Tom Paxton

[fox69]

"We Can Have The Olympics Over At Our House"

"We Can Have The Olympics Over At Our House"


Everybody’s gonna boycott
Not a country’s gonna come
If they have games at all there be goin’ some
For the Russians have decided
That they do not like L. A.
Well, I could have told them that
I say it fifty times a day
But there is no need to panic
And there is no need to cry
We’ll be running, jumping, tumbling children by and by
Did you think a little boycott
Would put good times in the soup
Did ya feel that hope was gone
And could feel the party poop
We can have the Olympics over at our house
If we use our heads it wouldn’t be so hard
Put the athletes on a bus
And bring ‘em over to us
We’ll fire a gun and run ‘em around the yard
We can have the Olympics over at our house
There’ll be room for all if no one’s gonna be there
And the fella with the torch
Bring it over to porch and
We’ll hang it up and show the world we care
There’s a basket in the driveway
Where the kids have always played
A treat for acrobats that even provides some shade
If the whole world’s gonna boycott
If the whole world stays at home
You can come on over to our house
We’ll have a good time on our own
We can have the Olympics over at our house
If we use our heads I know we’ll have a ball
We have a pool above the ground
We think it’s the nicest one around
If we shorten the races we can have ‘em all
Come on and have the Olympics over at our house
We can bake and sweat and get a medal or two
Grandma says she’ll hold the clock
While they run around the block
That’s about the limit of what grandma can do
If we have the Olympics over at our house
We can have the whole caboodle on TV
For a neighbour down the street
Has a video that’s a treat
If we mention his name he’ll lend the thing to me
Come on and have the Olympics over at our house
We’ll release a couple of pigeons and fire a gun
We could run a race or two
Then we’ll have some barbecue
Don’t you know we’re gonna have a lot of fun
And as an honorary starter
We’ve invited Jimmy Carter
Don’t you know we’re gonna have a lot of fu

 

[fox69]

"We Didn't Know"

"We Didn't Know"


“We didn't know,” said the Burgomeister
“About the camps on the edge of town
It was Hitler and his crew
That tore the German nation down
We saw the cattle cars it's true
And maybe they carried a Jew or two
They woke us up as they rattled through
But what did you expect me to do”
“We didn't know at all
We didn't see a thing
You can't hold us to blame
What could we do
It was a terrible shame
But we can't bear the blame
Oh no, not us, we didn't know”
“We didn't know,” said the congregation
Singing a hymn in their church of white
“The press was full of lies about us
Preacher told us we were right
The outside agitators came
They burned some churches and put the blame
On decent southern people's name
To set our coloured people aflame
And maybe some of our boys got hot
And a couple of niggers and reds got shot
They should have stayed where they belong
And preacher would've told us if we'd done wrong”
We didn't know at all
We didn't see a thing
You can't hold us to blame
What could we do
It was a terrible shame
But we can't bear the blame
Oh no, not us, we didn't know
“We didn't know,” said the puzzled voter
Watching the President on TV
“I guess we've got to drop those bombs
If we're gonna keep South Asia free
The President's such a peaceful man
I guess he's got some kind of plan
They say we're torturing prisoners of war
But I don't believe that stuff no more
Torturing prisoners is a communist game
And you can bet they're doing the same
I wish this war was over and through
But what do you expect me to do”
We didn't know at all
We didn't see a thing
You can't hold us to blame
What could we do
It was a terrible shame
But we can't bear the blame
Oh no, not us, we didn't know

 

[fox69]

"Wearing The Time"

"Wearing The Time"


Time was, it was all ahead of me
These days it seems I’m as faded as these jeans
And what was once a dollar’s now a dime
Sweet youth goes on the petals of a rose
Now it looks like I’m wearing the time
Like an old, old friend
The time and me go way back when
But I know now, what I didn’t know then
I wish I could start all over again
In my field, every spring the green grass grows
While flowers flourish as they climb
Yellow and blue, every year their lives renew
While I’m left behind, wearing the time
Like an old, old friend
The time and me go way back when
But I know now, what I didn’t know then
I wish I could start all over again
Time was, it was all ahead of me
I faced it, embraced and it was said of me
That I loved life so much that I could taste it
No one ever thought that I would waste it
Like an old, old friend
The time and me go way back when
But I know now, what I didn’t know then
Wish I could start
I wish I could start all over again
Wearing the time
Wearing the time

