Joan Baez Song Reviews Joan Baez (1960) Read the full review: Joan Baez Silver Dagger A+ This would become Baez's signature song, and that's for good reason: In one moment, it captures everything Baez was all about: Pure singing, well-textured strumming on the acoustic guitar, and a great song with a great melody that she plucked out of relative obscurity. I do like listening to the lyrics of these old songs, so I'd might as well reprint some of them... ("All men are false, says my mother / They'll tell you wicked, lovin' lies / The very next evening, they'll court another / Leave you alone to pine and sigh") ...Awwww. East Virginia A+ This is a beautiful folk ballad with an utterly captivating melody. Beautifully sung, of course. The whole album is like this. The song's only got six verses; it starts with a man's birth, and it ends with his death. In between, we get lyrics about a woman he saw once— whose name he never learned— and he laments over the fact he didn't get to spend his life with her. ...But we shouldn't spend too much time feeling sorry for him, since— according to "Silver Dagger"— it's likely he wrote another song about someone else the next day. Fare Thee Well A I have no idea what I was thinking in my original review of this album, awarding "East Virginia" an A+ while giving this similarly beautiful song a measly C+. ...This is yet another beautiful ballad, and the way she sings that sustained high note when she sings "If I go..." is utterly haunting. The lyrics this time are about departing for a long journey, leaving someone behind. I guess life is nothing but heartache when I listen to a Joan Baez song! House of the Rising Sun A+ Baez gets credit for recording this song before The Animals released their extremely successful version of it. She also recorded it before Bob Dylan did. All three versions show us a different dimension: If this song is really about a brothel, The Animals celebrate it, Dylan chronicles it, and Baez's slower, sparser, and more contemplative version warns us about it. Of course it's a beautiful melody that everyone knows by heart, so this shouldn't make a tough listen! All My Trials A+ This is such a hauntingly beautiful song that I've even found this song lurking in my head even when this album isn't around. It's also just about the saddest song ever written... ("Hush little baby, don't you cry / You know your mother was born to die / All my trials, Lord, will soon be over") This album is nothing but heartache!! Wildwood Flower A- This song tricks me with lyrics like "I will dance, I will sing and my laugh shall be gay / I will charm every heart, in his crown I will sway". But the next line is this: "I woke from my dream and all idols was clay / And all portions of love then had all flown away". And then it goes back to being about someone losing their love. ...At least the guitar strumming is a little brighter! ...Of all the songs here, this is also one of the more famous ones— having been a hit song for the Carter Family, and Johnny Cash's version being popular as well. Strangely, though, I don't find its melody to be quite as captivating as some of the others here. Donna Donna A Even though all these songs are sung with simple acoustic guitars, you do have to give Baez credit for keeping a level of diversity. This is a Yiddish song, and it's another great one! Yes, the lyric matter is once again fairly depressing, but you can rest easy this time, because it's only about a cow. "Calves are easily bound and slaughtered / Never knowing the reason why / But whoever treasures freedom / Like the swallow has learned to fly". Except, this isn't really about the beginnings of hamburger production; it's about human suffering and the quest for freedom. John Riley A This is a medieval folk song and not about that guy who starred with Will Ferrell in Step Brothers. That guy's name is spelled "Reilly" anyway. ...It's yet another beautiful ballad that Baez managed to unearth, and it directly inspired The Byrds' to create their own version of it. I do prefer this version, though... it's simple and pure, and I find its mournful melody resonates with me. The lyrics, are once again, about a woman keeping herself from marrying anybody, because she is waiting for someone who had— for seven years— been at sea, and she has no idea if he lives or dies. ...The more I listen to these songs, the more I want to get a silver dagger for myself to keep all the men away. Rake and Rambling Boy A- This sounds like a 19th Century American folk song, and it's another entertaining listen. The manner of guitar strumming and singing is brighter, just like "Wildwood Flower," but somehow the melody compels me less than the more mournful stuff. The song also