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.
Daily News
Tom Paxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't hold a candle to Chang Kai Shek
How do I know? I read it in the Daily News
Ban the bombers are afraid of a fight
Peace hurts business and that ain't right
How do I know? I read it in the Daily News
Daily News, daily blues
Pick up a copy any time you choose
And you ride right along to never, never land
We got to bomb Castro, got to bomb him flat
He's too damn successful and we can't risk that
How do I know? I read it in the Daily News
There's millions of commies in the freedom fight
Yelling for Lenin and civil rights
How do I know? I read it in the Daily News
Seems like the whole damn world's gone wrong
Saint Joe McCarthy is dead and gone
How do I know? I read it in the Daily News
Don't try to make me change my mind with facts
To hell with the graduated income tax
How do I know? I read it in the Daily News
John Paul Getty is just plain folks
The UN charter is a cruel hoax
How do I know? I read it in the Daily News
J. Edgar Hoover is the man of the hour
All he needs is just a little more power
How do I know? I read it in the Daily News
Tom Paxton's "Daily News" is a satirical take on the media's portrayal of world events, politics, and social issues. Through his lyrics, Paxton exposes the misinformation and propaganda presented by newspapers, specifically the Daily News. The first verse states that civil rights leaders are considered a burden and not as important as Chang Kai Shek. This highlights a flawed mentality where people are not given the same respect and importance, an attitude that is propagated by newspapers. The second verse talks about how peacemakers are often disregarded since they do not bring in profits, and as such, they do not receive the necessary media coverage. The third verse suggests that people are easily swayed and believe that bombing Cuba is the solution to the country's success. Similarly, there is a notion that the communist party is growing, and they're fighting for civil rights when, in fact, these are not mutually dependent.
What makes this song so poignant is that Paxton captures the essence of what constitutes modern-day news reporting, which still persists in today's world. The lyrics reflect the inherent bias that reporters and newspapers have, which portrays their views instead of presenting objective news. Paxton draws attention to how readers are at the mercy of a sensationalized press that misinforms them about everything from politics to social dynamics.
Interestingly, even after several decades, "Daily News" is an incredibly relevant song. The song's age has not affected its ability to comment on the media's role in information dissemination. The song received wide acclaim on its release in 1963 and has been covered by many notable artists such as Judy Collins, Joan Baez, and Peggy Seeger. The song's significance lies in its ability to captivate the listener while highlighting the socio-political issues discussed in a disarmingly sarcastic and cynical tone.
Line by Line Meaning
Civil rights leaders are a pain in the neck
Tom Paxton believes that Civil Rights leaders are bothersome and disruptive.
Can't hold a candle to Chang Kai Shek
Tom Paxton thinks that Civil Rights leaders are inferior compared to the Chinese leader Chang Kai Shek.
How do I know? I read it in the Daily News
Tom Paxton's opinions and beliefs about current events are influenced by the newspaper he reads daily.
Ban the bombers are afraid of a fight
Tom Paxton thinks that protestors who advocate for peace and disarmament are passive and afraid of conflict.
Peace hurts business and that ain't right
Tom Paxton believes that peace initiatives are damaging to business, which he considers undesirable.
Daily News, daily blues
Tom Paxton laments the depressing and negative content of the Daily News that he reads.
Pick up a copy any time you choose
Tom Paxton thinks that one can easily obtain a copy of the Daily News if they want to be informed by its content.
Seven little pennies in the newsboy's hand
Tom Paxton describes the small amount of money needed to purchase the Daily News from a newsboy.
And you ride right along to never, never land
Tom Paxton implies that one can detach from reality and be swept away into a fantastical world if they choose to solely believe the Daily News without further validation.
We got to bomb Castro, got to bomb him flat
Tom Paxton advocates for the bombing of Cuban leader Fidel Castro and his country's infrastructure.
He's too damn successful and we can't risk that
Tom Paxton perceives Fidel Castro's achievements as a threat to American interests.
There's millions of commies in the freedom fight
Tom Paxton sees Communists as a threat to freedom and democracy.
Yelling for Lenin and civil rights
Tom Paxton implies that communists fight for totalitarian ideals and insincerely rally for civil rights.
Seems like the whole damn world's gone wrong
Tom Paxton feels as if the world is in decline and chaos.
Saint Joe McCarthy is dead and gone
Tom Paxton mourns the loss of Senator Joseph McCarthy, a Cold War era politician who led anti-Communist campaigns.
Don't try to make me change my mind with facts
Tom Paxton resists being convinced by logical evidence that opposes his opinions, which are fostered by the Daily News.
To hell with the graduated income tax
Tom Paxton rejects the concept of graduated income tax, which involves higher tax rates for higher income levels.
John Paul Getty is just plain folks
Tom Paxton sees the multi-billionaire John Paul Getty as relatable to the average person.
The UN charter is a cruel hoax
Tom Paxton denounces the United Nations charter as false, malicious, and deceitful.
J. Edgar Hoover is the man of the hour
Tom Paxton idolizes FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover as a key figure in maintaining domestic security and upholding the law.
All he needs is just a little more power
Tom Paxton believes that J. Edgar Hoover's authority and influence should be further strengthened.
Contributed by Caroline T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.