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.
Hold on To Me Babe
Tom Paxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I rise and walk the morning street again
I keep wondering how you're doing and I wonder where you are
And I know I'll be all right, but I don't know when
Hold onto me, babe, wherever you may be
Hold onto me, babe, I'm with you always
There was something locked in side you like a secret burning pain
In a prison where you would not let me go
Now just what it was, I guess I'll never know
I keep hanging onto something, but I don't know what it is
But at least I know the sound of my own name
And I work as hard as ever and I see the same old friends
But there's something deep inside that ain't the same
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===DOCUMENT BOUNDARY===
The lyrics of Tom Paxton's song, Hold on To Me Babe, are emotionally intense and speak of heartbreak and longing. The singer is unable to sleep and is wandering the streets, wondering where their partner is and how they are doing. Despite the pain, the singer is still holding on to the hope that they will be reunited one day. The line "Hold on to me, babe, wherever you may be" is particularly poignant, as it shows the depth of the singer's love and their willingness to be there for their partner, no matter where they are. The repetition of this line throughout the song highlights just how much the singer's thoughts are consumed by their lover, even in their absence.
The second verse of the song hints at a troubled past between the singer and their partner. There was something "locked inside" the partner, something that caused them pain and that they refused to share with the singer. The singer was determined to help, but when they woke up one day, their partner was gone, leaving them with unanswered questions. This experience has left the singer feeling lost and confused, unsure of what they are holding on to but still trying to find meaning in their life. The line "there's something deep inside that ain't the same" suggests that the singer has changed as a result of their experiences, and that they are still trying to come to terms with their feelings.
Overall, Hold on To Me Babe is a powerful song that speaks to the universal feelings of love, loss, and longing. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they convey a sense of vulnerability and emotional depth that is rare in modern music.
Line by Line Meaning
As my aching head is begging for a sleep that will not come
My head hurts and I want to sleep, but I can't.
I rise and walk the morning street again
I get up and walk outside.
I keep wondering how you're doing and I wonder where you are
I think about how you are and where you might be.
And I know I'll be all right, but I don't know when
I know things will be okay eventually, but I'm not sure when that will be.
Hold onto me, babe, wherever you may be
Stay connected to me, even if we're apart.
Hold onto me, babe, I'm with you always
I'll always be there for you, even if it's just in spirit.
There was something locked in side you like a secret burning pain
You were holding onto something painful and wouldn't tell me.
In a prison where you would not let me go
You were keeping me at a distance, unwilling to let me in.
I was sure we'd find an answer, til I woke and found you gone
I thought we could fix things, but then you left.
Now just what it was, I guess I'll never know
I'll never know what the problem really was.
I keep hanging onto something, but I don't know what it is
I'm holding onto something, but I'm not sure what it is exactly.
But at least I know the sound of my own name
I still have a sense of my own identity.
And I work as hard as ever and I see the same old friends
I'm still working hard and spending time with familiar people.
But there's something deep inside that ain't the same
But there's a part of me that feels different and is struggling.
Hold onto me, babe, wherever you may be
Stay connected to me, even if we're apart.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: THOMAS R PAXTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind