Joan Baez

Joan Baez

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
History's ear hasn't been kind to Joan Baez: in retrospect, set against the traditional voices whose material she interpreted, her own versions seem painfully pretty, her soprano icy and removed. But it's hard to gauge now the force of her first record, a folk revival landmark: Released in 1960 after a triumphant Newport Festival appearance, the record had deep material and emotion that few of her urban folk contemporaries possessed. Her version of "John Riley" is compelling, "East Virginia," glowing, and "Silver Dagger," concentrated, while "Preso Numero Nueve" showed her future political turn. --Roy Francis Kasten

Tracks:

Diamonds And Rust
Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Simple Twist Of Fate
Imagine
In The Quiet Morning (For Janis Joplin)
Best Of Friends
Forever Young
Prison Trilogy (Billy Rose)
Jesse
Children And All That Jazz
Please Come To Boston
Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer
Gracias A La Vida
Sweeter For Me
Love Song To A Stranger
Dida
Amazing Grace
The Ballad Of Sacco & Vanzetti (La Ballata Di Sacco E Vanzetti)
Oh Happy Day
Less Than The Song

Amazon.com essential recording

Before Joan Baez, the closest thing to a white female folksinger was Jo Stafford. Baez made her professional debut in 1959 at the Newport Folk Festival and started recording for Vanguard the next year. Her early association with Bob Dylan and performances of his songs did him no harm. The material in this CD comes from later in her career, when she had left Vanguard for A&M. Listeners who enjoy this CD will probably want to hear her earlier work. She is among the classic American voices. --Stanley Booth

Customer Reviews:

IT TAKES ME BACK.......2007-07-20

I REALLY ENJOY THIS CD. THERE ARE A FEW SONGS I SKIP THROUGH SOMETIMES, BUT IF YOU LIKE HER VOICE THEN YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.

a must have.......2007-07-19

i bought this for my husbands christmas gift....it was his favorite gift of all. he loves it, my kids love it. it is a great cd

Joan Baez CD.......2007-06-27

I have a good review on this item. It came quickly and was in perfect conition.

Disappointed.......2007-05-14

I have long loved Joan Baez's voice and the music she contributed to the '60s and '70s. However, this CD was a major disappointment to me. I expected a Greatest Hits CD to be complete and include high quality recordings. This CD offered neither.

JOAN BAEZ.......2007-02-12

This is a wonderful CD...I saw her when she was still a student on the stage at Dartmouth College and have followed her all these years and never tire of her singing.

Average customer rating:

Essential
Great music but very poor packaging
It Doesn't Get Any Better
Love is Just a Four-Letter Word
A well recommended CD

The First 10 Years
Joan Baez
Manufacturer: Vanguard Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Revival | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Singer Songwriters | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Joan Baez - Greatest Hits
Very Early Joan
Joan Baez
Diamonds & Rust
The Very Best of Judy Collins

ASIN: B000000EF4
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Ghetto
If I Were a Carpenter
Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word
There But For Fortune
John Riley
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
Mary Hamilton
Manha De Carnaval
If I Knew
With God on Our Side
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Geordie
Te Ador
No Expectations
Sweet Sir Galahad
Turquoise
Farewell Angelina
A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

Amazon.com essential recording

She had the public persona of a saint, and a face and voice that captured all the idealism, innocence, and optimism of the '60s folk revival. She wasn't the movement's greatest talent, but her work helped shape all women balladeers who followed. Baez's best youthful work is here, including a host of Dylan songs: "Don't Think Twice," "Gates of Eden," "Farewell Angelina," and "Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word," one of the best songs Dylan wrote but never recorded. Her version of Phil Ochs's "There but for Fortune" is her finest vocal interpretation, a political song that never ceases to move. --Roy Francis Kasten

Customer Reviews:

Essential.......2007-03-02

This item gets five stars... just as sure as spring follows winter. The task is to explain why. I have read and appreciated the other reviews (and learned a lot!) so I will try a less factual approach. If you are new to Joan Baez and/or want to know where to start, this CD is IT.

I had the vinyl version of this album a hundred years ago and somehow lost track of it as is the case with many by-gone valuables. So with vague fondness, I went looking for a CD containing a song called "Sweet Sir Gallahad" because I remembered how it captivated me.

I put the CD on... and it was as though I'd always had it, had never gone a week without listening and knowing every word. Have you gotten reacquainted with a dear friend and noticed the value of your friendship melts years and miles away in an instant? Have you ever met a new friend and known instinctively that person would always be a dear friend? Look forward to savoring this CD as one of those dear friends.

Maybe you've picked up that Joan Baez has a hauntingly beautiful voice. It's true. The POWER and PURITY with which she delivers the stories on this CD are deliciously intoxicating. She could be singing Mary had a little lamb and it would be wonderful, but Joan Baez does not sing anything but deeply moving ballads...They are "meaty:" they kind of stick with you. And they grow on you. And after a while you just know they aren't going away anytime soon... so they are yours.

This is the greatness of Joan Baez. You think that listening to this rich, beautiful voice - music on its own - is the gift... and when the CD is over, the next day comes and goes, you realize that not only is the song stuck in your head, but all the richness that Joan Baez put into the song is stuck there too. Most of these songs are timeless, as if they had written themselves... so many are stories collected from here and there and cherished because they have strong messages, passionate plots. Joan Baez found the stories that became her songs. She found them, she loved them, she sang them, she shared them, gave them to us - and now they are ours.

This could be the reason there are so many high ratings... One does't take lightly the value of pricelss gifts and we diehard fans think this CD qualifies.

Bottom Line: (knowing what I know) I would buy this CD if it cost twice as much and came in a paper bag... and now you know what I know... so go ahead and pay whatever it costs... and you may find it a bargain.

