Peter Yarrow Sings at IOP

Peter Yarrow of the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary brought his guitar and political views to an enthusiastic audience yesterday evening at the Kennedy School of Government.

Yarrow's group inspired the youth of the 1960s to work for peace, equality, justice and freedom, according to Margery Tabankin, the Institute of Politics (IOP) fellow who introduced him.

Yarrow told his audience that the songs of the 1960s created a sense of community spirit so powerful that it stirred grass-roots political movements.

"Music can play an active part in determining policy and the design for a different world," Yarrow said while strumming softly on his guitar, "so that we can move beyond the injustices and failures of the world that we have inherited."

Yarrow discussed his work in the the civil rights movement, the Vietnam war protests and the Middle East peace process.

"When I was in Jordan as part of a human rights delegation, I was talking to the foreign minister," said Yarrow. "It was a passionate time and so I said to him, ~'Excuse me, I'd like to do something different, I'd like to sing a song.'"

He referred to today's "unplugged" music of Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart as the 1990s version of the 1960s music of consciousness. "We just never plugged," said Yarrow.

Yarrow sang some of his popular tunes from the 60s, including "Blowing in the Wind", "Puff the Magic Dragon" and "Day is Done."

Trey Greyson '94, vice president of the IOP Student Advisory Committee, said that he wished Yarrow had sung for a longer time.

"I thought his performance was cool. Obviously he's a great singer," said Greyson, "He brought the interesting point that music can have an effect on politics."