tom paxton “the things i notice now”
from: the things i notice now, 1969
“Rained again last night. Streets are slowly drying.
Sunlight’s not too bright. I don’t believe it’s trying.
I never used to care. It wouldn’t cross my mind.
You’d be surprised, the things I notice now.
The mailman’s overdue. Man upstairs is typin’.
My neighbor’s has the flu. And his wife has started gripin’.
I never used to care. It wouldn’t cross my mind.
You’d be surprised, the things I notice now.
I’m sittin’ in the window seat, just watchin’ my day walk by.
There’s a lot of people I should meet, if I could find a reason why.
There’s a whole lot of things, I oughta get up and do,
Like finding you!
Mornin’ streets are jammed. Taxi driver’s swearin’.
I think his rage is shammed. He looks like he’s past carin’.
I never used to care. It wouldn’t cross my mind.
You’d be surprised, the things I notice now.
I’m going to get myself in line. I’m gonna get a hold on things.
I’m probably going to be just fine. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
There’s a whole lot of things, I’ve gotta get up and do.
Like finding you!
Rained again last night. Streets are slowly drying.
Sunlight’s not too bright. I don’t believe it’s trying.
I never used to care. It wouldn’t cross my mind.
You’d be surprised, the things I notice now.”
Here’s a song that had to be written by somebody or other. You’d think we were dead in the head. What you don’t pay attention to can just kill you! And how about the arrangement: jazz horn section, short blistering little guitar solos with wah wah, cabaret show piano, amidst Mr. Paxton’s droll delivery of a message we should have known about already. Wonder what the tipping point for writing this song was. Don’t regret it tomorrow.
