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.
Can't Help but Wonder Where I'm Bound
Tom Paxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a hot and a heavy load
And the folks that I meet ain't always kind
So are bad, some are good
Some have done the best they could
Some have tried to ease my troubled mind
And I can't help but wonder where I'm bound
Where I'm bound
I have wandered thru this land
Just a doing the best I can
Tryin to find what I was meant to do
And the people that I see
Look as worried as can be
And it looks like they are a wondering too
I had a little girl one time
She had lips like Sherry wine
I loved her till my head went plumb insane
But I was too blind to see
She was drifting away from me
And my good gal went off on the morning train
And I had a buddy back home
But he started out to roam
I hear he's out by Frisco Bay
And sometimes when I've had a few
His old voice comes a ringing thru
And I'm going out to see him some old day
If you see me passing by
And you sit and you wonder why
And if you wish that you were a rambling too
Nail your shoes to the kitchen floor
Lace them up and bar the door
Thank your stars for the roof that's over you
Tom Paxton's song, "Can't Help but Wonder Where I'm Bound," is a melancholic ballad that captures the uncertainties and wanderlust of a person who has been wandering through life without a clear direction. The song is characterized by a longing for direction and purpose amid the chaos and turmoil of life. The lyrics speak of a dusty and hot road that is both challenging and tiring to navigate. The people the singer meets on this path are not always kind, and the singer has seen both good and bad.
The singer's constant walking and searching for a purpose are highlighted through the lines, "I have wandered thru this land/ Just a doing the best I can" and "Tryin to find what I was meant to do." The sense of aimlessness is also evident in the lines, "And the people that I see/ Look as worried as can be/ And it looks like they are a wondering too."
The song is an introspective reflection on life that is engaging and thought-provoking. It is a piece that makes the listener ponder about their own journey, their passions, their longings, and the ultimate destination. It captures the essence of existential questions that have troubled human beings since time immemorial. The singer's doubts, uncertainties, and longings convey a vulnerability that is deeply moving.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a long and a dusty road
The journey ahead of me is lengthy and filled with dirt
It's a hot and a heavy load
The burden that I am carrying is both physically and emotionally demanding
And the folks that I meet ain't always kind
The people I encounter on my journey are sometimes unkind and unsympathetic
So are bad, some are good
Some people I meet are immoral while others are virtuous
Some have done the best they could
Some individuals have put in their maximum effort
Some have tried to ease my troubled mind
A few people tried to calm down and relieve my anxiousness
And I can't help but wonder where I'm bound
I am uncertain about my destination and I ponder about where I am destined to go
Where I'm bound
The direction in which I am journeying
I have wandered thru this land
I have journeyed through this country searching for my purpose
Just a doing the best I can
I am giving my best effort and trying to make the most of what is available to me
Tryin to find what I was meant to do
I seek to discover what I was intended to do in this life
And the people that I see
The individuals that I observe
Look as worried as can be
Appear extremely anxious and concerned
And it looks like they are a wondering too
They also seem to be uncertain about their direction
I had a little girl one time
There was a girl I cherished in my past
She had lips like Sherry wine
Her lips were as red and lovely as Sherry wine
I loved her till my head went plumb insane
I adored her unconditionally to the point of madness
But I was too blind to see
Unfortunately, I was unable to see
She was drifting away from me
She was gradually moving away from me
And my good gal went off on the morning train
My girlfriend went on a train journey in the morning
And I had a buddy back home
I had a friend who remained behind
But he started out to roam
Nevertheless, he left home to explore
I hear he's out by Frisco Bay
I have heard that he is in the vicinity of Frisco Bay
And sometimes when I've had a few
Occasionally, when I have had a little too much to drink
His old voice comes a ringing thru
I can hear his voice loudly in my thoughts
And I'm going out to see him some old day
I plan to visit him sometime in the future
If you see me passing by
If you notice me walking past you
And you sit and you wonder why
And if you ponder as to why I am wandering
And if you wish that you were a rambling too
And if you wish to wander as well
Nail your shoes to the kitchen floor
Make sure your shoes are securely fastened to the floor in your home
Lace them up and bar the door
Also, tie them up tightly and lock the door tightly
Thank your stars for the roof that's over you
Appreciate the fact that you have a roof over your head and are safe inside your own home
Contributed by Makayla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.