This trio sometimes wrote their own songs, but most of the songs they are famous for are covers. Not just any covers - often they selected songs by people who were unknown at the time, but who became famous partly as a result of Peter Paul and Mary's hits.
So it was that they were among the first to record Bob Dylan's songs. Of those, Blowing in the wind, Too much of nothing and Don't think twice its all right are included here.
Gordon Lightfoot is represented by two songs - Early morning rain and For loving me, while John Denver was extremely grateful to Peter Paul and Mary for their recording of Leaving on a jet plane. It became their biggest hit and helped to get John's solo career going. Pete Seeger was already a legend by the time Peter Paul and Mary had a hit with his song If I had a hammer.
Stewball is a lovely song about a racehorse. British skiffle singer Lonnie Donegan also recorded a song with the same title and clearly about the same horse, but the lyrics are different. If there ever was a racehorse called Stewball, I'd like to learn more about her, although the story may be pure fiction.
Of the songs they wrote themselves, Puff the magic dragon is one of the finest children's songs ever written, while Day is done is a great, upbeat way to round off this collection.