Baez continues to perform and inspire audiences around the world with her music and her commitment to activism and social justice. She has been recognized for her humanitarian work and received numerous awards, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. In addition to her music, Baez has been a vocal advocate for political and social causes throughout her career. She also became a prominent supporter of environmental causes and advocacy for the LGBT community.īaez’s discography includes over 30 studio albums, with some of her most famous songs including “Diamonds and Rust,” “Joe Hill,” and “We Shall Overcome.” Her music has influenced generations of artists and activists, and her impact on the folk music genre and the broader cultural landscape cannot be overstated. Her music often addressed issues of social justice and equality, including racial inequality and the struggle for women’s rights. Youve said when you began writing the song, it started as something else until Dylan phoned you. MR: 'Diamonds and Rust' was another magic moment. Born in Staten Island, New York in 1941, Baez began her music career performing at local coffeehouses and clubs in the Boston area, quickly gaining a devoted following with her powerful voice and socially conscious lyrics.īaez became known for her involvement in the civil rights movement and her anti-war activism during the Vietnam War era. In this song, Joan Baez is singing to her former lover Bob Dylan, fondly reminiscing about their 1960s affair. ago It's interesting that Dylan's 'Visions of Johanna', which is thought to be about her, is regarded by some as his greatest masterpiece also. I always love that the phone call from the midwest was Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts. This one will never rust away.Joan Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, and political activist who rose to prominence in the 1960s. And yet each additional instrument adds a little more sparkle, another facet to the cut and polished diamond that is this jewel of a song. Subtle strings and woodwind, mellow electric guitars and bubbling synthesiser sounds all sneak into the mix so imperceptibly that they could easily go unnoticed. As a piece for a folk singer and a guitar it works beautifully but the production on the album version is superb. It is a poetic and highly personal memorial to a cherished period in Joan Baez’ life and a composition of great elegance and charm. It is that voice that makes Diamonds and Rust such an exceptionally haunting song. Baez has stated that the lyrics refer to her relationship with Bob Dylan. She is referring to her extraordinarily beautiful singing voice with which she was giving public performances from the age of 13. Is Diamond and Rust about Bob Dylan Diamonds & Rust is a song written, composed, and performed by Joan Baez. In her autobiographical memoir, And a Voice to Sing With, Joan Baez writes, “I was born gifted”. pop singles chart, is regarded by a number of critics, as well as by Baez fans, as one of her best compositions. The song, which was a top-40 hit for Baez on the U.S. The unwashed phenomenon, the original vagabond”. Diamonds & Rust is a song written, composed, and performed by Joan Baez. Dylan is not mentioned by name but the song says of him, “… you burst on the scene, already a legend. It was recorded in 1975 and it tells of the relationship she had with Bob Dylan some ten years earlier. She brings it out once in a while for old times sake, for it’s far too precious to throw away.ĭiamonds and Rust is one of the best loved songs by Joan Baez. With her fingers still plucking notes from the air, she remembers a winter’s day, snow in her lover’s hair, and the euphoric feeling of a perfect moment.Īlthough the old love has rusted and crumbled away the memory remains a jewel stowed away in an old treasure chest. Then the singer recalls something she said today on the phone. An almost imperceptible backing track fills out the sound of the guitar, but the voice is so mesmerising that we hardly notice.īetween the verses there is a woodwind refrain, far off, almost subliminal, weaving forward through time to remind us of those long past rapturous moments. That first half-sentence plunges us into the aching heart of the singer, a heart still hung over from drinking too deeply of a delicious youthful love. Her voice is rich, smooth and intoxicating, like the very finest of burgundy wines. And, here, sitting in quiet contemplation, she reflects on the times that have gone by and the simple joys that are now irretrievably lost. Her features and her music speak of Spanish ancestors as she gazes into the pale yellow light of a rising moon.Ī little while ago the phone had rung and the voice on the line stirred memories from years ago. Nimble fingers pick gently at the strings of an acoustic guitar.
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