 

[fox69]

"What A Friend You Are"

"What A Friend You Are"


What a friend you are
If I had a golden star I'd pin it on you
For seeing it through with me, with me

What a friend indeed
Oh they all but had me[?] till you came along
And you made me strong and free, and free

When I needed you, you were there
Before I knew I needed you, you came through
When the luck was bad
When bad luck was all I had and no one cared
You were there

What a special friend
Just the kind who'll never bend or break away
You said you'd stay and here you are
Here you are

When I needed you, you were there
Before I knew I needed you, you came through
When the luck was bad
When bad luck was all I had and no one cared
You were there

What a special friend
Just the kind who'll never bend or break away
You said you'd stay and here you are
Here you are, what a special friend you are

 

[fox69]

"What Did You Learn In School Today?"

"What Did You Learn In School Today?"


What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?

I learned that Washington never told a lie,
I learned that soldiers seldom die,
I learned that everybody's free,
And that's what the teacher said to me,
And that's what I learned in school today,
that's what I learned in school.

What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?

I learned the policemen are my friends,
I learned that justice never ends,
I learned that murderers pay for their crimes,
Even if we make a mistake sometimes,
And that's what I learned in school today,
That's what I learned in school

What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?

I learned that war is not so bad,
I learned about the great once we had had.
We fought in Germany and in France
And some day I might get my chance.
And that's what I learned in school today,
That's what I learned in school

What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?
What did you learn in school today,
Dear little boy of mine?

I learned our government must be strong;
It's always right and never wrong!
Our leaders are the finest men
And we elect them again and again,
And that's what I learned in school today,
That's what I learned in school

 

[fox69]

"When Annie Took Me Home"

"When Annie Took Me Home"


Late at night, somewhat tight,
Guardian angels put to flight
Freddie's doused the neon light
That promised while it shone.
Time to go, time to blow,
They don't push me cause they know
I am still in my long ago
When Annie took me home.
There was I wondering why
Annie'd choose to ask me over.
But she did, sure she did,
She called me her Irish rover.
Sat me there in her chair,
Ran her fingers through my hair.
Talk of heaven, I've been there,
When Annie took me home.
Rafters rung, songs were sung,
Spanish is a loving tongue.
Ribbons on my life were hung,
When Annie took me home.
There was wine, there was time
All the while guitars were playing.
When the day came my way
And she told me I'd be staying.
Love can go, love can grow,
Did she love me? I don't know.
Though she often told me so,
I never really know.
Was I blind? I don't mind.
I think life's been more than kind.
Thanks to life there was the time
When Annie took me home.

 

[fox69]

"When I Go To See My Son"

"When I Go To See My Son"


When I go to see my son
I get there early Friday night
It’s after the winter sun goes down
His mother turns on the front porch light
She always meets me at the door
She knows she’s still the only one
But she’s a million miles away now
When I go to see my son
When I go to see my son
I look for hope where there is none
I see the past, I see the future
When I go to see my son
When I go to see my son
We might take in a hockey game
We tell ourselves we’re having fun
But in the end, it’s not the same
I hear him cry out in the night
I wonder what I might have done
And I don’t get to sleep for hours
When I go to see my son
When I go to see my son
I look for hope where there is none
I see the past, I see the future
When I go to see my son
I see he has his mother’s eyes
I hear her voice whenever he laughs
He has her perfect nose
The nose is plain to see
I see he has her perfect chin
He has his mother’s will to win
I see my son will never be
The least like me
When I bring my son back home
We never talk much in the car
And by the time I think of something
We turn the corner, there we are
His mother meets us at the door
She knows she’s still the only one
But I can see she’s gone forever
When I go to see my son
When I go to see my son
I look for hope where there is none
I see the past, I see the future
When I go to see my son
When I go to see my son
I look for hope and there is none
I see the past, I see the future
When I go to see my son

 

[fox69]

"When It's Gone, It's Gone"

"When It's Gone, It's Gone"


How can you do it? It's heartless, it's cruel
It's murder, cold-blooded, it's gross
To slay a poor vegetable just for your stew
Or to serve with some cheese sauce on toast

Have you no decency? Have you no shame?
Have you no conscience, you cad
To rip that poor vegetable out of the earth
Away from its poor mom and dad?

