“Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” as Sung by Andy Williams

On February 14, 1966, Andy Williams got to invite Peter, Paul, and Mary, one of the greatest folk music groups on his show, The Andy Williams Show. Together, they sang Bob Dylan’s 1963 hit “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” which was also covered by the trio. The group, named after their names Peter, Paul, and Mary, consists of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Noel Paul Stookey and alto Mary Travers.  In fact, the trio’s repertoire included songs written by Yarrow and Stookey as well as early songs of Bob Dylan. In addition, they have also covered several other folk music.

During the show, Andy Williams joined the group onstage and Paul (one of the trio), with a wit, introduced them before singing. After the laughter from the crowd, Paul started the rhythm with him singing the first verse. Williams then joined in and blended voices with Peter until he went solo. On the other hand, Mary and Peter took on the chorus and then everyone sang along, giving a great harmony.

WATCH: Andy Williams, along with Peter, Paul, and Mary, sings Bob Dylan’s 1963 hit, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.” 

About the Song

Written in 1962, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” was originally recorded by Bob Dylan on November 14 in 1963. Dylan conceived the song and included it as one of the singles on his second studio album, The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan. American record producer and activist John Hammond produced this three-minute song for Columbia Records.

Later, American historian, novelist and music critic Nat Hentoff described the song as:

“a statement that maybe you can say to make yourself feel better … as if you were talking to yourself.”

Moreover, the melody of  the song was mostly based on the traditional song “Who’s Gonna Buy Your Chickens When I’m Gone?” It was taught to Dylan by another folk singer Paul Clayton, who had also used it in his song, “Who’s Gonna Buy You Ribbons When I’m Gone?“

Furthermore, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” was popularly covered by a number of other artists. In country music, the most famous versions were rendered by Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell, Dolly Parton, The Seekers, Randy Travis, Johnny Cash, and Bobby Bare to name a few. However, the most notable one was the version released as a single by Peter, Paul, and Mary. It was released later in the same year than the original. Albert Grossman produced the group’s version for Warner Bros.

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