After time in the Army Reserves, Paxton moved to New York City where he frequented the city's Greenwich Village coffeehouse circuit. His early success in Greenwich Village coffeehouses led to an ever-increasing circle of work. He made his professional debut at the Gaslight, the renowned folk haunt that also issued the singer's first album. In 1962 Gaslight Records would press 2,000 copies of his debut album, I'm The Man Who Built The Bridges.
Paxton also auditioned to join the Chad Mitchell Trio, but although he failed, the group enjoyed a 1963 hit with "The Marvelous Toy," one of Paxton's early songs. Paxton performed at the 1963 Newport Folk Festival, a performance that would be recorded-and released-by Vanguard Records. Paxton would go on to record a second album with Vanguard-at the Newport Folk Festival the following year - but his association with that record company lapsed, and it would not be until the year 2000 that Vanguard once again released a Tom Paxton album, Tom Paxton: Best of the Vanguard Years. In 1964 Paxton was signed to Elektra Records for whom he recorded his best-known work. Then in 1965 he made his first tour of the United Kingdom - the beginning of a still-thriving professional relationship that has included at least one tour in each of the succeeding years.
He and his wife Midge have been married since 1963 and have two daughters, Jennifer and Kate. All three women have served as inspiration for many of Paxton's songs. He now has three grandsons, Christopher, Sean, and Peter.
In addition to songwriting, Tom Paxton has written many critically acclaimed children's books, some of which were inspired by his songs for children.
He has performed thousands of concerts around the world in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Scandinavia, France, Italy, Belgium, Holland, England, Scotland, Ireland and Canada. Paxton enjoys a strong relationship with fans throughout the world. His songs have experienced enduring appeal, including modern standards such as "The Last Thing on My Mind" (perhaps Paxton's best-known song, it has been recorded by dozens of artists, including Judy Collins, Sandy Denny, Dolly Parton, and Porter Wagoner), "Ramblin' Boy", "Bottle of Wine", "Whose Garden Was This", "The Marvelous Toy", and "The Hostage" (which recounts the 1971 uprising at Attica State Prison).
In February 2002, Tom Paxton was honored with the ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award in Folk Music. A few days later, he received three Wammies (Washington, DC, Area Music Awards); as Best Male Vocalist in the "traditional folk" and "children's music" categories, and for Best Traditional Folk Recording of the Year for Under American Skies (the duo album he made with Anne Hills in 2001). This was the first Paxton album to receive an award of any kind.
Paxton has been nominated four times for Grammy Awards in his career, all since 2002.
In 2004, the Martin Guitar Company introduced the HD-40LSH Tom Paxton Signature Edition acoustic guitar in his honor.
In 2005, Paxton received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting at BBC Radio 2's Folk Awards at London's Brewery Arts Centre.
In 2006, Paxton received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance.
On January 22, 2007, Paxton was honored with an official UK Parliamentary tribute at the British House of Commons at the start of his 2007 United Kingdom tour.
On May 3, 2008, Paxton was honored with a special lifetime tribute from the World Folk Music Association, and a concert was held at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center at Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria Campus, in Alexandria, Virginia.
Buy a Gun for Your Son
Tom Paxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cowboys, Rebels, Yanks and Commies
Buy yourselves some real red blooded fun.
If you want to make the grade,
You've got to have a hand grenade,
And a fully automatic G.I. Gun.
Buy a gun for your son right away, Sir
Shake his hand like a man and let him play, Sir.
For the skills he learns today will someday pay, Sir.
Pound that kid into submission
'Till he's mastered Nuclear Fission
Buy him plastic warheads by the score,
Once he's got the taste of blood,
He's gonna sneak up on his buddies
Starting his own thermo-nuclear war.
So buy a gun for your son right away, Sir
Shake his hand like a man and let him play, Sir.
Let his little mind expand, Place a weapon in his hand,
For the skills he learns today will someday pay, Sir.
Buy him khakis and fatigues,
And sign him up in little leagues,
Give him calisthenics as a rule.