tricks me, again, with a happy line like "And now I've married me a pretty little wife / And I love her dearer than I love my life." But then she compels him to go and robs "the broad highway" and goes to jail. So he doesn't get to be with her anymore. Oh well. (What is "the broad highway?" A road or a train tracks? Some smartypants on the Internet out there probably knows...) Little Moses A- This is a song about the Bible, and not about somebody dying or losing the love of their life. With that said, there's more death here by volume here, since this about Moses parting the read sea, and the Egyptian army all drowns. Since the Egyptians are the villains of this particular piece, I guess we don't have to feel too sorry for them. Even though individuals in the Egyptian army, I'm sure, had wife and kids just like everybody else, and perhaps some of them even had reservations about attacking the Israelites. But God would've killed them too. (I'm going to have to listen to something a little happier after I'm finished reviewing this album.) ...For sure, this is another excellent folk ballad that Baez unearthed, and I enjoy listening to it. The melody is nice, but it's not one of the moments of the album I remember the most. Mary Hamilton A+ Ah, so beautiful! This is a Scottish ballad, and it has such a captivating melody... and the way Baez sings it makes me want to listen carefully to it. The subject matter isn't so depressing this time...only about the death of a fictional woman named Mary Hamilton, a woman who was to be crowned queen, and she has a baby with the king. Then she kills the baby and is convicted and executed for the crime. ("Last night there were four Marys / Tonight there'll be but three.") The other three Marys, in case you are curious, are Mary Beaton, Mary Seaton and Mary Carmichael. Virginia Woolf was so curious who these people were it inspired her to write A Room of One's Own. There you go: a factoid. Henry Martin A+ Another utterly beautiful Scottish ballad! This one in particular, I like Baez's acoustic guitar strumming, particularly those little flourishes she does during the refrains. This song equals "Little Moses" in the amount of deaths; this time, it's an entire ship. ("Bad news, bad news to old England came / Bad news to fair London Town / There's been a rich vessel and she's cast away / Cast away, cast away / And all of her merry men drowned") El Preso Numero Nueve A- Hola! Baez was especially good at singing songs in Spanish and even released an entire album of Spanish-language songs later in her career. Even though I named myself "Don Ignacio," I don't speak Spanish that well, but I can tell her pronunciation is precise. This song also has the added bonus of being in a different language, so I don't have to get so wrist-slitty when I listen to it. Though I'm guessing it can't be too happy, since the title translates to "The Prisoner Number Nine." (Number 9... Number 9... Number 9...) ...This is also by far the newest song of the album, written by Mexican singer-songwriter Roberto Cantoral in the 1950s. It does sound like a Mexican folk song, and the melody— once again— is beautiful. Girl of Constant Sorrow A+ This is the beginning of the bonus tracks, and these tracks are so good that they further enhance the quality of this album. ...This song is better known as "Man of Constant Sorrow," which is most popular these days for being featured in O Brother Where Art Thou?, but it was a popular song even before Baez recorded it. But she helped resurge its popularity, directly inspiring Bob Dylan and Judy Collins to record versions of their own. And nope, Baez didn't change the sex of the character on her own; women folk singers did that before her. The song sticks with the ages because the melody is so catchy. And the lyrics are once again incredibly sad ("All through this world I'm about to trouble / Through sun and wind and drought and rain / I'm about to ride the west railways / Perhaps I'll die the very next train.") ...Were people in the old days always this sad? That's what comes from not having TVs, I guess. I Know You Rider A+ Here is another great ballad, this time a blues ballad. The way these acoustic guitars are so densely strummed, it captivates me. The lyrics are a little vaguer this time, but they're poetic and worth dwelling on. Even though, when I read the lyrics, my mind meanders to other places. ("To love you baby, it's as easy as falling off a log / Wanna be your baby but I sure won't be your dog"). The void created by this must be how Iggy Pop got the idea to become a rock star. John Riley N/A This is an extended version of the song we already heard! Joan Baez, Vol. 2 (1961) Read the full review: Joan Baez, Vol. 2 Wagoner's Lad B She opens this album with an a cappella song. Could you possibly enjoy an a cappella song? This sort of thing used to irk me, but I've mellowed out now. The way the song opens catches my attention, anyway. ( "Oh, hard is the fortune of all woman kind / She's always controlled, she's always confined / Controlled by her parents until she's a wife / A slave to her husband for the rest of her life" ) The song then goes onto describe a man who is courting her, but he is poor and her parents don't like him. And then he decides to leave her alone. …If you're looking for a romance, I guess you shouldn't be looking here. The Trees They Do Grow High A Here's another depressing love song. This one's about a 24-year-old woman whose father marries her off to a 14-year-old boy— a Lord's son. She's mopes a lot, but she ends up going through with it, knowing the kid will grow up eventually. But last stanza: The boy dies at 16. …And you think you're having a bad day? …Anyway, this somber melody is beautiful, and of course Baez's earnest delivery sells it. The Lily of the West B+ This was an Irish folk ballad that was turned into an American folk ballad (with American locations of Louisville and Lexington). The lyrics aren't so fascinating to me this time…just about a woman who chooses another man over the narrator, so the narrator kills the other man. The melody is fine, but nothing that sticks to me. Silkie B This is a lovely English ballad, albeit it's written in some kind of dialect I don't understand, except it also appears to end in people getting killed. Kudos of course to Baez who sings this, treating the source material I'd imagine as well as could be expected. …The only thing keeping me from truly embracing this song is just that it's such a typical folk ballad in that it's paced rather slowly and each stanza repeats the same melody. Engine 143 B+ Well I would assume you wouldn't even listen to Joan Baez in the first place if you weren't a hardcore folkie. The best I can hope to do is sit here and try to pick and choose some highlights for you to play to yourself… I wouldn't highlight this song, even though I appreciate that this one sounds very American. I picture Baez strumming this guitar within a scratchy daguerreotype. The melody is pretty. Baez's singing style is also different here— losing her soprano warble, singing more deeply, which seems folksier. (Oh I read the lyrics. This time, the death at the end occurs by way of murder at a railroad.) Once I Knew a Pretty Girl A I think I'm always going to prefer the songs that seem like they're mournful old English ballads. (Although I don't seem to be able to verify at this time the origin of this song.) The melodies haunt me, and so does Baez's ghostly voice. …The only thing negative I can say about this song is that Baez seemed to drop the ball and accidently picked a song that doesn't end in somebody getting killed. This one's just about how the looks of beautiful young women don't last. ( "For the leaves they will wither / Roots will decay / And the beauty of a young girl / Will soon fade away / Ohh, will soon fade away" ) Lonesome Road A- Ooof such a bitter song. The narrator wishes she was never born or died as a baby so that she'd not have to sit and eat cold bread and salty gravy with somebody who has a "lying tongue." ( "So look up and down that lonesome road / All our friends have gone, my Lord! / And you and I must go" ) Again, here's another song that doesn't end with people dying, but this might be the worst kind of death of them all…the death of a friendship. :'( The Banks of the Ohio B+ Just proving to myself how much I've mellowed over the years, I have distinct memories of listening to this song circa 2007 and thinking those back-up singers Baez employs here were like nails to a chalkboard. Now, I think they sound fine! Yes they're unrefined, but what do you want in folk music? These back-up singers (The Greenbriar Boys) also brought their instruments along with them, so we get a little extra strumming. The melody is pretty. Also, reading the lyrics, Baez seems to be back in good form as far as song selection goes. (Somebody dies at the end.) Pal of Mine A- The melody sounds like "This Land is Your Land." But my knowledge of how folk musicians used to write music, stealing melodies was just standard practice. Anyway, really nice song…The Greenbriar Boys are back, they're harmonizing a little more nicely, and we get some excellent banjo plucking in the background. ( "There is just three things I wish for / That's my casket, shroud and grave / When I'm dead, don't weep for me / Just like those lips that you betrayed" ) So this song doesn't exactly result in somebody dying…just a person looking