Tom Paxton

[fox69]

"Dinosaurs At Play"

"Dinosaurs At Play"


I went down to dinosaur town
One Saturday morning, early
I was a little nervous
So I took my good friend Shirley
The dinosaurs came out to play
The ground was really shaking
And when they started jumping rope
The started an earth-quaking
Dinosaurs at play
They come out every day
You have to know just where to go
To see dinosaurs at play
Dinosaurs at play
They’re very large and grey
You’d better stay out of the way
Of the dinosaurs at play
We hid in the undergrowth
And there we saw before us
As big as any battleship
A giant brontosaurus
Its neck was long and slender
And its long tail was a-thumping
She swung her neck around and ‘round
And the little ones they were jumping
Dinosaurs at play
They come out every day
You have to know just where to go
To see dinosaurs at play
Dinosaurs at play
They’re very large and grey
You’d better stay out of the way
Of the dinosaurs at play
A Stegosaurus lumbered by
He looked a little grumpy
With great big plates all up his spine
They made him seem quite lumpy
The little ones ran along his back
Around the plates were peeking
It made us laugh to see them all
As they were hide-and-seeking
Dinosaurs at play
They come out every day
You have to know just where to go
To see dinosaurs at play
Dinosaurs at play
They’re very large and grey
You’d better stay out of the way
Of the dinosaurs at play
But then we saw them stop their play
We heard a frightening chorus
As through the trees there burst the form
Of fierce Tyrannosaurus
His teeth were huge and sharp as knives
His little red eyes were smoking
But then he started laughing
And he told them he’d been joking
Dinosaurs at play
They come out every day
You have to know just where to go
To see dinosaurs at play
Dinosaurs at play
They’re very large and grey
You’d better stay out of the way
Of the dinosaurs at play
You’d better stay out of the way
Of the dinosaurs at play

 

[fox69]

"Do You Want To Dance"

"Do You Want To Dance"


I find myself a fool
I laugh too loudly, speak inanely
I strive to seem so cool
So self-possessed, I fail mainly

All the hours I spend
Examining my poor reflection
To a childish end
A simple glance in my direction

But what if you should see me
As the hopeless mess I am
Afraid of even trying
As I must confess I am
Afraid of your reaction
If I dare to take the chance
It's the agony of asking
Do you, do you want to dance?

To my friends I boast
If I'm no lover, may God strike me
What I need the most
Is just a hint that you might like me

But what if you should see me
As the hopeless mess I am
Afraid of even trying
As I must confess I am
Afraid of your reaction
If I dare to take the chance
It's the agony of asking
Do you, do you want to dance?

 

[fox69]

"Don't Be Rude To A Rhinoceros"

"Don't Be Rude To A Rhinoceros"


Don't be rude to a Rhinoceros
Don't try pushing him aside
In a cafeteria he will cause hysteria
If his face isn't dried
Give him silverware and napkins
Place them neatly on his tray
But don't be rude to a Rhinoceros
Kindly step aside and let him have his way

When a rhinoceros is cross you want to give him plenty of room
He's awfully big you know and has a monstrous horn
If you let him in the door he is gonna wreck the floor
and your mother's curtains will be torn

While he might seem awfully fascinating
It is wiser to avoid his company
For it's very hard to know when a Rhino's gonna blow
And when he does it's not a very good place to be

Don't be rude to a Rhinoceros
Don't try pushing him aside
In a cafeteria he will cause hysteria
If his face isn't dried
Give him silverware and napkins
Place them neatly on his tray
But don't be rude to a Rhinoceros
Kindly step aside and let him have his way

When he decides to take a nap he's going to sleep wherever he likes
It's all the same to him he simply lays down flat
If it's in your flower bead where he lays his monstrous head
You will have some flowers going splat

You must whistle up a little folk song
To persuade him to go back to the zoo
But be careful what you grab as you help him in to a cab
For a rhinoceros you know is ticklish too

And don't be rude to a Rhinoceros
Don't try pushing him aside
In a cafeteria he will cause hysteria
If his face isn't dried
Give him silverware and napkins
Place them neatly on his tray
But don't be rude to a Rhinoceros
Kindly step aside and let him have his way

