Other artists to record his music over time included Elvis Presley, Cher, Joan Baez, Waylon Jennings, John Denver, Glen Campbell, Tanya Tucker,Arlo Guthrie, Martha Reeves and even 90's Cali punk band Ten Foot Pole.
Early Career :
The young Hoyt was an All-American athlete replete with football scholarship to Oklahoma State University, which he soon left to join the U.S Navy. During his military stint he was the heavyweight champion boxer in his task force division of 35 ships.
After serving in the armed forces, he arrived in Nashville with a guitar on a tip from his mother Mae Boren Axton (who co-wrote Heartbreak Hotel for Elvis Presley). Hoyt soon split Tennesee for California's burgeoning folk scene during the early 60's. He played the clubs in San Francisco's North Beach and made the scene in L.A as well.
Roger McGuinn remembered Hoyt Axton as a struggling singer who taught him a tune backstage in 1962 at the Troubadour in L.A. "We recorded it live at the Troubadour later that week, and when it came out, I was surprised to see the credit "Here as well is the delightful Australian folk ballad, Brisbane Ladies, on which Jimmy McQuinn of the Chad Mitchell Trio harmonizes with Hoyt." In spite of the misspelled name, I was glad to have been able to sing with Hoyt. I really loved the song too!" The song appeared on Hoyt's debut LP for the Horizon label, McGuinn later formed the Byrds with David Crosby.
Axton's songwriting prowess was eventually noticed after the Kingston Trio recorded Greenback Dollar in 1963 just hours after seeing Axton live. The song eventually appeared on 3 Billboard charting albums but Hoyt made a mere $800.00 from the song..."I was just a kid with a guitar living in a car... How could I sue when the whole point of the song was how I didn't give a damn about a greenback dollar?"
Paying Dues, Paying Bills :
In the late 60's Steppenwolf eventually recorded Axton's The Pusher and Snowblind Friend, two dramatic denouncements of the dark side of drug use. John Kay, a young aspiring singer and dishwasher also used to see Axton perform in the early 60's around L.A. He later told Axton, 'When you sang 'The Pusher,' I'd come out of the kitchen with a towel in my hand, saying that if I ever get a band, I'm gonna record that song'."
The Pusher, in particular, paid off at a good time for Hoyt: "I had two houses, three kids, two cars, $400 in the bank and bills to pay. The bank repossessed the Mercedes-Benz, and said I'd never get credit again," he remembers. "One Saturday morning, I went to the mailbox and there was a check for $14,000 for the use of the song in the film Easy Rider".
Hits like "Never Been To Spain" ("but i kinda like the music") and "The No Song" ("No, no, no, I don't smoke it no more") which went to number three on the U.S. charts for the newly solo Ringo Starr helped keep the money rolling in.
His songs seemed to showcase his optimism and singular sense of humor. A version of Joy to The World by Three Dog Night became the biggest selling record of 1971 ("Jeremiah was a bullfrog..."). Axton's own singing hits included "Boney Fingers" ("Work your fingers to the bone, what do you get? Boney fingers"). "When the Morning Comes", a duet he recorded with Linda Ronstadt from 1974's Life Machine album, which went to number one on the Canadian charts.
As the singer songwriter trend dried up in the latter 70's Axton continued to record for his own label Jeremiah, beginning in '78. 1979's " Rusty Old Halo" album produced his last two major hits, " Della and the Dealer" and the title track.
Later Career:
Axton had numerous negative music business dealings with many labels and by the early nineties his work on Horizon, A&M, Vee-Jay and MCA was mostly left out of print by short sighted label execs. Maintaining a steady concert schedule was a priority throughout the seventies and eighties that found Axton playing as many as 300 dates a year. He also got in front of the camera, first guesting on "Bonanza" in the 1960's, and then eventually on dozens of TV programs including : "Hootenanny", "Hee-Haw", "Diff'rent Strokes","The Dukes of Hazzard", "Trapper John MD","WKRP in Cincinatti" as well as popular feature films like "The Black Stallion" and "Gremlins". His voice was used in TV commercials for Busch beer, Pizza Hut, and even McDonald's where he was the singing lumberjack who introduced the then-new Big Mac. Hoyt reportedly liked doing commercials so much he didn't even consider it work. He also did voiceover narration for educational films. He bought his ranch in Montana, after playing a sheriff in the movie ''Disorganized Crime,'' filmed there in 1988.
He suffered a debilitating stroke in 1996, and a then suffered a demoralizing medical marijuana bust in 1997 for which he received a three year deferred sentence and was fined $15,000. His health was not good these last few months, including advanced complications from diabetes, spending most of his time in a wheelchair. Axton finally passed away a few days after suffering a heart attack during surgery in a Bitteroot Montana hospital.