Great music but very poor packaging.......2007-02-20

I doubt if anyone is going to not buy this because of the packaging, but it's worth noting anyway. There are no liner notes whatsoever. Also, no recording dates. Very cheaply produced and not remastered, though the sound is good.

69 minutes

It Doesn't Get Any Better.......2006-08-24

Two of my favorite songs are on this CD, "There But For Fortune" and "With God on Our Side". The price of the CD is worth those songs alone as far as I'm concerned! Recommended!
Email Boland7214@aol.co

Love is Just a Four-Letter Word.......2006-04-09

I first got this CD from the library I had never heard Joan Baez before and I wanted to try her music out. I ended up liking the CD so much that I bought it. Joan Baez has a beautiful voice and although she does not write many of her own songs she does a great job of interpreting others.
Here are some of the highlights of the CD:
Love is Just a Four Letter Word: An excellent song which suprisingly Bob Dylan never recorded. Although the lyrics are not fully formed that type of poetry fits well with the song about the falseness of love.
There but for Fortune: Joan Baez really captures the melancholy mood of the song. She sings it with lots of passion.
John Riley: Joan Baez does a great job of interpreting English Ballads.
Don't think Twice It's Allright: Although I prefer Bob Dylan's version of the song Joan Baez sings the song plainly and honestly.
Sweet Sir Galahad: A sweet, pretty, yet sad song which shows that Joan Baez is a talented poet as well as singer.
With God on Our Side: This song is supposed to be the one that inspired Joan to become a protest singer. The lyrics are so powerful that Joan Baez's voice is not the main centerpiece.
Farewell Angelina: An amusing somewhat surreal waltz written by Dylan shortly before his rock period.

A well recommended CD.......2006-03-18

Joan Baez is one of the most accomplished interpretive folk singer from the 60's.
Still going strong after 35 years; her First ten years were definitely her best.
All the essential songs from Baez's early years are included in this album. It is an excellent overview of her best recordings and her best songs. For any casual fan (like me), this album would probably be all what you will ever need; however if you are a novice in Joan Baez's Music, This album would be your best choice and excellent introduction to her music and songs. Recommended.

Average customer rating:

An excellent introduction to Baez' music
Does Not Compare with her Earlier Work; Syrupy Gook
An old favorite.
Warm fuzzies and cold pricklies.....
One of the most beautiful, most powerful voices on the planet.

Diamonds & Rust
Joan Baez
Manufacturer: A&M
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

$7.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The First 10 Years
Joan Baez - Greatest Hits
Joan Baez
Joan Baez, Vol. 2
The Very Best of Judy Collins

ASIN: B000002GBM
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Diamonds & Rust
Fountain Of Sorrow
Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer
Children And All That Jazz
Simple Twist Of Fate
Blue Sky
Hello In There
Jesse
Winds Of The Old Days
Dida
I Dream Of Jeannie/Danny Boy (Medley)

Amazon.com essential recording

Perhaps the most outstanding folk album of the 1970s, this collection represents Baez's blossoming from a girlish folk icon into a mature interpreter of folk music. The title track (and, to a much lesser degree, "Dida" and "Children and All That Jazz") showcases her songwriting, but the intimate spin she puts on the music of others is what makes this the remarkable work it is. On Jackson Browne's "Fountain of Sorrow," Dylan's "Simple Twist of Fate" and John Prine's "Hello in There," the purity of Baez's clear soprano (deeper and mellower than on her early albums) expresses the gentle pains of nostalgia and what-might-have-been. The medley of "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair/Danny Boy" reminds us that no matter what other directions she moves in, Baez will always be a masterful singer of traditional folk music. --Barrie Trinkle --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Album Details

Ms. Baez's Most Successful Album, Artistically and Commercially...and She Recorded it on her Own Terms and Direction. The Material She Chose to Cover Includes Songs Originally by Jackson Browne, Stevie Wonder, her Forever Love Bob Dylan and the Allman Brothers. But it was the Title Track that Must have Brought her the Most Satisfaction, as it was Self-penned. An Ode to her Fabled Affair with Dylan, it Speaks from the Heart Frankly, Affectionately and Unapologetically. She was Rewarded with it Becoming a Top 40 Hit (Something that Had Eluded her Since the 1960's), One of the Biggest in her Career. Musicians Include Crusaders Wilton Felder and Joe Sample Along with Larry Carlton, as Well as Joni Mitchell (With Tom Scott and the L.a. Express) who Duets on "di Da". Produced by David Kershenbaum and Baez, It's Simply One of her Best Albums Ever.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent introduction to Baez' music.......2007-05-27

I ventured to this album while looking to branch into less famliar territory. My familiarity with Joan Baez was limited, and I am thrilled with this album. She's a fabulous example of American folk music.

Does Not Compare with her Earlier Work; Syrupy Gook.......2007-05-16

Joan Baez "The First Ten Years" is far superior to this CD. Joanie sounds as if she has gone totally commercial here, singing tra la la syrupy gooey tunes to a commercial-sounding backup. I bought this CD because it is advertised here on Amazon as Joanie's artistic high point. That is certainly not true. This is an album for middle-aged women who read romance novels. JOanie is a great talent with a great voice, but I prefer her in less commercial venues.

An old favorite........2007-01-15

I lost my tape of this music and decided to repurchase it as a CD. It was part of my "formative" years and I'm truly enjoying it in this new part of my life. A true Gold CD of songs!!

Warm fuzzies and cold pricklies............2006-08-13

This disk brough back many long forgotten memories and emotions some were warm fuzzies that ellicited a *SIGH* and other were cold pricklies...

