Tom Paxton - Whose Garden Was This (1970)

Born in 1937 and raised in a small town in Oklahoma, this folk legend never attempted to conform to the emerging “folk rock” genre that became popular in the mid-‘60s. Although our previous post on him gives the general summary of who he was, it is pointed out here that Tom Paxton admitted that he never had the “rock mentality.” The most he ever experimented with his folk music was by incorporating some string instruments and horns. Known as the “Baroque” period of his career, he quickly returned to his folk roots after two experimental albums.

This song comes from Paxton’s “Baroque folk” period. Specifically, it was on his album titled 6 released in 1970. It was composed as an environmentalist anthem, both written and originally performed by Paxton in honor of the first-ever Earth Day. Paxton’s use of imagery poignantly warns what may come if we don’t protect our planet. As much of a foreboding warning as it is a beautiful song, this is my favorite Tom Paxton track. If it’s your first time hearing the song, turn up the volume and lose yourself in the haunting lyrics.



Tom Paxton - Whose Garden Was This (1970)

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Lyrics:

Whose garden was this?
It must have been lovely
Did it have flowers?
I've seen pictures of flowers
And I'd love to have smelled one

Whose river was this?
You say it ran freely?
Blue was its color?
I've seen blue in some pictures
And I'd love to have been there

Ah, tell me again I need to know
The forest had trees, the meadows were green
The oceans were blue, and birds really flew
Can ya swear that was true?

Whose grey sky was this?
Or was it a blue one?
Nights there were breezes?
I've heard records of breezes
And you tell me you've felt one?

Ah, tell me again I need to know
The forest had trees, the meadows were green
The oceans were blue, and birds really flew
Can ya swear that was true?

Whose garden was this?
It must have been lovely
Did it have flowers?
I've seen pictures of flowers
And I'd love to have smelled one

Tom Paxton - Jennifer's Rabbit (1968)

One of the biggest names in American folk music, this artist has performed thousands of concerts all around the world for over forty years. He’s released songs that are comical, enlightening, educational, and everything outside and in-between. He has been covered by countless artists, including Joan Baez, Simon & Garfunkel, Willie Nelson, The Move, John Denver, and many, many other top names. As with many other Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners, his life and work cannot be summed up here.

Despite having songs about concentration camps from World War II, anti-Vietnam protest songs, and songs about civil rights, this artist also had a catalog of songs with a more light-hearted nature. This song is one of those light-hearted songs. It was the first track on Morning Again, released in 1968.



Tom Paxton - Jennifer's Rabbit (1968)

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Lyrics:

Jennifer slept in her little bed
With dreams of a rabbit in her little head

Jennifer's rabbit, brown and white
Left the house and ran away one night
Along with a turtle and a kangaroo
And seventeen monkeys from the city zoo
Jennifer, too

They ran through the forest and they all held hands
They came to the ocean with the cookie-crumb sands
Called it “The Sea of the Very Best Dreams”
And they all built a castle of the best moonbeams
And milky way streams

And there on the sands where the starfish play
The ship sailed in from the moonbeam bay
They all went sailing on the starlight sea
Where they all had cookies with oolong tea
And Jenny had three

They danced on the decks of the red-sailed brig
The monkeys and the sailors did a whirling jig
Turtle played the fiddle and the rabbit played kazoo
And they bowed to each other as polite folks do
And Jenny bowed, too

And then, "My!" said the turtle as the clock struck three
"The hour is growing very late for me"
"Not at all," said the rabbit, "and I'll tell you why”
“We still haven't counted every star in the sky"
Said Jenny, "let's try"

So they counted on the ship and they counted on the shore
They counted through the forest to the bedroom door
They counted in bed ‘til they could count no more
Then they all fell asleep and the final score
Was a trillion and four

Yes the rabbit and the turtle and the kangaroo
And Jenny fell asleep as sleepy folks do
Just like you