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If you’ve ever sat through a folk-inspired wedding or spent an evening spinning vinyl from the 1970s, you’ve heard it. That gentle guitar pluck. That hushed, almost prayer-like vocal. Most people call it "The Wedding Song," but the history behind There Is Love Peter Paul and Mary is a lot more interesting—and a lot more selfless—than your average Top 40 hit.
It’s a song about spiritual union. It’s a song about a guy who felt he was just a vessel for a higher power. Honestly, it’s one of those rare moments in music history where the artist basically gave the song away because he didn't feel like he "owned" the inspiration behind it.
The Noel Paul Stookey Connection
Let’s get the names straight first. While the group is legendary as a trio, this specific track is inextricably linked to "Paul"—Noel Paul Stookey. In 1969, Peter Yarrow asked Stookey to bless his wedding to Mary Beth Armistead with a song. Stookey, who had recently undergone a profound Christian conversion, sat down to write something for his friend.
He didn't just write a pop song. He prayed for it.
He’s gone on record many times saying the lyrics just poured out. He felt so strongly that the song was a gift from God that he set up the Public Domain Foundation. Every cent of royalties from There Is Love Peter Paul and Mary (and its subsequent covers) goes to charity. We’re talking millions of dollars over the decades. It’s kind of wild to think about a hit song being that divorced from personal profit, especially in the music industry.
Why the Lyrics Hit Different
The song starts with a reference to the marriage at Cana. "He is now to be among you at the calling of your hearts." It’s direct. It’s simple. But then it pivots into this universal observation about what love actually does to a person.
"The marriage of your spirits here has caused Him to remain."
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Whether you’re religious or just a fan of mid-century folk, there’s a weight to those words. It isn't just about "I love you." It's about the idea that when two people join together, they create a space for something larger than themselves. That’s probably why it’s played at thousands of weddings every year. It bridges the gap between a secular celebration and a deeply spiritual rite of passage.
The 1971 Breakthrough
The song actually appeared on Stookey’s solo album, Paul and, in 1971. It hit number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. For a folk song about divine presence, that’s a massive achievement. People were hungry for it.
You have to remember the context of the early '70s. The psychedelic era was cooling off. The Vietnam War was still a jagged wound in the American psyche. Folk music was shifting from the protest anthems of the early '60s—the "Blowin' in the Wind" era—to something more internal and reflective. There Is Love Peter Paul and Mary fit that mood perfectly. It offered a sense of peace that felt earned, not just performed.
It’s easy to dismiss folk music as "simple." Don't do that.
The arrangement on the studio version is remarkably sparse. It’s mostly just Stookey and his guitar, with some light orchestration that swells in just the right places. It doesn't overstay its welcome. It doesn't shout. It whispers, and in 1971, the world was loud enough that a whisper was exactly what everyone wanted to hear.
Misconceptions About the Trio's Version
People often search for the "Peter, Paul and Mary version," but the irony is that it’s essentially a solo Noel Paul Stookey track that became synonymous with the group's brand. Peter Yarrow and Mary Travers certainly supported it, and they performed it together many times, but the DNA of the song is Noel's.
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Mary Travers once mentioned in an interview how the song captured a specific kind of purity they always strove for. When they performed it as a trio, the harmonies added a layer of warmth, but the "Paul" solo version remains the definitive recording for most purists.
- It’s been covered by Petula Clark.
- The Captain & Tennille did a version.
- Even heavy hitters like Nana Mouskouri took a swing at it.
None of them quite capture that shaky, earnest vulnerability of the original. There’s a specific "crack" in Stookey's voice when he hits the higher notes that feels like he’s actually feeling the words in real-time. You can’t manufacture that in a booth with Auto-Tune.
The Financial Legacy Nobody Talks About
We mentioned the Public Domain Foundation earlier, but it’s worth sticking on this point. In a world where artists sue each other over three-note melodies, Stookey’s decision was radical.
He basically said, "I didn't write this, I just transcribed it."
Because of that, the song has funded social justice programs, hunger relief, and education for over fifty years. When you play There Is Love Peter Paul and Mary at a wedding, you’re inadvertently contributing to a global charitable engine. That’s a pretty cool "Easter egg" for a wedding song.
How to Use the Song Today Without It Feeling Dated
Look, the 1970s folk aesthetic can sometimes feel a bit "crunchy" or dated if you aren't careful. If you’re planning a ceremony and want to include this track, here is how to make it work:
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- The Instrumental Route: The melody is incredibly strong. A solo cellist or a classical guitarist playing the arrangement can keep the spiritual gravitas without the "vintage" vocal sound if that’s not your vibe.
- The Processional: Most people use it for the lighting of the unity candle, but it actually works better as a processional. The tempo is a natural walking pace.
- Mix the Versions: If you find the studio version too "produced," look for live recordings from the 1980s. The trio’s live harmonies are tighter and the acoustics of the venues they played added a natural reverb that feels more modern.
The Cultural Weight of Folk Music
We often forget how much Peter, Paul and Mary moved the needle on American culture. They weren't just singers; they were activists. They stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with MLK. They were the bridge between the old-school Woody Guthrie folk and the pop-sensibility of the '70s.
There Is Love Peter Paul and Mary is a remnant of that era where music was expected to mean something. It wasn't just background noise for TikTok transitions. It was meant to be sat with. It was meant to be discussed.
The song asks a lot of the listener. It asks you to believe in "the union of your spirits." It asks you to recognize a "reason" for life. That’s heavy stuff for a three-minute radio play. But that’s why it has stuck around. We don’t discard things that speak to the fundamental human experience of finding a partner and hoping there’s a bigger meaning behind it.
Actionable Takeaways for Music Lovers
If you're diving back into this discography, don't stop at "The Wedding Song."
- Listen to "A' Soalin": It shows the group's ability to handle complex, rhythmic folk structures that influenced modern indie-folk bands like Fleet Foxes.
- Check the Credits: Look for songs written by Stookey versus Yarrow. Stookey tends to lean more into the philosophical and spiritual, while Yarrow often handles the poignant, narrative-driven pieces.
- Support the Foundation: If you’re a musician looking to cover the song, look into the Public Domain Foundation. It’s a great example of how to manage intellectual property with a conscience.
The enduring legacy of this track isn't just about nostalgia. It’s about a specific moment in time when a songwriter decided that some things were too important to own. That's a rare sentiment in any century. Whether you're hearing it at a wedding in 2026 or uncovering it on an old record, the message is the same: love isn't just an emotion; it's a presence.
Next time you hear those opening chords, remember the guy who wrote them and then gave them away. It makes the "love" in the title feel a lot more real.
Practical Steps for Modern Listeners:
- Digital Discovery: Search for the Paul and album on high-fidelity streaming platforms to hear the original 1971 master. The analog warmth of that recording is superior to the compressed versions found on many "Greatest Hits" compilations.
- Sheet Music: For those planning a live performance, look for the "Noel Paul Stookey" arrangements specifically. Many generic "Wedding Song" sheets simplify the fingerpicking pattern, which loses the rhythmic "heartbeat" of the original.
- Historical Context: Read Peter, Paul and Mary: Fifty Years in Music and Life for a deeper look at how their spiritual beliefs intersected with their political activism during the era this song was born.