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.
Every Time
Tom Paxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think of you and I my dear, I think of you and I.
When I hear the evenin' bells a-ringin',
I hang my head and cry my dear, I hang my head and cry.
And they will ring, and they will ri - i - ing
When we are gone.
Every time I hear your soft voice hummin',
And until I hear your footsteps comin',
I sure can know no rest my dear,I sure can know no rest.
I will love you,I will love you - ou - ou
When we are gone.
I will love you,I will love you - ou - ou
When we are gone.
The first verse of Tom Paxton's song "Every Time" describes the impact of the sweet sound of birds singing on the singer's memory and mood. The birds' melody reminds him of his beloved one, and he cannot help but...
...
...
Some possible explanations of the meaning of the lyrics in the song's first verse are that the bird songs symbolize the beginning of a new day, new life, and new hope. They may also represent the singer's nostalgia for the past and longing for his lover, who is not with him now. The nightly bells also evoke the passage of time, the end of the day, and the inevitability of death. However, the singer's sorrow and tears show that he is not ready to let go of his lover and that he cherishes every moment they have together.
In the second verse, the singer's focus shifts to his lover's voice and presence. As soon as he hears her soft humming, his heart fills with joy and anticipation. However, until he sees her face-to-face and hears her footsteps, he cannot rest or be at peace. The repetition of the line "I will love you" suggests that his love for her is unwavering, even after they are gone.
Overall, Tom Paxton's song "Every Time" is a poignant ode to the power of memory, music, and love. The lyrics convey a sense of loss and longing while also celebrating the beauty of simple things and the depth of human emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time I hear a sweet bird singin',
The sound of a bird singing reminds me of you and our relationship.
I think of you and I my dear, I think of you and I.
Every time I hear a bird singing, I am reminded of the love we share.
When I hear the evenin' bells a-ringin',
The sound of bells ringing in the evening brings me sadness.
I hang my head and cry my dear, I hang my head and cry.
The sound of the bells makes me feel emotional and I cry because I miss you.
And they will ring, and they will ri - i - ing
The bells will continue to ring, even after we are no longer together.
When we are gone.
This line signifies the end of the relationship, and that the bells will continue to ring long after we have parted.
Every time I hear your soft voice hummin',
Hearing your gentle voice hum a tune fills me with joy.
My heart jumps in my breast my dear, my heart jumps in my breast.
Your voice brings me immense happiness and my heart races with joy.
And until I hear your footsteps comin',
Until I know that you are coming to see me, I cannot rest easy.
I sure can know no rest my dear, I sure can know no rest.
Thinking about the possibility of seeing you fills me with anticipation and restlessness.
I will love you, I will love you - ou - ou
I will always love you, even after we have parted ways.
When we are gone.
This line again reminds us that the love between us will remain even after our relationship has ended.
Contributed by Callie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
RoswithaOsmers
Every time I hear a sweet bird singin',
I think of you and I my dear, I think of you and I.
When I hear the evenin' bells a-ringin',
I hang my head and cry my dear, I hang my head and cry.
And they will ring, and they will ri - i - ing
When we are gone.
Every time I hear your soft voice hummin',
My heart jumps in my breast my dear, my heart jumps in my breast.
And until I hear your footsteps comin',
I sure can know no rest my dear, I sure can know no rest.
I will love you,I will love you - ou - ou
When we are gone.
I will love you,I will love you - ou - ou
When we are gone.
Übersetzung und Gruß an Männer die Romantiker sind, der Song ist ja von einem Mann geschrieben
IMMER LIEB ICH DICH
Jedes Mal, wenn ich einen lieblichen Vogel singen höre,
denke ich an Dich und mich, meine Liebe, ich denke an Dich und mich.
Wenn ich die AbendGlocken läuten höre,
bin ich traurig und weine, meine Liebe, ich bin traurig und weine.
Und sie werden klingen und klingen
Wenn wir zusammen sind
Jedes Mal, wenn ich Deine sanfte Stimme hör,
Springt mein Herz in meiner Brust, meine Liebe, mein Herz springt in meiner Brust.
Und bis ich Deine Schritte kommen hör,
kann ich sicher keine Ruhe finden, meine Liebe, ich kann sicher keine Ruhe finden.
Ich werde Dich lieben, ich werde Dich lieben
Wenn wir zusammen sind.
Ich werde Dich lieben, ich werde Dich lieben
Wenn wir zusammen sind
Dano Pierce
I'm glad this man's music is still echoing through the ether! Fine song composer!
Simon Mountford
Class is forever.
𝓜𝓲𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓮𝓵 𝓒𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓮 ℳ𝓒
I've been a fan of Tom since 1967...and this is one of his most beautiful love songs....
Jessica
I agree
Gene Mynahan
Thank you for posting this. It's at least as gorgeous as anything else that Tom has written.
Chantal Nash
I love that song. What talent !
Jancis Harvey
one of the most beautiful and plaintive songs ever written.
Winterlight Soul
A haunting heartfelt soul-searching song of love...this song captures the essence of his timeless music ...it gives me hope for their is love in the world after all
Geoff Sykes
One of the most delightful songs written by this great troubadour. Why only 8,5020 views?
Koos Bleeker
Great song, i love it