One of the most beautiful, most powerful voices on the planet........2006-01-05

This is the queen of folk music giving us folk/pop/rock music of the highest quality. Her versions of "Fountains of Sorrow" and "Simple Twist of Fate" are better than the originals. She is a leader, musically, spiritually, politically. It is worth the price of admission just to hear the song "Diamonds & Rust". This album is magnificent, don't miss it!

Average customer rating:

Recovering the past.
The best of the best of Baez
Joan's best Record on this great CD set
Some of her best work
Never mind the depth, feel the quantity!

The Complete A&M Recordings
Joan Baez
Manufacturer: A&M
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Folk | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Bowery Songs
Forever: An Anthology
Joan Baez, Vol. 2
Very Early Joan
Joan Baez

ASIN: B0000AZKDJ
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Prison Trilogy (Billy Rose)
Rainbow Road
Love Song To A Stranger
Myths
In The Quiet Morning
Weary Mothers (People's Union No.1)
To Bobby
Song Of Bangladesh
A Stranger In My Place
Tumbleweed
The Partisan
Imagine
Where Are You Now My Son?
Only Heaven Knows (Ah, The Sad Wind Blows)
Less Than The Song
A Young Gypsy
Mary Call

Tracks:

Rider Pass By
Best Of Friends
Windrose
Gracias A La Vida
Llego Con Tres Heridas
La Llorona
El Preso Numero Nueve
Guantanamera
Te Recuerdo Amanda
Dida
Cucurrucucu Paloma
Paso Rio
El Rossinyol
De Colores
Las Madres Cansadas
No Nos Moveran
Esquinazo Del Guerrillero
Johnny, I Hardly Knew Yeh
Where's My Apple Pie?
Forever Young
Diamonds & Rust
Fountain Of Sorrow
Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer

Tracks:

Children And All That Jazz
Simple Twist Of Fate
Blue Sky
Hello In There
Jessie
Winds Of The Old Days
Dida
I Dream Of Jeannie/Danny Boy
Sweeter For Me
Seabirds
Caruso
Still Waters At Night
Kingdom Of Childhood
O Brother!
Time Is Passing Us By
Stephanie's Room
Gulf Winds

Tracks:

(Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around
Blessed Are
Suzanne
Love Song To A Stranger/Part II
I Shall Be Released
Blowin' In The Wind
Stewball
Natalia
The Ballad Of Sacco & Vanzetti
Joe Hill
Love Is Just A Four-Letter Word
Forever Young
Diamonds & Rust
Boulder To Birmingham
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Oh, Happy Day
Please Come To Boston
Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts
The Night They Drove From Old Dixie Down
Amazing Grace

Customer Reviews:

Recovering the past........2007-02-17

It was refreshing to hear again one of the great voices of the protest era! The recordings were of excellent quality.

The best of the best of Baez.......2007-01-25

After pleading and cajoling with A&M records for years, they finally remastered the recordings Joan Baez made while with their label and released them in one package. Her most politically sound and vigorous recordings were during this turbulent time in US history.

"Where Are You Now, My Son?" contains an audio recording of Baez' visit to Hanoi during Christmas of 1972 which included some of the worst of the US bombing raids. The plaintive voices of parents whose children have been killed by American bombs dropped from the sky is heartbreaking all these decades later.

The A&M collection also includes "Gulf Winds", of which the autobiographical song of the same name is worth the price of the entire set. It is Baez, a guitar and her voice telling her childhood in her own words. It is hauntingly beautiful as it explores concerns that are still of interest as she describes what it was like to grow up a brown-skinned girl in a world that values only white. "From Every Stage" is a live recording featuring Joan acoustically and with a band. One of the show stoppers on this album is her rendering of "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" from the recently released "Tangled up in Blue" by Bob Dylan. This CD includes two pieces never released before to sweeten the deal. This really is a wealthy of goodies for Joan's fans.

Joan's best Record on this great CD set.......2006-09-10

For years I have been looking to replace my lost, "Come from the Shadows LP".On this great collection of Joan Baez recordings is the complete album.
Come from the Shadows contains memorable tracks such as Prison Trilogy,Imagine,and To Bobby.
This disc is worth the money of the set on its own however the other recordings contain some classic Joan.
Highly recommended for all Joan Baez fans.

Some of her best work.......2006-04-13

I don't think anyone can argue that "Diamonds and Rust" was Joan's finest album. I believe it was also her best selling album since her earliest Vanguard recordings. Her work during her tenure with A&M represents some of the best of her career. And that label gave her the treatment she deserved. I purchased the "Come from the Shadows" album first on a QS quad LP, and the sound blew me away. I was already a JB fan, but this more than cemented my fandom. I somehow missed "Where Are You Now, My Son", but was glad to have it on this set. "Gulf Winds" was another favorite of mine, especially the track "Caruso". I had all of these on vinyl; now, on these remastered CD's, the music and all the subtleties show through even better than ever. I have to agree with the reviewers who were less than satisfied with the packaging. I, too, would have liked to see the tracks listed on each disc. I would have also liked for these discs to be hybrid SACD's. Guess you can't have everything.

Never mind the depth, feel the quantity!.......2006-04-10

This box set gives you the complete A&M Recordings (1972 -- 1976) containing Come From The Shadows (1972), Where Are You Now My Son? (1973), Gracias A La Vida (Here's To Life) (1974), Diamonds And Rust (1975), Gulf Winds (1976) and From Every Stage (1976). Also are a trio of 45-rpm b-sides making their digital debut on this compendium, including a cover of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young", and Baez originals "Where's My Apple Pie" and "Johnny I Hardly Knew Yeh".

