By default, the X-axis is aligned on the segments of the Path.
By pressing the spacebar, you can toggle this default axis cyclically: X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, and no orientation. The last choice means that the object will not be rotated during the animation along the path.
You can also choose a target point that your object will follow during the animation (very useful, for example, to target a camera on an object).
Click on the Eye icon. You will get the Bullseye cursor. Select an object. The center of geometry of this object will be the target point for the animated object.