forward to it. Barbara Allen A Here, Baez finds another haunting, mournful melody and delivers it with unmatchable beauty and grace. Really, the only things to top this are from her debut album. I also notice that she pronounced ‘Barbara' as ‘Barbrie.' Is that how that name used to be pronounced? Or maybe that's some English dialect. …Anyway, this song also ends with somebody dying. It's somebody's lover. The dying starts at third stanza, happens at the fifth stanza, and then the rest of the song is the widow slowly dying from grief. And you thought you had a bad day. The Cherry Tree Carol B+ Oh for once we have a song that isn't so depressing. Just only about Mary and Joseph in an orchard picking cherries. Oh wait, but then Mary reveals to Joseph she's with child. Joseph gets angry and tells her "Let the father of the baby gather cherries for thee!" And then baby Jesus starts talking to them from Mary's womb. "Bend down the tallest branches, that my mother might have some." And the cherry tree branch bends itself, and Mary grabs herself a handful. Yum! Old Blue A- Aw, here's a nice song, about somebody who loves his old dog named "Blue." But unfortunately, the dog ends up dying of an acute case of appearing in a Joan Baez song. ( "Now, Old Blue died and he died so hard / Made a big dent in my back-yard / Dug his grave with a silver spade / Lowered him down with a link of chain / Every link I did call his name / Singing Here old Blue / Good dog you") This song is characterized by an interesting tune, some relatively dense guitar strumming, and those long, high-pitched notes Baez sings as she calls for "He-re Blueeeeeeeee!" (I know, that call used to irritate me. But I'm an old, mellow man these days.) Railroad Boy B+ This one's about a girl who loves a ‘railroad boy,' but it ends up going south, so she ends up hanging herself. Her father cuts her down and reads her suicide note. "Go dig my grave both wide and deep / Put a marble stone at my head and feet / And on my breast put a snow white dove / To warn the world that I died of love." Plaisir d'Amour (The Joys of Love) A- The melody is the same as Elvis' "Can't Help Falling in Love." Yes, apparently that Elvis classic was an old French song. How dare those French take revered American classic and retroactively make it one of their own? …Anyway, the melody of course is beautiful, and that gently arpeggiated guitar is so sweet. This is so lovely, and it isn't even about death this time. It's only about falling in love with someone and then never seeing them again. Thank God! BONUS TRACKS: I Once Loved a Boy A+ This is just about the loveliest song of the whole album, and it isn't really even part of the album. The high-pitched, arpeggiating guitar I find brings me to a dreamy place, and Baez's earnest, sweet vocal delivery brings it home. The melody is as beautiful as anything I've ever heard. I would guess the reason it wasn't included on the album was that it's a sweet, wistful love song that's not particularly depressing or anything. Except, she doesn't really know she loves him back, yet. But she isn't dwelling on that too much about that at this point. Poor Boy A Here's another beautiful melody, and Baez delivers as always with an earnest vocal performance. The lyrics are depressing for sure, but it's only about a man who cries because the woman he loves runs off with another man. Unlike "The Lily of the West," he doesn't kill anyone. He only sulks. Longest Train I Ever Saw A I wonder why she didn't release these on the proper album? The melody once again is beautiful. Maybe it's the lyrics again. It's just about some girl's crush leaving town forever by train, and she just sulks, saying she never needed a man anyway. Joan Baez in Concert, Part 1 (1962) Read the full review: Joan Baez in Concert, Part 1 Babe I'm Gonna Leave You A This song would become best known for the cover Led Zeppelin would later do. Somehow, I guess, the song didn't originally include the excessive Babys? Led Zeppelin sang "Babe / Baby baby / I'm gonna leave you / I said baby you know I'm gonna leave you" whereas Baez reduced that down to "Baaaaaaabe I'm gonna leave you." …I finally understand what folk purists were afraid of when Dylan went electric. By the way, Led Zeppelin actually chose to cover that song after listening to this, so there's some nice historical value here. And it's also a nice little folk tune. The melody is gorgeous and so is Baez's vocal performance. Geordie A Oh yeah. Joan Baez was an expert in performing songs about people who die. This is a cover a traditional English ballad about a woman with two children and a third on the way whose husband (the title character) was scheduled to be "hanged in a golden chain." She implores the judge to spare her, but the judge says ‘nah.' …If you wanted a happy ending, then maybe you should watch Daddy Day Care. Copper Kettle A+ Here is another well-known song whose popularity stems back to this very version I'm listening to now. This also undoubtedly a great old song that— for once— isn't about people getting killed. It's about something much more cool: moonshiners. "My daddy he made whiskey / My granddaddy did too / We ain't paid no whiskey tax / Since Seventeen Ninety Two." That line elicits a lot of laughter from the crowd. After reading the Wikipedia entry about this song, I finally understand why the line is funny (because the US Federal Government imposed an unpopular whiskey tax in 1971, which eventually led to the Whiskey Rebellion). I'm surprised so many people knew enough about early American history to give a chuckle there. Then again, these are all beatniks who had nothing better to do than to hang out in libraries. No wonder their parents were so worried about them. Kumbaya B+ Do I even like this one now? How I have mellowed. I'm pretty sure I gave this one an ‘F' in my original review. This is another super well-known song, but this time Baez wasn't the one who popularized it this time. In fact, the audience joins in with her, as they'd all likely sung this song around a campfire once or twice. I even remember singing this when I was in elementary school. (Do they still sing this?) Undoubtedly, I used to dislike this song because it's been so overplayed that you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone these days performing it without irony. But hey, here is an unironic version, and I have to say once and for all…It's a very nice song. What Have They Done to the Rain? A+ Baez introduces this song as "The gentlest protest song I know. It doesn't protest gently but it sounds gentle." This is an apt description for it, since it sounds like a rather pleasant little ditty— Baez strums her guitar sweetly, and she sings sweetly. But the song is about nuclear fall-out. (As in, what have they done to the rain? They replaced it with nuclear fallout!) This is the first of what will be many protest songs that Baez has recorded, and … yes, this one does seem to approach a deathly serious topic with such gentleness… and it's quite eerie. Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair A- This is another nice old folk song, and...actually it's a relatively nice, romantic one. "Black, black, black is the color of my true love's hair / His lips are something wond'rous fair / The purest eyes and bravest hands / I love the grass whereon he stands / I love my love and he well knows / I love the ground whereon he goes / And if my love no more I see / My life would quickly fade away." Come on, he's not that great, is he? Didn't people use to have hobbies back in the day other than simmer in their attachments in people? Danger Waters A- I can hear people the audience sing along with this one, too, but only the chorus, which is roughly as simple as "Kumbaya." That must mean at least they knew of the song, but it wasn't on either of Baez's previous studio albums, so how to do they know it? Wikipedia provides no answers, since the song doesn't have its own page, nor do either of its authors. It's a simple and pleasant folk song, though, so maybe they sung this one around the campfire too? Gospel Ship A There is such elegance in simplicity, as Baez continues to show. This sounds like an old spiritual, which Baez sings simply to a well-strummed guitar. A spiritual, you say? You mean these lyrics are h…h…h…h…happy? Well, I mean technically it's still about someone who is looking forward to death, but he's thinking about all the good things that will happen to him "goin' far beyond the sky." House Carpenter A A rather long song for this album, well over five minutes, but it has such a beautiful melody, which Baez matches with some beautiful acoustic guitar strumming and singing. And the song is an epic about a woman whose husband goes out to sea, and … by the end of the song, they die and end up in Hell. Just in case "Gospel Ship" gave you a false sense of security, here you go. Pretty Boy Floyd A This is a Woody Guthrie cover, which she dedicates to Pete Seeger. (Thus, we have one prominent folk singer dedicating a song by a prominent folk singer to another prominent folk singer.) I would suspect this song was well-known at the time and thus didn't really need Joan Baez ‘preserving' it, but it did precede the version by The Byrds. It is also great to hear a song like this about Baez— an outlaw ballad that actually romanticizes the outlaw. I would have assumed the song ended with him getting shot, which is what actually happened to