Oh, no, don't slay that potato
Let us be merciful, please
Don't boil it or fry it, don't even freeze dry it
Don't slice it or flake it
For God's sake, don't bake it

Don't shed the poor blood
Of this poor helpless spud
That's the worst kind of thing you could do
Oh, no, don't slay that potato
What never done nothing to you

Why not try picking on something your size
Instead of some carrot or bean?
The peas are all trembling there in their pod
Just because you're so vicious and mean

How would you like to be grabbed by your hair
And ruthlessly yanked from your bed
And have done to you God knows what horrible things
To be eaten with full fiber bread?

Oh, no, don't slay that potato
Let us be merciful, please
Don't boil it or fry it, don't even freeze dry it
Don't slice it or flake it
For God's sake, don't bake it

Don't shed the poor blood
Of this poor helpless spud
That's the worst kind of thing you could do
Oh, no, don't slay that potato
What never done nothing to you

It's no bed of roses, this vegetable life
You're basically stuck in the mud
You don't get around much, you don't see the sights
When you're a carrot or celery or spud

You're helpless when somebody's flea-bitten dog
Takes a notion to pause for relief
Then somebody picks you and cleans you and eats you
And causes you nothing but grief

Oh, no, don't slay that potato
Let us be merciful, please
Don't boil it or fry it, don't even freeze dry it
Don't slice it or flake it
For God's sake, don't bake it

Don't shed the poor blood
Of this poor helpless spud
That's the worst kind of thing you could do
Oh, no, don't slay that potato
What never done nothing to you

There ought to be some way of saving our skins
They ought to be passing a law
Just show anybody a cute little lamb
And they'll all stand around and go, aw

Well, potatoes are ugly, potatoes are plain
We're wrinkled and lumpy to boot
But give me a break, kid, do you mean to say
That you'll eat us because we're not cute?

Oh, no, don't slay that potato
Let us be merciful, please
Don't boil it or fry it, don't even freeze dry it
Don't slice it or flake it
For God's sake, don't bake it

Don't shed the poor blood
Of this poor helpless spud
That's the worst kind of thing you could do
Oh, no, don't slay that potato
What never done nothing to you

 

[fox69]

"When Morning Breaks"

"When Morning Breaks"


When morning breaks, I'll be gone
When morning breaks, I'll be gone
And where I go, I do not know
When morning breaks, I'll be gone
The Captain read off my name
The Captain read off my name
The regiment is marching to war
The Captain read off my name
The drums are rolling for war
The drums are rolling for war
The lines are forming, to wait for the morning
To wait for the cruel cannon's roar
I'll breathe your name through the fire
I'll breathe your name through the fire
I'll breathe your name to bring me home again
I'll breathe your name through the fire
The drums are rolling for war
The drums are rolling for war
The lines are forming, to wait for the morning
To wait for the cruel cannon's roar
When morning breaks I'll be gone

 

[fox69]

"When You Get Your Ticket"

"When You Get Your Ticket"


When you get your ticket
Then I’ll know you’re flyin'
When I say I’m happy
Then you’ll know I’m lyin'
I’ll try California
You try running around
It never worked before, babe
And it ain’t workin’ now
Like a railroad station
That’s just what I’ve been
You rolled up beside me
Now you’re gone again
Don’t know where you’re going
Don’t know what you’ll find
I don’t mind your going
Just can’t stand staying behind
I’ve been askin’ questions
You will answer none
How you can love so many
And I can love but one
If you miss me sometime
Miss your man at all
Just tell the operator
And I will pay the call
When you get your ticket
Then I’ll know you’re flyin'
When I say I’m happy
Then you’ll know I’m lyin'
I’ll try California
You try running around
It never worked before, babe
And it ain’t workin’ now