Once you've banished fear and dread,
Then pat his seven year-old head,
And send him off to military school.
Oh buy a gun for your son right away, Sir
Shake his hand like a man and let him play, Sir.
Let his little mind expand, Place a weapon in his hand,
For the skills he learns today will someday pay, Sir.
Once he's grown to be a man,
He might get tired of blasting Granny,
Then you'll see a crisis coming on.
Don't get worried, don't get nervous.
Send that kid into the service,
Let him rise into the Pentagon.
At the Pentagon he'll rise.
The President he will advise,
His reputation growing all the while.
With your picture on the wall,
He'll get that long-awaited call,
And press the firing buttons with a smile.
Buy a gun for your son right away, Sir
Shake his hand like a man and let him play, Sir.
Let his little mind expand, Place a weapon in his hand,
For the skills he learns today will someday pay, Sir.
The lyrics to Tom Paxton’s song Buy a Gun for Your Son are a satirical take on the American gun culture and the glorification of violence. The song encourages parents to buy guns for their children to play with, as if they were toys, to prepare them for a future where they may need to use weapons to defend themselves. The chorus repeats the phrase “buy a gun for your son right away, Sir, shake his hand like a man and let him play, Sir,” normalizing the idea of arming children.
The lyrics also suggest that by giving children guns as toys or tools, parents can encourage them to become violent and aggressive, even starting a “thermo-nuclear war.” The song goes on to propose that parents should enroll their children in military school and teach them calisthenics as a way to prepare them for a future in the military. The final verse suggests that by following these steps and encouraging their children to become part of the military mindset, they may eventually rise to become military advisors or even Presidents, making decisions about the use of military force.
Overall, the song is a biting critique of the glorification of violence and the role that guns play in American culture. By using irony and satire, Paxton highlights the absurdity of teaching children to use weapons and participate in violent activities.
Line by Line Meaning
Hallelujah, Dads and Mommies, Cowboys, Rebels, Yanks and Commies Buy yourselves some real red-blooded fun.
Let us celebrate and enjoy the thrill of buying weapons and armaments regardless of political affiliations or beliefs.
If you want to make the grade, You've got to have a hand grenade, And a fully automatic G.I. Gun.
In order to succeed in this competitive and violent world, you must also possess deadly weapons such as explosives and automatic guns.
Buy a gun for your son right away, Sir Shake his hand like a man and let him play, Sir. Let his little mind expand, Place a weapon in his hand, For the skills he learns today will someday pay, Sir.
Encourage your child's involvement in the realm of war and conflict, starting by gifting him with a gun, as it could lead to great success and profit in the future.
Pound that kid into submission 'Till he's mastered Nuclear Fission Buy him plastic warheads by the score, Once he's got the taste of blood, He's gonna sneak up on his buddies Starting his own thermo-nuclear war.
Intensively train and condition your child to become a master in the field of nuclear science and warfare, providing them with the necessary equipment to wage war and eventually start a nuclear war.
Buy him khakis and fatigues, And sign him up in little leagues, Give him calisthenics as a rule. Once you've banished fear and dread, Then pat his seven-year-old head, And send him off to military school.
Immerse your child in the culture of war from a young age, enrolling them in military training and education, until they are fearless and skilled enough to succeed in this field.
Once he's grown to be a man, He might get tired of blasting Granny, Then you'll see a crisis coming on. Don't get worried, don't get nervous. Send that kid into the service, Let him rise into the Pentagon.
As your child grows older, he may become unsatisfied with simply destroying the elderly and seek greater challenges, causing crisis in your family. However, sending him into the military and eventually promoting him to high-level positions will alleviate any concerns and provide further opportunity for success.
At the Pentagon he'll rise. The President he will advise, His reputation growing all the while. With your picture on the wall, He'll get that long-awaited call, And press the firing buttons with a smile.
Through hard work and dedication, your child will climb the ranks to become a trusted advisor to the President, building a great reputation and even displaying your family photo on the wall. Eventually, he will be in a position to launch deadly attacks with satisfaction and pride.
Contributed by Gabriella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.