him, but this song uses Floyd's exploits as social commentary. ("As through this life you travel, you meet some funny men / Some rob you with a six-gun, some with a fountain pen") Lady Mary A- This is a pretty and rather simple, this time about unrequited love. (There's nothing especially striking to me in the lyrics, so I don't have to highlight anything.) The melody is lovely, if not especially memorable, but it does make a lovely listen. Até Amanhã B+ As you might guess, this song is not in English. It's sung in Portuguese and it's upbeat, with lyrics that translates roughly to "Goodbye my love, I am going away, and you are going to stay." (No, I don't read Portuguese; I found a translation online.) For me the best thing about this song is listening to Baez's pronunciation, which seems so precise it's incredible. Matty Groves A Here's yet another song that precedes a version that came later that I know better— by Fairport Convention. Both versions are quite long (this version being nearly 7.5 minutes), and it certainly earns its length by telling such an epic story about the title character who is seduced by a powerful Lord's wife. The Lord ends up catching them and kills him. Then he asks his wife whom she prefers. Her response: "It's Matty Groves I'd rather have, than Arlin and all his kin." When I tried looking up the lyrics to this song, I'd happened upon a different version where Lord Arlin also kills his wife. But for some reason, Baez leaves that off here. Probably since there was so much violence in her previous album. BONUS TRACKS Streets of Laredo A- Wikipedia characterizes this as a "famous" cowboy ballad. Me, not being an expert in cowboy ballads, am not very familiar with the tune. But it's a nice tune, which Baez delivers gently, about a cowboy who was shot and about to die, and he's asking the narrator what to do after he dies. All these poor people from the 19th Century. No wonder none of them were smiling in the pictures. My Good Old Man A- This is a funny song. (Oh man, how embarrassed I feel now I used to make fun at Baez's jokes and all these people in the audience for laughing at them.) It's a conversation between a wife and her husband in which the husband gives sarcastic responses. Baez sing's the woman's lines with particularly sweet and fluttery vocals while all the husband's responses are spoken only a couple words. …And then at the end of the song, it is revealed that the wife had been dead, and the he was probably just talking to himself. My Lord What a Morning A- This is an old spiritual with relatively simple melody and lyrics that I believe is about Jesus' return, and of course Baez presents the material with pure elegance. Nope, I'd have to be some weirdo to dislike this song. (*Looks uncomfortably at my old review of this song in which I use the word "boring."*) Joan Baez in Concert, Part 2 (1963) Read the full review: Joan Baez in Concert, Part 2 Once I Had a Sweetheart A It wouldn't be a proper Joan Baez concert if she doesn't start off depressing the heck out of everybody. But as we all know, Joan Baez fans love being depressed. They recognize life was never supposed to be easy, so why kid yourself and pretend it is? ("Once I had a sweetheart, and now I have none\. . .\She's gone and leave me to sorrow and moan") At least he's not killing himself, or killing anyone else. Humanity does progress apparently. This is another beautiful folk song she plucked somewhere out of obscurity, and her vocal rendition is wonderful as always. Jackaroe A+ What is this? A happy ending? It doesn't start out so promising. A beautiful young woman says goodbye to her sailor friend named Jackaroe who goes off to fight in a war. After the war is over, she searches for him among dead and injured bodies. Lo and behind, she finds him, takes him to the nearest clinic, and he gets healed of his wounds. They get married and live happily ever after. Or maybe this is a Robert Redford All is Lost situation and she really finds him dead, and she just imagines being happy? Happy endings…? No… don't believe it. Don't Think Twice, It's Alright A+ Joan Baez for the first time covering one of her contemporaries. Bob Dylan of course. No, we didn't need her to sing it to preserve its legacy or anything. Can't she just cover a contemporary for once? Well this is a beautiful song, of course. I'm sure anyone who would even consider listening to Joan Baez would already know this one. We Shall Overcome A I still cringe at what I must've written about this song in my earlier days, but I used to be a young conservative. I've since become…well…a huge admirer of the Civil Rights struggles in the ‘60s and the continuing struggles to this day. We all grow! Maybe exposing myself to Joan Baez was important part of my journey. Anyway, to any extraterrestrial who might be reading this, this is a universally recognized landmark anthems. She invites her audience to sing along with her— and they eagerly take her up on it, with a mighty pleasant hum. I also didn't know until now the reason she decided to perform this particular song at the time she did. She was performing in Alabama and sang this in response to mass arrests of Civil Rights protestors happening nearby. Portland Town B+ Come to think of it, I'm just going to be wavering in between a B+ and an A+ for everything. Why this one gets a B+…Well, maybe it doesn't stick with me as much of the others. The lyrics don't tell the same kind of interesting story of death/suicide/mourning. I mean, the poor person is stuck in a town called Portland with his wife. He used to have three kids but lost them in a war. Queen of Hearts A- Even for all the mournful ballads, this one especially seems like it is suffering. I don't even have to pay attention to the lyrics to read that about the song. ( "I love my father, I love my mother / I love my sister, I love my brother / I love all my friends and relatives too / I'll forsake them all and go with you" ) Manha de Carnaval / Te Ador B+ No… Joan Baez does not start this off by singing "Mahna Mahna" with a fuzzy Muppet. This is a folk ballad, of course. Actually a medley. The lyrics are mainly nonverbal (Las and Lis), but she does break into Portugese sometimes. The first part sounds familiar to me. It's something played by many bossa nova musicians…but Baez performs it slowly and solemnly. Long Black Veil A This is a familiar song…a country standard that perhaps most notably appears on The Band's debut album. This also can be considered a contemporary cover, as it was written in 1959. It's a beautiful song of course, and Baez delivers it with straightforward conviction. The lyrics are utterly resonant too— about a man wrongly convicted of murder but refuses to give an alibi because he was sleeping with his friend's wife…and the woman wears a black veil as she visits his grave. Brrrr… Fennario B+ Oh yeah, I can still remember how much I flipped out on my younger days when Joan Baez said she was going to take off her shoes and the audience laughed. I still think it's a little weird people laughed, but I guess she was being charming or something. Also, if I've learned anything over the years, it is this…that I am the weird one. Anyway, this is another song that doesn't pop out at me too well. ‘Nu Bello Cardillo A- She introduces this song as about a little bird whose job it is to deliver messages of love. A man says to the bird deliver a message to her sweetheart and then bring him back her heart. Awww… But then it's revealed his sweetheart is sleeping with a another man, and the "message" he gives to the bird is a knife, and he literally wants the bird to send him her heart. …Move over, Alfred Hitchcock. With God On Our Side A+ This is another Dylan cover, and I love it. As cheesy at it might sound, this is one of those songs that make me realize our place in the world. I grew up thinking the USA was always the heroes— always the good guys. But what do the countries that oppose us think about us? Aren't their thoughts valid too? And how do we really know God is on our side. Anyway, those are my 10-year-old memories of listening to this song and it finally striking a chord with me. The source material was masterful of course, and Baez's utterly pure rendition is wonderful. Three Fishers A- Melody-wise, this song is a little stagnant. Maybe that's just because she doesn't arpeggiate her guitar that often. But the poetry is beautiful. ("(Three wives sat up in the lighthouse tower/ they trimmed the lamps as the sun went down / They looked at the squall and they looked at the shower") YER FOND OF ME SQUALL AND YER FOND OF ME SHOWER AIN'T YE. I SEEN IT— YER FOND OF ME SQUALL AND YER FOND OF ME SHOWER. Hush Little Baby A- This might be the most well-known nursery rhyme in the world, but I don't know how many people know how far it goes beyond a "diamond ring." Why, it's only 1:30 minutes and full of nonsense! Battle Hymn of the Republic A Given what I found out about why she sang "We Shall Overcome," I wonder if she also performed this in Alabama and is trolling the local politicians? (She says it's "purely for my own enjoyment and I hope for yours.") Like the previous song, this is EXTREMELY well known, and the audience sings along with it…quite strongly. Rambler Gambler A Looks like there were some odd things going on when you look back at the originally released album. The mono release had this song and the next song, but the stereo release had "With God on Our Side." In