After a dozen years on Vanguard Records, her first effort for A&M was the politically-charged Come In From The Shadows. The album became notable not only for its' heavy Nashville influence, but also for the bold "Song Of Bangladesh," her open letter to Dylan on "Bobby," as well as the cover of John Lennon's "Imagine".

This was followed by Where Are You Now My Son?, which quickly became controversial due to her strident viewpoints on the continuing conflicts in Southeast Asia. The title track is a 26-minute semi-biographical epic, with ambient sounds documented by Baez in Hanoi, Vietnam during the final weeks of 1972. Its' brutal honesty did not sit well with many, although it re-established her as a key political and musical conduit.

This was followed by Gracias A La Vida (Here's To Life) which took an artistic detour as it was recorded in Spanish. It became no less of a controversial statement, containing a version of the Pablo Neruda poem "No Nos Moveran (We Shall Not Be Moved)". The government of Spain banned the work and it was deleted from subsequent pressings.

The brilliant and mostly non-political Diamonds & Rust became not only a touchstone for Baez, but was also considered essential listening in the mid 1970s. It remains resonant with the Dylan-influenced title composition, and the covers of Janis Ian's "Jessie," Jackson Browne's "Fountain Of Sorrow," the Allman Brothers' "Blue Sky" and John Prine's "Hello In There."

Her last studio offering for A&M was Gulf Wind. It yielded considerably lighter fare, reflecting much of the same escapism and ennui America was concurrently enduring. One of the most outstanding elements is the plethora of strong originals. Chief among them are "Oh Brother!" -- an admitted response to Dylan's "Oh Sister" -- and the picturesque title song, which Baez claims as having been influenced by an experience during Dylan's all-star Rolling Thunder Review tour.

Although technically From Every Stage was issued before Gulf Winds, for the sake of continuity the double-LP live collection concludes The Complete A&M Recordings (1972 -- 1976). Baez is spotlighted in both acoustic as well as band settings. Her repertoire at the time included tunes dating back to her days on Vanguard -- such as "Stewball" and "Blessed Are .." as well as a few that had yet to be recorded by Baez before. Among them were the civil rights anthem "(Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around," and a reading of "Blowin' In The Wind" which would be used in the film Forrest Gump during the March On Washington scene.

The sound is spectacular as all 80 tracks have been thoroughly remastered. The accompanying 32-page booklet is replete with rarely publish photos, as well as reminiscences from the artist herself and faithful reproductions of the LP liner notes.

Average customer rating:

A Slightly Different View
A Lovely Album
A Rare Treat
Correction to Peter Caldwell review
Joan Baez at her best

Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Manufacturer: Vanguard Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Revival | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Singer Songwriters | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Joan Baez, Vol. 2
Joan Baez in Concert, Pt. 1
The First 10 Years
Farewell, Angelina
Joan Baez in Concert, Pt. 2

ASIN: B00005MKGM
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Tracks:

Silver Dagger
East Virginia
Fare Thee Well (10,000 Miles)
House of the Rising Sun
All My Trails
Wildwood Flower
Donna Donna
John Riley
Rake and Rambling Boy
Little Moses
Mary Hamilton
Henry Martin
El Preso Numero Nueve
Girl Of Constant Sorrow
I Know You Rider
John Riley

Amazon.com essential recording

History's ear hasn't been kind to Joan Baez: in retrospect, set against the traditional voices whose material she interpreted, her own versions seem painfully pretty, her soprano icy and removed. But it's hard to gauge now the force of her first record, a folk-revival landmark. Released in 1960 after a triumphant Newport Festival appearance, the record had deep material and emotion that few of her urban folk contemporaries possessed. Her version of "John Riley" is compelling, "East Virginia" glowing, and "Silver Dagger" concentrated, while "Preso Numero Nueve" showed her future political turn. (This 2001 reissue offers two previously unreleased tracks plus an expanded version of "John Riley.") --Roy Kasten

Customer Reviews:

A Slightly Different View.......2006-07-05

As a lifelong fan of Joan Baez the singer AND Joan Baez the activist, I will admit right off that I am so into her that I'm sure I lost all of my objectivity long ago. It's not that I love absolutely everything she sings, or that I don't appreciate many other singers as much or better. Perhaps I can state it best through a personal experience. When I was seven years old (1960), I heard "East Virginia" coming through the single speaker in my parents' hi-fi console. The song was not coming from the grooves of a vinyl disc, but over the airwaves, during a period when college radio stations were playing folk music, rather than rock 'n' roll. Anyway, that voice and that melody haunted me for years afterwards, and now I must blame Joan Baez for having turned me into a music junkie for the rest of my life. When I was in the fifth grade, a friend's sister put Joan's first LP on her portable record player. "Silver Dagger" knocked me right out of my seat, and when "East Virginia" started to play, it all became clear when and where I had heard that voice before.

JOAN BAEZ became one of the first LP's I ever owned, but I did not buy it until I was a couple of years older and had enough of my own money to spend. I used the word "blame" earlier, because I swear that if I had never bought an album, cassette or CD, I would be a rich man today. Buying music has kept me financially poor, but I can't say I'm too sorry, because it has made me feel spiritually rich. So, because of this early connection to music, I can still revisit and enjoy this essential record; and yet I have not frozen Joan into this period, as others seem to have done. I like songs of hers throughout her incredibly long career and she has made several albums that remain among my favorites. The first of five times that I've gone to see and hear Joan Baez live didn't come until 1983, and by then she was doing almost every type of song one could imagine. A recent CD, DARK CHORDS ON A BIG GUITAR, serves as a reminder that Joan is still a vital, restless talent who has never stopped growing. Her singing may not have the purity it did when she made this first record for Vanguard, and I won't say that her voice isn't finally beginning to show the ravages of time, but over the years she has made up for the loss of range with a greater depth of feeling, shaded no doubt by experience and life itself, and has added colors to her box of vocal tones (she may have lost the high end, but the low end is better than ever). So some of Joan's old, folkie fans dumped her when she went country, or later, when she started in with the pop music, or still later when she tried to rock out, but I've found her evolution to be rewarding and fascinating at every turn. It could not be so without that voice; but for me, as my story illustrates, it goes deeper.

