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.
Leaving London
Tom Paxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Between my love and me
I keep walking through this cold hard town
While I wait for better days
I could use a place to stay
Or a floor where I could lay my blanket down
If I could beg, steal, or borrow
A ticket on some boat or plane
To fly to my young love again
Up at dawn to change my shirt
And to wash away the dirt
Then it's over to American Express
Not one letter did I find
No, she didn't send one line
Though I know she had my forwarding address
Last night the Troubadour
Was so full they barred the door
And I sang a song she knows quite well
But it wouldn't take too long
To make up another song
For a lonesome and a last farewell
The song "Leaving London" by Tom Paxton explores the sense of loneliness and longing one experiences when separated from a loved one. The lyrics are framed around the singer's desire to leave London in search of his partner who is far away across a "dark and rolling sea". In the first verse, he describes how he keeps walking around the city in search of something to distract him from the pain of separation. He longs for a home, a place to lay his blanket down and a boat or plane that will take him to his young love. It's clear that he feels lost and alone, yearning for a sense of comfort and direction.
In the second verse, the singer tries to fill the void of his love's absence by keeping busy during the day. He changes his shirt and washes away the dirt and then heads over to American Express to check if she has sent him any letters. However, despite the fact that he had provided her with his forwarding address, he finds no letter from her. The third verse describes him performing at the Troubadour, a popular music venue in London, but despite his success and full house, he feels the pain of separation far worse than before. He longs to sing another song for his love, but knows that this farewell might be their last.
Overall, "Leaving London" is a poignant song that captures the loneliness and isolation one often feels when separated from their loved ones. It emphasizes how powerful love can be in inspiring people to stretch beyond their comfort zone, and how distance and separation can often sharpen the desire and longing for one's loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
With a dark and rolling sea
Separated from my lover by a vast and tumultuous ocean
Between my love and me
She is far away from me, and we cannot be together
I keep walking through this cold hard town
I wander aimlessly in this unwelcoming and harsh city
While I wait for better days
Hoping for happiness and good times in the future
I could use a place to stay
I need a temporary residence, a bed or a roof over my head
Or a floor where I could lay my blanket down
I am so desperate I would take any shelter, even if it means sleeping on a bare floor
If I could beg, steal, or borrow
If I had to implore, steal or borrow to get what I need to leave this place
A ticket on some boat or plane
A means of transportation, whether it is a boat or a plane
I'd be leaving London tomorrow
I will leave this city as soon as possible
To fly to my young love again
To reunite with my youthful beloved
Up at dawn to change my shirt
I wake up very early to freshen up and dress up
And to wash away the dirt
To cleanse myself and discard the dirt and dust accumulated during my journey
Then it's over to American Express
I need to visit an American Express office to check if I received any letter from my lover
Not one letter did I find
I did not receive any message from her
No, she didn't send one line
She did not communicate with me in any form
Though I know she had my forwarding address
Despite the fact she was in possession of my new address
Last night the Troubadour
I went to Troubadour club in Earl's Court
Was so full they barred the door
The club was overcrowded, and they could not let anyone in
And I sang a song she knows quite well
I performed a tune which is familiar to my beloved
But it wouldn't take too long
It wouldn't be hard for me to make up a new song
To make up another song
I could easily craft a new melody
For a lonesome and a last farewell
To express my feelings of solitude and say goodbye for the last time
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: THOMAS R PAXTON, TOM PAXTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind