Season 51 - I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound

Welcome to the 51st Season of the Ukulele on Ukulele Underground!

Strangely sandwiched between the awesome talents of Uncle Elvis and Christian, I'm your host for the week, so Please Bear With me.

Ever since I learned how to use a Record Player - remember those? - Tom Paxton has been a major part of the Soundtrack of My Life. In October 2012, Tom hit the milestone of his 75th birthday, and became one of the Elder Statesmen of Folk Music - a term I'm sure would make him cringe, if he heard it.

So the theme for This Week's contest is - Tom Paxton!

Make a new video of nearly any Tom Paxton Song. There is one glaring exception, but you can do that as a Bonus - his Short-Shelf Life Post-Election songs for the Day After US Election Day from 2000 and 2004.

Here are the rules:
No Multi- tracking, overdubs, or Special Effects on Official Entires. In this case, that includes Reverb. A Green Screen background is acceptable.(All that is fine for Bonus Entires)

The Ukulele must be featured Front And Center, along with the Performer's Face. Masks are discouraged, but not outlawed.

Multiple performers are encouraged. The More, The Merrier - Many of Tom's songs are wonderful as singalongs or harmony vehicles.

Nothing can be posted prior to February 3, 2013, and only bonus videos will be accepted after 2359 Hawaii time on February 10, 2013. The UU Date Stamp will decide any questions.
Prizes? Yeah, we're going to have prizes!

The First Prize Winner gets the choice of One of the Following:

1) Tom Paxton: The Honor Of Your Company
The life and music of one of America's modern folk music legends as told in his own words, and more than 85 songs. (c) 2000

2) Tom Paxton: Ramblin' Boy and other songs
(c) 1965 - more than 40 songs

3) The Kazoobie Wazoo -The Excessively Loud Kazoo

Second Place gets to choose from the remaining two items, and third place gets the leftovers.

PLUS! All three winners AND the top 3 Bonus entries get a My-T-Siren whistle - because of course, it always goes whirr when it stands still!

So Thanks for putting up with me, and PLEASE!!! Go buy Tom Paxton's CDs!! See Him in Concert when you can. Go to http://www.tompaxton.com/ for Concert Dates, Free Downloads, and more information about one of the nicest people ever in Folk Music !

And remember - His stringed first instrument was the Ukulele!


Entries Playlist (Includes this video)
Bonuses Playlist

...........

Never heard about him...
He made a song about Sarah Palin.. pro or against ?

Best read the rules through for this week.

-Nothing can be posted prior to February 3, 2013,*

-No Multi- tracking, overdubs, or Special Effects on Official Entires. In this case, that includes Reverb.

-A Green Screen background is acceptable.(All that is fine for Bonus Entires)

-The Ukulele must be featured Front And Center, along with the Performer's Face. Masks are discouraged, but not outlawed.

-Multiple performers are encouraged. The More, The Merrier - Many of Tom's songs are wonderful as singalongs or harmony vehicles.

-and only bonus videos will be accepted after 2359 Hawaii time on February 10, 2013.

Each host does have slightly different rulz and can edit them when needed.
Thanks guys.

Ukeval said:

Never heard about him...
He made a song about Sarah Palin.. pro or against ?

Click to expand...

SARAH PALIN
By Tom Paxton

She was for the Bridge To Nowhere, then she wasn’t;
There are those who think truth matters, but she doesn’t.
Seeing Russia from her back porch
Means she knows foreign relations,
And it’s only left-wing media
Who ask for explanations.
Eastern liberals ask questions so obtuse;
They don’t have the sense to field-dress a moose.
But, if you’re buying Sarah Palin, let me tell ya,
That I have a Bridge To Nowhere I can sell ya.

Thanks ;-)

what a wonderful, wonderful theme. With you on Tom Paxton, Kurt. My first introduction to him was through Pete Seeger's 'Rainbow Quest' tv show, around 65-66 (several episodes have since been re-released on DVD). He interviews a very very young Paxton and Pete is overflowing with praise and enthusiasm for his music. I know he has recorded a number of Tom Paxton's songs over the years. Can't wait to hear which tunes everyone covers...

Somehow this fellow has managed to slip completely beneath the radar for me...thank you for the introduction. I am finding I love him nearly as much as Lehrer, and that I now want to learn all his songs.
Gonna be a long week

eugene ukulele said:

My first introduction to him was through Pete Seeger's 'Rainbow Quest' tv show, around 65-66

Click to expand...

Uh... From your videos, Jon, I guessed you were at most in your mid-40's... Far too young to remember TV from the mid-sixties. Am I that far off or are you just that well-preserved? Something in the Tasmanian water, perhaps.

I am boning up on my Tom Paxton discography and I think I've found a song that speaks to a topic of the day (here in the USA anyways) quite appropriately.

Tom was also really impressive as a complimentary player to the first Bulls dynasty...



Err wait, I'm thinking of John Paxton. Err.. Paxson.. whatever.

Give her some credit, guys, for all the creativity she has inspired-not just Paxton and SNL but also the largely underrated movuie 'Nailin' Pailin'.

TheOnlyUkeThatMatters said:

SARAH PALIN
By Tom Paxton

She was for the Bridge To Nowhere, then she wasn’t;
There are those who think truth matters, but she doesn’t.
Seeing Russia from her back porch
Means she knows foreign relations,
And it’s only left-wing media
Who ask for explanations.
Eastern liberals ask questions so obtuse;
They don’t have the sense to field-dress a moose.
But, if you’re buying Sarah Palin, let me tell ya,
That I have a Bridge To Nowhere I can sell ya.

Click to expand...

Tom has some of his short shelf life songs on his website http://www.tompaxton.com/ You can download them for free. You folks in the USA will know which ones are on Kurt's no no list but I like the one about Tinky Winky which I've heard him do a couple of times in concerts over here.

Sod the early start. Here's a bonus I recorded recently though not for the seasons. I have both the books Kurt is offering as prizes and, as far as I can see, it's not in either but it is on his album "Ain't that news"

What a great theme, I was introduced to Tom Paxton's music by a hippy poet boyfriend in the folk clubs of the late 60's - I'm really looking forward to this week! And after Elvis, too..... icing on the cake....... thanks, Kurt!

I have never heard of him and this week is really busy so I will submit a bonus as it's not Sunday yet. In honor of Kurt who believes in only one take, here is my bonus song on one take.

I looked up Tom Paxton and the first song that popped up was Buy a Gun for your Son so I picked the next song on youtube. Maybe I'll get around to practicing it more but it just happened to be a good song for Low G.

Gee - it's Sunday pm here - but I'll wait for the official start gun.
IMHO there ^ goes one of his best songs as a start breaking bonus.

pabrizzer said:

Gee - it's Sunday pm here - but I'll wait for the official start gun.
IMHO there ^ goes one of his best songs as a start breaking bonus.

Click to expand...

Please do the song especially if you have a low G!

Awesome, tinky winky is the reason the US would not buy the Tubbies for the longest time.

Tootler said:

Tom has some of his short shelf life songs on his website http://www.tompaxton.com/ You can download them for free. You folks in the USA will know which ones are on Kurt's no no list but I like the one about Tinky Winky which I've heard him do a couple of times in concerts over here.

Sod the early start. Here's a bonus I recorded recently though not for the seasons. I have both the books Kurt is offering as prizes and, as far as I can see, it's not in either but it is on his album "Ain't that news"

Click to expand...

Tootler said:

Tom has some of his short shelf life songs on his website http://www.tompaxton.com/ You can download them for free. You folks in the USA will know which ones are on Kurt's no no list but I like the one about Tinky Winky which I've heard him do a couple of times in concerts over here.

Sod the early start. Here's a bonus I recorded recently though not for the seasons. I have both the books Kurt is offering as prizes and, as far as I can see, it's not in either but it is on his album "Ain't that news"

Click to expand...

Great job, Geoff! I'd forgotten this song!

And funny, as I was putting together the prizes, I kind of figured that you would have both of the books already. (g)

Ukeval said:

Thanks ;-)

Click to expand...

The bonus song I did for Season 47 - "The Bravest" was written by Tom.

He also wrote a wonderful little ditty called "Bottle of Wine", which, while in France, one of his daughters heard described as "An Old French Folk Song".

He now does a verse - en Francais - during his shows.

Not making any suggestions, but...

chrimess said:

Give her some credit, guys, for all the creativity she has inspired-not just Paxton and SNL but also the largely underrated movuie 'Nailin' Pailin'.

Click to expand...

There was a movie with Sarah Palin as a carpenter?

pabrizzer said:

Gee - it's Sunday pm here - but I'll wait for the official start gun.
IMHO there ^ goes one of his best songs as a start breaking bonus.

Click to expand...

As long as it is Sunday where you are, Pa, then you can start.

And I agree with Dan - let us hear you take on this one!

-Kurt