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.
My Lady
Tom Paxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some ladies are gay
Some ladies are comely
Some live while they may
My lady's a wild flying dove
My lady is wine
She whispers each evening
She likes pretty pictures
She loves singing birds
She'll watch them for hours
But I see only her
My lady's a wild flying dove
My lady is wine
She whispers each evening
She's mine, mine, mine
She tells me she's learning
How full her cup can be
She asks me to help her
But I know, she's teaching me
My lady's a wild flying dove
My lady is wine
She whispers each evening
She's mine, mine, mine
My lady's a wild flying dove
My lady is wine
She whispers each evening
She's mine, mine, mine
In the song "My Lady's a Wild Flying Dove" by Tom Paxton, the singer describes his lady as a wild dove that is always on the move and free-spirited. He speaks of her beauty which she flaunts in the form of her love for wine and her habit of whispering sweet nothings to him every evening, reminding him that she belongs to him. She shares a love for nature, but only he is the object of her complete attention. The singer feels that his lady is teaching him a lesson on how they can both enjoy life to the fullest and how it is important to live in the moment.
The first two lines of the song introduce the concept of the different types of ladies that exist, especially in the eyes of men. The third and fourth lines mention how some may not live life to the fullest due to societal norms, whereas some just love to let loose and enjoy the moment. The mention of the lady being a wild dove could be interpreted as a sign of her being unpredictable and untamed, but the singer enjoys this quality in her. She is not held down by anything, and the singer wishes to express his love for this quality.
The fifth and sixth lines mention another characteristic of the lady which is her love for pretty pictures and singing birds. He admires her love for nature, but also shows how he is always interested in her. The seventh and eighth lines reiterate the fact that she is his and only pays attention to him. The singer feels like he is learning from this lady who knows how to enjoy the moment and reminds him of the pleasures of life which are necessary to be fully satisfied.
Line by Line Meaning
Some ladies are foolish
Some women act silly or senseless.
Some ladies are gay
Some women are happy and carefree.
Some ladies are comely
Some women are attractive or beautiful.
Some live while they may
Some enjoy life while they can.
My lady's a wild flying dove
The artist's lady is free-spirited and unrestrained.
My lady is wine
The singer's lady is intoxicating and comforting like wine.
She whispers each evening
The lady speaks softly and lovingly every night.
She's mine, mine, mine
The artist possesses and cherishes his lady.
She likes pretty pictures
The lady enjoys aesthetically pleasing things.
She loves singing birds
The lady has an affection for birds that sing.
She'll watch them for hours
The lady will observe the birds for extended periods.
But I see only her
The artist is so focused on his lady that nothing else matters.
She tells me she's learning
The lady is gaining knowledge or experience.
How full her cup can be
She is understanding the capacity for abundance in life.
She asks me to help her
The lady requests assistance from the singer.
But I know, she's teaching me
The artist realizes that he is being taught by his lady.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: TOM PAXTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Annice Baynham
Fantastic