Tom Paxton on my Mind

additional lyrics by Roger Deitz,© 1994
sung to "The Last Thing on My Mind," by Tom Paxton

I've been trying to write songs like Paxton's
It's been rough, it's been rough
Songs of Chrysler and rabbits gone crazy
And a whole lot of topical stuff

But each time I get a hunch, Tom Paxton beats me to the punch
And everyone thinks Tom's so clever
The day will come along, I'll beat him to a song
Then I will sing that same damn song forever

As I write all my thoughts are a' tumbling
Round and round, round and round
For there's one thing that sets me a grumbling
It's the sound, it's the sound

Lord I wish I was dead, I hear Tom Paxton in my head
And he's singing my new song before me
I'll buy a stupid hat, try not to sing so flat
Then maybe the audience will adore me

He's got reasons a plenty for writing funny
This I know, this I know
For his lifestyle demands a pile of money
May it grow, may it grow

But in the land of the free is there no money for me
Am I always a few steps behind
I could have wrote it better, didn't mean to be unkind
But you see I had Tom Paxton on my mind