A Lovely Album.......2006-01-28

This is an outstanding reissue. I owned the original Vanguard recording, recorded over 45 years ago, and it was a favorite. Discarded years ago, I've occasionally wondered if my fondness for this album had more to with nostalgia than the quality of the music. The answer is a resounding no. Baez sings a superb selection of material in an unaffected, natural manner. At this stage of her career, she had a lovely voice, and one whose quality seems to be suited perfectly to the material. The aural quality of this reissue is excellent and adjusted for inflation, this may be a lower price than the cost of the album when first issued.

A Rare Treat.......2005-10-20

The recent PBS American Masters presentation of Martin Scorsese's "Bob Dylan: No Direction Home" made one thing clear: rather than history being unkind to Baez, the opposite is true. On a stage filled with luminaries, her voice transcended, rising above humbler vocal talents like a temple bell at a PTA meeting squabble.

When Joan sings "All My Trials," and hits the word "cold" in the line "The river Jordan is muddy and cold ..." she creates another language altogether - something simultaneously sinuous, tender, and bitter. You may only have one life. Do yourself a favor - somewhere along the way see the Alhambra in May, sip champagne in an Epernay cellar, turn out the lights and catch a Myrna Loy & William Powell flick, and listen to early Baez. Only a critical tendency to disparage perfection - passing over the Raphael to enthuse about Hieronymus Bosch - can account for any characterization of that voice as "removed". If removed, then why the goosebumps? Some prefer the sow's ear of homey folk to the silk purse of Baez. That's fine. Just don't attribute that bias to history. History will be the one in the corner with the headphones, playing "Silver Dagger" for the thousandth time.

Correction to Peter Caldwell review.......2005-10-10

Contrary to Peter Caldwell's posting below, the character of "Joanie Phoanie," a Joan Baez look-alike in bare feet and love beads, was the creation not of "Doonesbury" creator Garry Trudeau but of "Li'l Abner" cartoonist Al Capp, a former liberal turned '60s pro-Vietnam war rightwinger. Capp also came up with Students Wildly Indignant about Nearly Everything (SWINE), a parody of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Capp was invited to numerous campuses by prowar groups till multiple allegations of sexual improprieties surfaced, after which he withdrew. Online sources say Ms. Baez successfully sued Capp for libel. Capp's cartoon strip satirizing "hillbillies" died more than 30 years ago. Joan Baez has continued a distinguished career, both in politics and music, though she never surpassed her first albums for artistry and purity. But I say that just because I prefer the old ballads to anything modern, except early Dylan. Just me: an unreconstructed old fogie from the great folk song scare of the early 60s.

Of course, it goes without saying that Joan's first three albums are essential. Others have said this better so I won't add more.

Joan Baez at her best.......2005-09-04

This album and Volume 2 are Joan Baez at her best. The cool soprano voice and the clearly understood verse are evident here. Great emotion is achieved with her ability to balance the timbre of her voice to the story of the ballad. The accompaning guitar is fitting. The choice of the songs and the order of their presentation are perfect. The quality of the re-engineering is very good considering the original is over forty years old. All in all a masterpiece.

Average customer rating:

The Best
Flashback To A Different Era
Exquisite
Greenbriar Boys and Joan
Joan Baez at her best (again)

Joan Baez, Vol. 2
Joan Baez
Manufacturer: Vanguard Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Revival | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Joan Baez
Joan Baez in Concert, Pt. 1
Joan Baez in Concert, Pt. 2
Joan Baez/5
Farewell, Angelina

ASIN: B00005MKGN
Release Date: 2001-08-14

Tracks:

Wagoner's Lad
The Trees They Do Grow High
The Lily Of The West
Silkie
Engine 143
Once I Knew A Pretty Girl
Lonesome Road
Banks Of The Ohio
Pal Of Mine
Barbara Allen
The Cherry Tree Carol
Old Blue
Railroad Boy
Plaisir d'Amour
I Once Loved A Boy
Poor Boy
Longest Train I Ever Saw

Customer Reviews:

The Best.......2007-02-02

This was the best thing I ordered (Ever). Her voice, her music brings you back to another time. Thank you.

Flashback To A Different Era.......2007-01-05

All the great Joan Baez tunes are here. Listening to it, I found myself back in my dorm room in college, singing along, remembering the words after all these years. I found some of the energy of the era revive within me. What a great time to be young and what a scene to witness! If you loved her then, you'll love her again when you listen to this CD.

Exquisite.......2006-11-10

This early Joan Baez folk vocal and guitar CD is a gem from the past. Her pure, powerful vocals can bring chills to the listener on songs like "Plaisir D'Amour", "Banks of the Ohio" and "Lily of the West". These are not originals, but she takes over ownership of a number of them. I think this disc is the best of early Baez.

Greenbriar Boys and Joan.......2005-09-08

I love this album and have since it first came out. However, no one seems to have mentioned the inclusion of the Greenbriar Boys on Banks of the Ohio and Little Darling, Pal of Mine, with great guitar work by John Herald (who, sadly, recently died) and Ralph Rinzler, on mandolin and guitar. Those cuts have been played endlessly, both on my lp and the cd. It was Maynard Solomon who got Joan and the Boys to record together, and it was briliant. This is a great, great album by a superb artist and human being.

