie Paper loved that rascal PUFF
> and brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff.
>
The autumn mist...a metaphor for the second hand smoke, and the euphoric feeling caused by smoking out (frolicking). "Little Jackie Paper" a reference to a drug dealer, or one who always has a ready supply of papers...this is also the tie to the strings and sealing wax (used in baling and shipping pot) and other fancy stuff...
> CHORUS
> Oh! PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea
> And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Hanalei,
> PUFF, the magic dragon lived by the sea
> And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Hanalei.
see above
>
> Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail,
> Jackie kept a lookout perch on PUFF's gigantic tail,
first line is refering to once again, being stoned...and 'flying'. The gigantic tail is a reference to the end of a joint, which can be rerolled later, to end up with a stronger smoke...from the resin.
> Noble kings and princes would bow whene'er they came,
> Pirate ships would low'r their flags when PUFF roared out his name.
>
to quote Uncle Bob, "Everyone must get stoned..." Princes, nobles, and pirates...all made 'equal' by Puff.
> CHORUS
>
> A dragon lives forever but not so little boys
> Painted wings and giant strings make way for other toys.
I've heard to over analytical translations of this one...1) that eventually you come down off of any high, or 2) that eventually pot doesn't do it anymore and you move on to other drugs..*shrug*
> One great night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
> And PUFF that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.
>
See the above over analysis....(there's also some thought that Jackie may have od'd...perhaps with Spike or Snort, the larger dragons that lived a few islands away)
> His head was bent in sorrow - green scales fell like rain,
> PUFF no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Green scales falling...reference to the plant not being tended, and just dying. '...cherry lane' no longer being smoked, so the 'cherry' was no longer being lit (cherry being the lit, glowing end of a cigarette or joint)
> Without his lifelong friend PUFF could not be brave
> So PUFF that mighty dragon, sadly slipped into his cave.
>
Again, the plant no longer being cultivated, pruned and taken care of...it ceased to grow, the end.
> CHORUS
And there you have it folks...proof that those who want to see something can see something in anything...even turning a somewhat depressing song about the loss of childhood, into the growing proplem of kids becoming addicted to drugs and croaking off in street corners as the drugs needed to be stronger and stronger....makes you wish more people MUD'ed doesn't it?