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.
This World Goes 'Round And 'Round
Tom Paxton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Green leaves must turn to brown
What goes up must come down
It all comes back to you
You find whatever you feel
You lose whatever you steal
Just like a spinning wheel
The world goes round and round
People knocking at the golden door
They got plenty but they still want more
Don't know what they're looking for
The world goes round and round
Rain water runs down to the sea
Evaporation makes the clouds roll free
Then it goes and it rains on me
The world goes round and round
People fighting but we just can't win
Looks like we're going to do it again
That's just where I came in
The world goes round and round
We keep lying but it ain't no use
Keep cheatin but we can't break loose
Every chicken comes home to roost
The world goes round and round
Tom Paxton's song "This World Goes 'Round And 'Round" is a reflective piece that touches on the cyclical nature of life events. The first verse "This world goes round and round, green leaves must turn to brown, what goes up must come down, it all comes back to you" speaks to the inevitability of change and how nothing lasts forever. The next line "you find whatever you feel, you lose whatever you steal, just like a spinning wheel, the world goes round and round" suggests that we reap what we sow, and karma is a powerful force.
The second verse shifts to commentary on society, "People knocking at the golden door, they got plenty but they still want more, don't know what they're looking for, the world goes round and round." It seems to suggest that people are never satisfied and are always striving for more, yet they don't even know what exactly it is that they want. The next line "Rainwater runs down to the sea, evaporation makes the clouds roll free, then it goes and it rains on me, the world goes round and round" is a metaphor for how even the water cycle follows a pattern, and everything eventually comes full circle.
The third verse talks about the futility of fighting and how it is an endless loop that we never seem to break. "People fighting but we just can't win, looks like we're going to do it again, that's just where I came in, the world goes round and round." Finally, the last line "We keep lying but it ain't no use, keep cheatin but we can't break loose, every chicken comes home to roost, the world goes round and round" speaks to the idea that lies catch up to us, and ultimately, everything we do comes back to us.
Overall, "This World Goes 'Round And 'Round" is a poignant reminder that life moves in cycles and that our choices have consequences. It warns us against getting lost in the endless cycle of acquisition and competition and encourages us to live life with a greater sense of purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
This world goes round and round
The world constantly moves and repeats itself.
Green leaves must turn to brown
Everything in life has its cycle and will eventually come to an end.
What goes up must come down
There are always consequences and repercussions for our actions.
It all comes back to you
The things we do will come back to us in some way, eventually.
You find whatever you feel
Our emotions can dictate our perceptions and experiences.
You lose whatever you steal
There are consequences for our actions, especially when they are harmful or unethical.
Just like a spinning wheel
Similar to a cycle, life is constantly moving and doesn't stop for anyone or anything.
People knocking at the golden door
There are always people seeking success and wealth, even if they already have plenty.
They got plenty but they still want more
The pursuit of wealth and success is never-ending for some individuals.
Don't know what they're looking for
Sometimes people don't know what they truly want or need, but they still continue to seek more.
Rain water runs down to the sea
Water has a natural cycle of moving from one place to another, ultimately ending up in the sea.
Evaporation makes the clouds roll free
The scientific process of evaporation helps to create the natural phenomenon of clouds.
Then it goes and it rains on me
The water cycle continues as rain eventually falls on individuals and communities.
People fighting but we just can't win
Sometimes conflicts arise that cannot be resolved or won by either party.
Looks like we're going to do it again
Despite past failures or mistakes, people often repeat the same actions or behaviors.
That's just where I came in
People often get caught up in a cycle of repeating past mistakes or actions, without realizing it.
We keep lying but it ain't no use
Habitual lying will eventually catch up to individuals and will have negative consequences.
Keep cheatin but we can't break loose
People who engage in unethical or immoral behavior often find it difficult to break free from those patterns of behavior.
Every chicken comes home to roost
Our actions and choices will always have consequences, even if they are not immediate.
The world goes round and round
Life continues to move forward with its cycles and patterns.
Contributed by Owen K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.