"Day Is Done" Songwriter Peter Yarrow's Moment of Infamy Dealt a Blow to His Musical Legacy

Human beings are complicated and, as a result, life stories can include some not-so-shining moments. This is certainly true of this obituary for Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary fame. Sheldon Zoldan's story about Yarrow covers the highs and lows of the singer's career. Yarrow was a member of 1960s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, who were the voices of the civil rights and anti-war movements. They had 11 top 40 singles, multiple Top 10 hits, one No. 1 single and two No. 1 albums.At the end of decade, the trio split to pursue solo careers and also because Yarrow was accused of assaulting a 14-year-old girl. They eventually reunited, and CBS News Sunday Morning aired a segment on the trio in 1984. You can watch it here.Yarrow's notable songs include "Puff the Magic Dragon," based on a poem by former roommate Lenny Lipton. Sheldon wrote a tribute to Lipton, who died in 2022. The recording, recently re-released as Episode 138, is titled An Engineering Major's Unfinished Poem Became "Puff the Magic Dragon." Yarrow also wrote "Day Is Done," which was Peter, Paul and Mary's last single, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Here, you can watch the trio perform it late in their careers. In the chapters, you'll see a promotional photo of the trio in 1968. Pictured from left to right: Paul Stookey, Yarrow and Mary Travers. There's also a shot of the "Day Is Done" album cover.The thumbnail photo, which appears in the chapters as well, was taken of Yarrow in 2008 in San Diego by Phil Konstantin and is available for use on Creative Commons under the license CC BY-SA 3.0.The art that frames two sides of the photo was created by Bob Jones.Song of the Day creator Sheldon Zoldan researched, wrote and narrated this short story, one of 35 tributes to music stars who passed away in 2025. Song of the Day used to be a daily feature delivered to an email list of subscribers. Sheldon ended it in early 2026 which, I suppose, means that Song of the Day also deserves a tribute. The good thing is that the tributes live on. Each is a snapshot of the life of one music maker whose work made an impact on the lives of many. Send us Fan MailThis is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation®, available on YouTube and in podcast directories including Apple, Spotify, iHeart and Audible.