Joan Baez at her best (again).......2005-09-04

This album and Volume 1 (JOAN BAEZ) are Joan Baez at her best. The cool soprano voice and the clearly understood verse are evident here. Great emotion is achieved with her ability to balance the timbre of her voice to the story of the ballad. (NOTE: In later albums she spends more time in the middle registers of her voice where the quality of her timbre and vibrato are not as appealing.) The guitar and occasional back-up singers are an excellent accompaniment for her voice. The choice of the songs and the order of their presentation are perfect. The quality of the re-engineereing is very good considering that the original is over forty years old. All in all a masterpiece.

Average customer rating:

mostly bad
Joan Baez Sings Dylan
I love her voice and these songs
Nice Way to Hear Joan's Beautiful Vocal & Guitar Instruments
A bolt!

Vanguard Sessions: Baez Sings Dylan
Joan Baez
Manufacturer: Vanguard Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Revival | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Folk Rock | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Singer Songwriters | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Judy Sings Dylan...Just Like a Woman
The First 10 Years
Farewell, Angelina
The Complete A&M Recordings
Very Early Joan

ASIN: B000006NKQ
Release Date: 1998-06-23

Tracks:

Love Minus Zero/No Limit
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
It Ain't Me Babe
I Pity The Poor Immigrant
Tears Of Rage
Love Is Just A Four-Letter Word
I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine
Farewell, Angelina
Dear Landlord
One Too Many Mornings
I Shall Be Released
Boots Of Spanish Leather
Daddy, You Been On My Mind
Restless Farewell
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
Walls Of Red Wing
Drifter's Escape
Walkin' Down The Line
North Country Blues

Amazon.com

Joan Baez isn't the best interpreter of Bob Dylan's songs (Nina Simone and the Byrds come to mind). She has, however, been one of his most unwavering partisans. Indeed, the queen of JFK-era folkies first recorded Dylan songs in 1963 when she was the more celebrated of the two and she's repeatedly returned to him as a source of material. Baez Sings Dylan collects covers cut for Vanguard in the '60s, though all but five of the 20 tracks come from her 1968 two- record, all-Dylan set, Any Day Now. Baez's rather formal phrasing works best with the more stately songs. "Tears of Rage" and "Restless Farewell," for example, are lovely and graceful. And it's a treat to hear obscure tunes such as "Farewell, Angelina" and "Walls of Redwing." On the other hand, the Bard of Hibbing's wordier exercises fall flat; she misses the sarcasm in "Don't Think Twice It's All Right" by a mile. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

mostly bad.......2007-01-19

Joan Baez has the wrong vocal quality for most of these songs, and the arrangements make little sense. I don't believe one can sing "St. Augustine" worse than Ms. Baez does here, four-square and lifeless, and, gee, if that song screams "Nashville" to an arranger, that person needs another line of work.

Joan Baez Sings Dylan.......2007-01-15

No record store in town carried this item, but I was delighted that Amazon allowed me to purchase it for a Christmas gift!

I love her voice and these songs.......2006-09-01

I saw them together at Forest Hills in the summer of 1964 and fell totally in love. His words are as on point today as they were then. Her interpretations caress the words as his hammer them home.

Nice Way to Hear Joan's Beautiful Vocal & Guitar Instruments.......2005-12-24

I disagree with the statement that Joan Baez isn't the best interpreter of Bob Dylan's compositions. She has made "Love is Just A Four Letter Word" her song. I don't think Mr. Dylan has ever recorded the song and don't know if it shows up on any bootlegs or concert playlists. Joan's version of "Boots of Spanish Leather" is my favorite. I didn't really think it was a special song until I heard her interpretation of it on this record. She has of course recorded more Bob Dylan songs than these but this is a special collection.

A bolt!.......2005-11-03

This CD is staggering. Also buy "Any Day Now" to get the almost 12-minute version of "Sad Eyed Lady" not on the "Baez Sings Dylan"
Two astounding albums,
Patrick

Average customer rating:

Joan Baez sings in Spanish!
An old beloved favorite I had lost
Joan Baez at her superb best!
A beautiful, authentic collection of folk songs
surprise

Gracias a la Vida
Joan Baez
Manufacturer: A&M
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Folk | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Canciones de Mi Padre
Mi Jardin Azul: Las Canciones Favoritas
Gracias a la Vida
Joan Baez - Greatest Hits
Frenesi

ASIN: B000006SNG
Release Date: 1994-03-02

Tracks:

Gracias A La Vida
Llego Con Tres Heridas
La Llorona
El Preso Numero Nueve
Guantanamera
Te Recuerdo Amanda
Dida
Cucurrucucu Paloma
Pasa Rio
El Rossinyol
De Colores
Las Madres Cansadas
No Nos Moveran
Esquinazo Del Guerrillero

Customer Reviews:

Joan Baez sings in Spanish!.......2006-03-10

I bought this album in the CD version for my boss who is from Mexico as a welcome gift. I knew she would like it since I really liked the LP version that I bought years ago. She liked it so much, she said she is going to loan it to her father since he's a big Joan Baez fan. If you want to hear an album that is incredibly tuneful, I totally recommend it.

An old beloved favorite I had lost.......2005-10-02

I have always loved this particular collection of songs in Spanish, and I love Joan Baez' way of singing the songs. I had this CD a few years ago and lost it and had been unable to find it in stores. I was thrilled to find it so easily through Amazon.com.