A spokesperson for the Academy of Country Music told Associated Press after his death "There was nobody that didn't like Hoyt".
Everybody
Hoyt Axton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a bridge across a river wide
Everybody's goin on the road (wide road)
Glad it's on the other side of the highway
Weighed less'cause I eased my burden
Pick a day for certain and you'll lighten up your lad
You can take a lady or a dog if you wanna
Everybody goin'on the road
Sea captain goin' on the road
Takes a crew to sail the ship
A sea captain on a sailin' ship
Well do you wanna go with me or he?
We'll be the ones who sang in the rigging
Get your ticket 'fore it shoves off from the shore
Take a trip on ship this time
You'll never go to sea no more
[Chorus]
Now my lady friend's goin' on the road-
Takes her dog and my truck and rolls across the land
She's goin' to Santa Fe-leavin' me a lonely man
I take pleasure to see my friends happy
I'll be the pappy if she'll be the ma
I had the pick of the pick this time
Sweetest lady that I saw
[Chorus]
Well there's a city fella goin' on the road
He'd like to catch a ride on a semi-truck
A city fella goin' on the riad
Just might run into a little bit of luck
With a map of the back of the country side you ride
Take a good ride and you'll never get rode
Take a left, take a right, take a breath of fresh air
Everybody goin' on the road
[Chorus]
The lyrics of "Everybody" by Hoyt Axton are about people taking different modes of transportation to go on the road. The chorus talks about taking a bridge across a wide river to get on the road, which is on the other side of the highway. The singer talks about how he feels better because he has eased his burden and lightened up his load. He talks about how anyone can take a lady or a dog if they want to, implying that anyone can join in on this journey. The singer is encouraging everyone to go on the road together, regardless of their backgrounds or initial doubts.
The song goes on to describe different scenarios of people going on the road. A sea captain is taking his crew on a sailing ship, and anyone can join if they would like. They will be the ones singing in the rigging, creating a fun and exciting atmosphere for everyone on board. The singer also talks about his lady friend who is taking her dog and his truck on the road to Santa Fe. Although he is left feeling lonely, he takes pleasure in seeing his friends happy. Finally, the song talks about a city fella who wants to catch a ride on a semi-truck and explore the countryside. The singer implies that anyone can take any form of transportation they want and explore the world around them.
Overall, the song's message is about encouraging people to take a chance and explore the world. The singer talks about how anyone can lighten up their load and take an adventure with anyone, whether it be a lady, a dog, or a complete stranger. The song's message is about unity and how anyone can join in on an adventure and bring joy to those around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a bridge across a river wide
Cross over an obstacle to begin your journey
Everybody's goin on the road (wide road)
Everyone is on an adventure
Glad it's on the other side of the highway
Happy to have a change of scenery
Weighed less'cause I eased my burden
I feel lighter because I let go of my worries
Pick a day for certain and you'll lighten up your lad
Choose a day to take a break and it will make you feel better
You can take a lady or a dog if you wanna
Bring whoever you want on your journey
Take a crew to sail the ship
You need help to achieve your goals
A sea captain on a sailin' ship
The person in charge of their destiny
Well do you wanna go with me or he?
Do you want to be a part of my journey or not?
We'll be the ones who sang in the rigging
We'll enjoy ourselves on this journey
Get your ticket 'fore it shoves off from the shore
Join me before it's too late
Take a trip on ship this time
Take this opportunity to go on a voyage
You'll never go to sea no more
This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience
Now my lady friend's goin' on the road-
My partner is also going on a journey
Takes her dog and my truck and rolls across the land
She's taking what she needs and going on an adventure
She's goin' to Santa Fe-leavin' me a lonely man
She's off to explore, leaving me alone
I take pleasure to see my friends happy
I feel happy when my loved ones are enjoying themselves
I'll be the pappy if she'll be the ma
We'll enjoy our journey together
I had the pick of the pick this time
I made the right choice
Sweetest lady that I saw
She's the best thing that's happened to me
Well there's a city fella goin' on the road
Someone from the city is also on an adventure
He'd like to catch a ride on a semi-truck
He's looking for a new experience
Just might run into a little bit of luck
Good things could happen on this journey
With a map of the back of the country side you ride
Explore the countryside with a map
Take a good ride and you'll never get rode
Enjoy the journey and you will have no regrets
Take a left, take a right, take a breath of fresh air
Explore your surroundings and enjoy your adventure
Everybody goin' on the road
Everyone is on their own adventure
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RICK FOWLER, STEVE FROMHOLZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind