Tom Paxton bereikte gisteren de gezegende leeftijd van 82 jaar. Van harte, uiteraard. Net als die andere bejaarde die hard Willie Nelson treedt Paxton nog steeds op. Hij is het meest bekend als ‘protestzanger’ – Paxton maakte deel uit van de scene in Greenwich Village waartoe ook Dave van Ronk en de piepjonge Bob Dylan behoorden – maar schreef ook prachtige ballades. Dit is mijn persoonlijke favoriet. De versie die Johnny Cash kort voor zijn dood opnam is ook beeldschoon, al vinden sommigen Cash’ kwetsbare, gebroken stem pijnlijk om naar te luisteren.
It’s a long and a dusty road, a hot and a heavy load
The folks I meet ain’t always kind
Some are bad, some are good
Some have done the best they could
Some have tried to ease my troublin’ mind
And I can’t help but wonder where I’m bound
Where I’m bound
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound
I’ve been wanderin’ through this land, doin’ the best I can
Tryin’ to find what I was meant to do
And the people that I see look as worried as can be
And it looks like they are wonderin’ too
And I can’t help but wonder where I’m bound, where I’m bound
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound
Now I had a little girl one time, she had lips like sherry wine
And she loved me till my head went plumb insane
But I was too blind to see she was driftin’ away from me
And my good gal went off on a morning train
And I can’t help but wonder where I’m bound
Where I’m bound
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound
And I had a buddy way back home, but he started out to roam
And I hear he’s out by Frisco Bay
And sometimes when I’ve had a few
His old voice comes a-ringin’ through
And I’m goin’ out to see him some old day
And I can’t help but wonder where I’m bound
Where I’m bound
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound
Well, if you see me passin’ by and you sit and you wonder why
And you wish that you were a rambler too
Nail your shoes to the kitchen floor
Lace ‘em up and bar the door
Thank your stars for the roof that’s over you
And I can’t help but wonder where I’m bound
Where I’m bound
Can’t help but wonder where I’m bound
Uitgelichte afbeelding: By Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA – Folk singer Tom Paxton, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74773768