Joan Baez at her superb best!.......2005-08-27

Joan Baez delivers an enchanting performance on her collection, "Gracias A La Vida" (Thanks to Life). I owned it many years ago (in the 1970's) on vinyl. I was so pleased to find it on CD through Amazon.com. Her Spanish is impecable, and her delivery of such traditional Spanish folk ballads such as "La Llorona" (The Weeping Woman), "Guantanamera", "Cucurrucucu Paloma", "De Colores", "Las Madres Cansadas", and "No No, Nos Moveran" is no less than entrancing. Her crystal clear, bell like tones only add to the ethereal experience of this homage to latin culture. Baez lovers will cherish it. Even those unfamiliar with her work will find it hard to resist. Largo vive Joan Beaz!
- Lily Marlowe - Denver, Colorado

A beautiful, authentic collection of folk songs.......2005-03-03

As a music seller, naturally, I've heard *of* Joan Baez, but had never heard her music. A few days ago I came across a review for "Gracias A La Vida." One reviewer mentioned the similarities to Linda Ronstadt's excellent "Canciones de mi padre," which has been one of my favourite Spanish-language CDs for years. Strangely enough, at work the next day, I was going through boxes of old audio cassette tapes from the last twenty years, when to my surprise...a copy of "Gracias A La Vida" appeared. I put it into the tape player, not knowing what to expect from an album more than thirty years old.

The fourteen songs feature Veracruz harp, Latin guitar and percussion, and the warm, clear voice of Joan. The beautiful Spanish lyrics are profound in their simplicity and grace. "Gracias a la vida" (Here's To Life), by Violeta Parra, begins as a solo, but turns into a magical duet towards the final chorus. "Llegó con tres heridas" (I Come With Three Wounds) is a very short, moving song that contains only four simple lines: "I come with three wounds: those of life, death and love." Again, the haunting harmony and simple strumming of a guitar are the sole embellishments.

Her version of the Mexican ballad/folktale "La Llorona" (The Wailing Woman) is stunning. There is a melancholy that seeps into your soul upon hearing this ballad, with its castanets, strummed guitars, violin, and pain-drenched lyrics ("They say that I do not feel pain, Llorona, because they don't see me cry"). Other outstanding versions of "La Llorona" include recordings by the legendary Chavela Vargas (recently seen in Julie Taymor's biopic of Frida Kahlo; Chavela was one of Frida's real-life lovers) and Mexican songstress Lila Downs (both found on the Frida soundtrack by Elliot Goldenthal).

The Huapango "El Preso Numero Nueve" (Prisoner Number Nine) is the first song on the CD that sounds exactly like the gorgeous ranchera/mariachi CDs by Linda Ronstadt recorded some twenty years after "Gracias A La Vida" was released. Bright mariachi brass and violins slide into strummed guitars in this haunting tale of a prisoner executed for a crime of passion. Next, the sinuous Cuban anthem "Guantanamera," penned by national poet-hero José Martí, followed by the poignant "Te Recuerdo, Amanda," by Chileño Victor Jara, who was assassinated by the Pinochet regime. Mariachi returns on "Cucurrucucu Paloma," trailed by the haunting a capella interlude "Paso Rio," which brought to mind the power of Gregorian chant.

Next, a beautiful song in Catalán, "El Rossniyol" (The Nightingale), with the soothing simplicity of a lullaby. The tone swings back to Mexican traditional on the lilting "De Colores." "Las Madres Cansadas" (The Weary Mothers) and "No Nos Moverán" are powerful testaments to the human spirit to overcome. Finally, the album closes on a bright note with "Esquinazo del Guerrillero" (Guerilla's Serenade).

Although many of the songs are short, there is much beauty and vibrant Hispanic culture to be enjoyed, including huapangos, songs of protest, and ballads, all tied together by Joan's lovely voice and perfect Spanish (her father was Mexican). If you enjoy "Gracias A La Vida," be sure to check out Linda Ronstadt's excellent "Canciones De Mi Padre" and "Más Canciones de Mi Padre," performed with the legendary Mariachi Vargas. Happy listening!

surprise.......2004-02-05

Wow I didnt expect to like this album, but I do. She sings beautifully and I am a sucker for latin beats and this is what the album is all about. I have to admit that her voice cracks her and there a little too often.

Average customer rating:

Fresh Joan Baez
classic Joan
A HISTORIC CD...
My favorite Joan, except for Ballad Book
A Heavenly Overview

Very Early Joan
Joan Baez
Manufacturer: Vanguard Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music

Contemporary Folk | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music

Revival | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Singer Songwriters | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The First 10 Years
Joan Baez
Joan Baez, Vol. 2
Joan Baez in Concert, Pt. 1
Joan Baez in Concert, Pt. 2

ASIN: B000000ELX
Release Date: 1991-09-16

Tracks:

Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream
Willie Moore
She's A Trouble Maker
Tears In My Eyes
Somebody Got Lost In A Storm
The Water Is Wide
Man Of Constant Sorrow
Freight Train
Lady Gay
Johnny Cuckoo
Lonesome Valley (with Pete Seeger)
The Riddle Song (with Pete Seeger)
Railroad Bill
Little Darlin'
In The Pines
Pilgrim Of Sorrow
Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Rambler Gambler
Come All Ye Fair And Tender Maidens
Hallowed Be Thy Name
O What a Beautiful City
Silver Dagger

Customer Reviews:

Fresh Joan Baez.......2007-01-12

After so many years, listening to Joan Baez' early singing is refreshing. She sounds young, spontaneous, fun, original, yet mature. The ambience of protesting songs and 60's years, is well reflected in this work. Voice and guitar beautiful. Two tunes with Pete Seeger are two remarkable specimens. This is an album for any coleccionist. Long live to Joan!

classic Joan.......2005-12-27

I have the LP (a double set) not this CD. I have worn it out over the years because the performances are hauntingly good. My favorites are Tears In My Eyes, Man of Constant Sorrow, Railroad Bill and Silver Dagger. The unfortunate thing about the CD version is that they cut two tracks: Streets of Laredo and My Good Old Man, which was also a favorite of mine. It's hard to believe this album was recorded in 1963, because it could have been 2003 since the songs have and will stand the test of time. That's a testament to Joan's craft. What a talent!

