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MPR News Staff

Peter, Paul and Mary changed the original lyrics to 'If I Had a Hammer'

Peter, Paul and Mary in 1965
Folk singers Paul Stookey, left, Mary Travers, center, and Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary, pose in Hollywood Ca., July 6, 1965.
AP Photo

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Today's Morning Edition music is from the folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary singing "If I Had a Hammer," which they released 55 years ago.

The song was originally composed by Pete Seeger and Lee Hayes, who wrote the first draft by passing a slip of paper back and forth between themselves during a meeting.

When Peter, Paul, and Mary sang it, they included "sisters" as well as "brothers" in the chorus. The original lyrics just mentioned "brothers."