Kindly step aside and let him have his way

 

[fox69]

"Don't Slay That Potato"

"Don't Slay That Potato"


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 dice it or flake it
For God's sake, don't bake it
Don't shed the poor blood
Of that 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 be ruthlessly yanked from your bed
And have done to you God knows what horrible things
To be eaten with full-fibre 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 dice 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
If 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 dice it or flake it
For God's sake, don't bake it
Don't shed the poor blood
Of that 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 bumpy 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 dice it or flake it
For God's sake, don't bake it
Don't shed the poor blood
Of that 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
Oh, no, don't slay that potato
What never done nothing to you

 

[fox69]

"Don't You Let Nobody Turn You 'Round"

"Don't You Let Nobody Turn You 'Round"


It's a long, long journey to your own home
Where your own truth is waiting to be found
And though others will tie you, and try to buy you
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
Turn you round, turn you ‘round
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
Oh, the weak and timid ones will warn you
Not to walk on unfamiliar ground
But it's there that you've got to go, to find what
you've got to know
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
Turn you round, turn you ‘round
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
And the silv'ry words tumble from the leaders
And the loud hosannas may abound
From the dungeons of history, you'll hear an answer
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
Turn you round, turn you ‘round
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
In the time long ago, there was a man
To the old lies he would not be bound
And they hung him to a tree for telling you and me
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
Turn you round, turn you ‘round
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
It's a long, long journey to your own home
Where your own truth is waiting to be found
And though others will tie you, and try to buy you
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
Turn you round, turn you ‘round
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘round
Turn you round, turn you ‘round
Don't you let nobody turn you ‘roun

 

[fox69]

"E, I Addie, Addie, O"

"E, I Addie, Addie, O"


E I Addie Addie O
I found a peanut in the snow
I took I out of the peanut shell
It tasted very, very well
Do you believe it? (No!)
Do you think it’s true?
Has anybody ever told
A taller tale to you? (No!)
E I Addie Addie A
I found an apple in the bay
I fished it out and I rubbed it dry
I baked it into an apple pie
Do you believe it? (No!)
Do you think it’s true?
Has anybody ever told
A taller tale to you? (No!)
E I Addie Addie Um
I bought a piece of bubble gum
I blew a bubble ten feet round
I lifted me right off the ground
Do you believe it? (No!)
Do you think it’s true?
Has anybody ever told
A taller tale to you? (No!)
E I Addie Addie E
A bullfrog married a bumble-bee
A lovely family they had
They built their hive on a lily pad
Do you believe it? (No!)
Do you think it’s true?
Has anybody ever told
A taller tale to you? (No!)
E I Addie Addie O
I ran a race wilh a buffalo
I had to take a buffalo pill
I called that buffalo ‘Buffalo Bill'
Do you believe it? (No!)
Do you think it’s true?
Has anybody ever told
A taller tale to you? (No!)
E I Addie Addie Oo
I went to sea with a kangaroo
We were very, very brave
We simply hoped from wave to wave
Do you believe it? (No!)
Do you think it’s true?
Has anybody ever told
A taller tale to you? (No!)
Anybody told a taller tale to you? (No)

 

[fox69]

"Engelbert The Elephant"

"Engelbert The Elephant"


