#tom paxton

[teddypng]

Tom Paxton on Phil Ochs, 2009

[colorfulpiggy]

I was watching archived footage of the DNC and the demonstration at Lincoln park, and I spotted Phil Ochs.

[favorite-music-tourney]

[american-troubadour]

Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, and Ray Pong at a TV taping in Montreal, Québec, Canada. Most likely in November 1965.

Photographed by Dick Waterman. From UNC Wilson Library's Southern Folklife Collection.

[desertsquiet]

Townes with Tom Paxton

[scarletafterglow]

[folk-enjoyer]

Folk Song Friday!

The Thresher Pete Seeger, 1963

"The Thresher" was written and recorded by Pete seeger in 1963. Its based off of the sinking of the USS Thresher nuclear-submarine that same year. 129 people, including some civilians, officers, and crewmen died. Pete Seeger wasn't the only folk artist who made a song out of the incident. Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, and the Kingston Trio did as well.

Like the source I used for this post points out, this continues the tradition of folk songs being created out of ship disasters and sinkings. I think that's interesting because I can think of a lot of ship or boat disaster folk songs, but not a lot of train, or carriage, or car, or fire, disaster folk songs.

main source: "Four Ballads of the USS Thresher"

[stonecoldpinkerton]

I first heard Bob Dylan on some TV show. I was maybe 10 years old. They used Shelter from the Storm in the episode. What a flawless work of art that song is. I summarily read Bob Dylan's autobiography. It was about his entire life, all his experiences. And yet- and here's the interesting thing- he only wrote about 3 albums that he wrote.

Bob Dylan has many famous albums- The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Highway 61 Revisited, Blood on the Tracks, Blonde on Blonde, and more. He only wrote about 3 albums.

He wrote about his first album, the start of his career, the self titled album "Bob Dylan". He wrote about the album he was writing as he was writing the very book, the album "Oh Mercy". And he wrote about his most infamous album, "Self Portrait".

I would have to make a separate post to thoroughly talk about Oh Mercy. What I remember about his first album is this: he explained that he had an interview with someone from the record label. The record guy was asking him "where are you from" "what brought you to New York" etc. They wanted a short paragraph to put on the back of the album.

Bob explains that he came to New York on a freight train. Record guy asks "You mean a passenger train?"

Bob answers, "Freight train." Then, breaking the scene, author-Bob explains he *actually* came to NY on a passenger train.

To most, Bob Dylan was, as Joan Baez described, "the original vagabond, the unwashed phenomenon". The king of the New York folk scene. It had been on the rise with artists like

Tom Paxton

and Peter, Paul and Mary,

Simon and Garfunkel.

But Bob Dylan was the one that really defined it.

Bob Dylan's real name is Robert Allen Zimmerman. He was raised in the south, Missouri. His parents were ethnic Jews and he was raised Catholic. He grew up listening to gospel music, blues, and, famously, Woody Guthrie.

But his music never sounded like he'd been raised on gospel. No, he put tradition in the wind. He was the New York dynamo, Bob Dylan!

The fame wore him out quick. For all his poetry and expression, he never felt understood. His identity was the freight train kid, not the passenger.

Years of wear and tear get to him. I get the sense he resented the people who looked up to him.

And here we get to the meat and potatoes.

Self Portrait.

Rolling Stone magazine put out an issue reviewing it. The cover stated in bold text, "What the fuck is this shit?" Bob released the album knowing it would tank his career. And man, this album is filled with gospel inspired tracks.

The album opens with "All the tired horses". Just go and fucking experience that song. Close your eyes, breath deep, and listen. Really listen.

Self Portrait is, in my mind, the greatest Dylan album.

I used to *think* I understood Dylan. But listening to Self Portrait, for the first time I *felt* I understood Mr. Zimmerman.

Thanks for reading y'all. Keep safe. You're valuable, you have a right to be here, just as much as anyone else. Just as much as the trees and stars. You matter.

:)

[halfacenturyhigh]

Phil Ochs and Tom Paxton performing at a Broadside hootenanny in New York, 1960s | © Erik Falkensteen

[teddypng]

Tom Paxton on Phil Ochs, 2009

[mitigatingchaos]

A Note On President Carter

As I read some of the accounts of the life and Presidency of Jimmy Carter, my thoughts on him seem to be confirmed. . .  he might not have been the best President, but he was an honest guy who didn’t take himself too seriously and his life was dedicated to quietly helping others. I was attending college just up the road from Camp David while Carter was President. I recall twice we went down and…

[favorite-music-tourney]

[watcherglowcloud]

introduced my mom to a shit ton of old leftist folk today. winning

[bhvr]

Tom Paxton, Eric Andersen, and Phil Ochs at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964. Photograph by David Gahr.

[folk-enjoyer]

Folk Song Friday!

Tom Paxton, 1972

This song doesn't really have a lot of history for me to talk about. It was recorded and released in 1972 for the "Peace Will Come" album by Tom Paxton. What makes this song really interesting is how different it is to Tom Paxton's usual work. A lot of his most famous songs like "Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation" and "Buy a Gun for Your Son" and even lesser known songs that I'm constantly thinking about like "I Don't Want a Bunny Wunny" are all biting political satire and incredibly funny. He's a silly guy. So it surprises me how haunting and sad this song is. I really like it! thanks for reading.