A HISTORIC CD..........2004-07-23

This is a compilation of twenty-two songs culled from about fifteen of her early live concerts, which were recorded between November 1961 and August 1963. The original double album had twenty four tracks, but the back of the cd liner explains that, due to compact disc format time restrictions, some songs on the original album are not included on the cd. The notes in the cd liner itself were written by Ms. Baez's mother for the original album.

On this cd, the listener will, indeed, be treated to early Joan Baez, accompanying herself on the guitar. As the songs are culled from her live performances, the listener will note the discernible adulation of the audiences throughout. Whether Ms. Baez is singing a traditional folksong, a folksong with political overtones, a duet with Peter Seeger, or a rock-n-roll parody, it is clear that the slightly insouciant Ms. Baez is enjoying herself, and it is infectious.

The quality of the cd is what one may expect from such an early, live recording, as it suffers from occasional lack of clarity and uneven volume, with the clapping of the audience throughout being louder than the song tracks. Still, this is certainly a cd to which some historical significance has attached, and one that all devoted fans of Ms. Baez will want to include in their collection, if only for her beautiful rendition of Peter Seeger's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone".

My favorite Joan, except for Ballad Book.......2004-04-20

This is a great CD if you are a Joan fan. Has many of her popular ballads and a few fun songs in concert. Great selection for a small album.

A Heavenly Overview.......2003-01-26

There are two reasons to have this particular collection from the fabulous "voice of a thousand birds" Joan Baez. The first is that it gives a lovely overview of some of her famous renditions of folk songs. Call it "important to your Joan Baez education". Every fan of Joan or of folk music should have her famous "Last Night I had the Strangest Dream" and "Silver Dagger", for example. Those aren't actually my favorite of her songs for some reason, but they're famous and you need to have them.

The other reason you need to have this album is this: "Where have all the flowers gone?" and "Pilgrim of Sorrow". Plain and simple - nobody should go through life without having heard her renditions of these two songs. They are superb.

Where Have all the Flowers Gone is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. And Joan's version is THE version to hear. You could buy this album just for that song, and you'd feel you'd spent your money wisely, because you'd keep hitting "repeat" on your CD player to hear it over and over and sing along.

Pilgrim of Sorrow, likewise, is shockingly powerful. Hearing Mahalia Jackson sing this song of Christian desperation is a spiritual experience. But hearing Joan Baez sing it is spectacular in its own way. Every startling note vibrates in your chest - her vocal range is unbelievable. The eruption of the notes themselves becomes the religious experience. It's incredible.

Customer Reviews:

Joan Baez.......2007-03-16

Haunting voice, lots of Bob Dylan tunes. I miss folkand this reminds why.

One of her very best releases, even better now..........2007-01-26

I confess I tired of Joan about 20 years ago, and most of the albums I have sampled since she left Vanguard for A & M and other labels leave me cold. But this one is uniformly excellent, and the three added songs only make the original a better bargain. She was in excellent voice, had superb instrumental backing, and a wonderful variety of songs. I can recall playing this a couple of times a week throughout the 70's. "Farewell Angelina" is the one I sang along with more often than the others, but all the performances are great.

Even better remastered then I remembered.......2006-08-18

We had this one on LP and are so glad to have it now on CD.
We played it over and over, and the songs ran thru
my head for days.

Vintage Joan!.......2005-10-08

I have the LP of this album and it is almost worn thru! I decided that if it was available on CD I would get it as a birthday present to myself! I found this to be one of the best purchases I have made lately. The remastering of the original songs is perfect and the bonus tracks are great! Joan's voice is still clear and sweet and very easy to listen to. Her voice got a more raspy sound on later albums. The bonus tracks were the icing on the cake for me. She covers a wide range of folk songs, from Guthrie's "Ranger's Comand" to "Rock Salt and Nails" by Bruce 'Utah' Phillips. It is interesting to note that the people who made the labels for the album did not know that there is a substance known as Rock Salt that is often used in shotguns as a 'varment load' and therefore list it as "Rock, Salt and Nails!" No matter what you call it I found it to be one of the most haunting songs I have ever heard. All in all, if you like Joan Baez and/or folk music this is a must have. Her version of "One too many mornings" brings back vivid memories of the '60s!

Joan Baez again.......2005-08-22

This is still reasonably early Joan Baez. Her voice is strong and clear, the songs have a real folk quality. This is an "enjoyment" album. I am not belittling the compilation when I describe it as a great album for playing in the car. The miles just roll by.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Recommended Music:

Guitar Legends [Import]

Kupferman: Moor's Concerto/Wings of the Highest Tower

Pull My Chain [Enhanced]

Experiments With Pops

Over & Over Pt.2 [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

Nine Hitz The Hard Way

Praise Him...Live! [Live]

Israeli Wind Virtuosi 1

Live With The Possum [Live]

Loaded [CD-single] [Import]

Out of the Mists [Enhanced]

Latin Grooves: Samba

Low Birth Weight [Import]

Vaughan Williams: Serenade to Music; The Lark Ascending; Fantasia on Greensleeves; English Folk Song Suite; In the Fen Country; Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1

"Until The End Of Time"