When the King and Queen decided
They would have a formal dance
Invitations were delivered
And it happened quite by chance
Through an oversight of someone’s
Whose it was I can't recall
Engelbert the elephant
Was invited to the ball
What excitement in the jungle
What a holy hullabaloo
What a race to find a costume
And to learn a step or two
You could feel the jungle shaking
And I bet it's shaking yet
While Engelbert was learning
How to dance the minuet
All the palace lamps were lighted
As the sun was goin’ down
And the music of the orchestra
Was heard across the town
The dance was just beginning
When there came a mighty roar
Your Highness - there's an elephant
And he's standing by the door
Then the guard turned out from everywhere
They came from every place
To where Engelbert was standing
With a smile upon his face
He was dressed in latest fashion
On his trunk he wore a ring
He presented his invitation
With the seal of the King
So the soldiers formed an escort
And they led him to the ball
Where the orchestra stopped playing
And a hush went through the hall
For the King and Queen were speechless
And I'm sure they're speechless now
Engelbert the elephant
Made a very lovely bow
Then the Queen began to smile at him
The band began to play
And Engelbert was dancing
In the very nicest way
The ladies were delighted
At the way he turned and spun
And before the night was over
He had danced with everyone
When they sat down to dinner
Engelbert sat on the floor
He nibbled most politely
Though he really wanted more
When the final dance was called for
Such a sight you've never seen
For it was by the royal command
He danced it with the Queen
And when the ball was over
And the guests began to go
They escorted him to the city gates
And he gave 'em quite a show
For the band had come along with them
And the band began to play
And the dance he did along the road
Is talked about today
Yes they talked about the dancing
And you know they're talkin’ yet
Of how Engelbert the elephant
Performed the minuet

 

[fox69]

"Every Time"

"Every Time"


Every time I hear a sweet bird singin',
I think of you and I my dear, I think of you and I.
When I hear the evenin' bells a-ringin',
I hang my head and cry my dear, I hang my head and cry.
And they will ring, and they will ri - i - ing
When we are gone.

Every time I hear your soft voice hummin',
My heart jumps in my breast my dear, my heart jumps in my breast.
And until I hear your footsteps comin',
I sure can know no rest my dear, I sure can know no rest.
I will love you,I will love you - ou - ou
When we are gone.
I will love you,I will love you - ou - ou
When we are gone.

 

[fox69]

"Even A Gray Day"

"Even A Gray Day"


Even a gray day
With a cold wind
Train late again
Even a gray day
Is a good day now
Even a black night
With a hard rain
With plans down a drain
Even a black night
Is a good night now
Fresh out of answers, I threw in my hand
Stood with my back to the wall
But thanks to your kindness that I understand
That it could have been no life at all
Now even a hard time
With a thin shoe
And my bills coming due
Even a hard time
Is a good time now
Yes even a weekend
In a strange town
And the snow comin’ down
Even a weekend
Is a good friend now
Fresh out of answers, I threw in my hand
Stood with my back to the wall
But thanks to your kindness that I understand
That it could have been no life at all
Now even a gray day
With a cold wind
My train late again
Even a gray day
Is a good day now
Even a gray day
Is a good day now

 

[fox69]

"Factory Whistle's Blowing"

"Factory Whistle's Blowing"


Factory whistle's blowin’
Other side of town
Everybody's knowin’
Factory's closin’ down
They can make 'em cheaper, over in Japan
That's the way it goes now, everybody knows
They don't need the workin’ man
They can take their money, move it anywhere
Here today and gone, they can set up in Taiwan
Or the moon for all they care
Leavin’ us a factory, all it grows is weeds
Leavin’ us the families, they're the same as ever
Hungry mouths to feed
Factory whistle's blowin’
Other side of town
Everybody's knowin’
Factory's closin’ down
They can make 'em cheaper over in Japan
That's the way it goes
Now everybody knows
They don't need the workin’ man
Daddy joined the union; nineteen thirty-three
He took it on the head but I remember that he said
That there is strength in unity
Now we stand together, paying slips without pay
Stunned at turnin' over, factory days are over
Company's gone away
Factory whistle's blowin’
Other side of town
Everybody's knowin’
Factory's closin’ down
They can make 'em cheaper over in Japan
That's the way it goes now
Everybody knows
They don't need the workin’ man
The president is smilin’, ‘bout his free economy
But the furnaces are out, and there's very little doubt
That it ain't very free for me
The president is smilin', says we're doin’ fine
Sure we're doin’ swell, we're productive as all hell
On the unemployment line
Factory whistle's blowin’
Other side of town
Everybody's knowin’
Factory's closin’ down
They can make 'em cheaper over in Japan
That's the way it goes now, everybody knows
They don't need the workin’ man
That's the way it goes now, everybody knows
They don't need the workin’ man
Factory whistle's blowin’