the modern times, we of course get all the songs. And I'm glad we get this one in particular— the melody is beautiful. Railroad Bill B+ I wonder if he knows Lonesome Cowboy Bill? Parts of this sound like Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice It's Alright." But maybe that's just because Dylan used some pretty common chord progressions, and there's only so many ways one can strum a guitar. Death of Emmett Till A+ We're officially in the "bonus tracks," but at this point, let's just say we're still listening to the main album. This one is especially notable for Bob Dylan fans…it's a Bob Dylan song that he himself never recorded, apart from some bootleg recordings. This is a protest-folk song with very direct attention paid to the subject, in the style of Woody Guthrie. It refers of course to a tragic event in 1955, so perhaps it wasn't as topical or even as poetic as the stuff that appeared on Dylan's albums. I'm nonetheless enamored with it and glad to have Baez's reverent and crystal clear rendition it. Tomorrow is a Long Time A+ Here's another Dylan song, and it's beautiful. Anybody who is anybody in folk music seemed to have recorded it. The melody takes on a life of its own— it's still kind of stunning how Dylan had a knack for that. Even when it's compared directly to the dusty old classics Baez typically resurrects. The lyrics actually seem pretty similar to those traditional old ballads…a mournful reflection of lost love. ("There's beauty in that silver, singing river / There's beauty in the sunrise in the sky / But none of these and nothing else can touch the beauty / That I remember in my true love's eyes"). When First Unto This Country a Stranger Came A- Whether or not it's by accident (because it's a bonus track), here is a somewhat fitting closing song of the album. It's yet another lovely little traditional ballad with a nice melody. The lyrics tell a story about a man who was riding to meet his true love but then decided— because he liked the looks of a horse— decided to rob it. Then he went to prison and wished he never did it. Joan Baez/5 (1964) Read the full review: Joan Baez/5 There But For Fortune A+ If this isn't the sole reason to be—at the very least—a Joan Baez appreciator, then I don't know what would be. Stylistically, she isn't changing her style—a mesmerizing, arpeggiating acoustic guitar, and her beautiful soprano voice. But check out the song, utterly beautiful and somber, written by her contemporary Phil Ochs. Stewball B I don't know if she just ran out of interesting old songs from the archives to play, or I just prefer the songwriting of '60s songwriters. Maybe both, really. This is a 18th Century ballad about a racehorse. I much prefer the songs about death, to be honest. The melody doesn't sound much different than "On Top of Old Smokey." Interesting as a historical artifact, I suppose. It Ain't Me Babe A Yes please, give me all the Dylan songs ya got. Melody-wise, I think the Phil Ochs song might be a mite more arresting, but that really only goes to show you how great that melody is. The poetry is something to sink myself into. . .and as I said in my review of In Concert, Part 2, her crystal clear renditions allow me to do that. The Death of Queen Jane (Child No. 170) B+ This is about King Henry murdering one of his wives, which is one of my favorite subjects. I went to Windsor Castle and walked on his grave. Wasn't really my fault—he's buried under the floor. Doomed to eternity being walked all over by American tourists. She strums her acoustic guitar very quietly and lightly. Maybe a little too lightly. And she sings a melody that doesn't do much for me to be honest. I'm more into this one as a museum piece than for its entertainment value. Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5: Aria B Joan Baez always had kind of an operatic voice, so I suppose it isn't that surprising she would try out a genuine opera piece at some point. I'm not an opera guy, though. I also tend to think these things work in some sort of context. . . well, you know, during an opera and not in the middle of a folk album. She doesn't even play a guitar on here. Presumably the first time she'd ever done that. She seems competent at it. . .I mean, I'm sure Britney Spears wouldn't have been able to do it. I don't know. It's fine. Go 'Way from My Window A We're back to the same old wrist-slitting folk songs. Even among all the sad and solemn folk songs she's sung, this one is especially so. It's especially beautiful, too. Go away from my window, you heartbreaker, you. Leave me to myself wallowing in my self-pity. I Still Miss Someone A- Here's a lovely cover of a Johnny Cash song. I will he honest. I don't like her covering Johnny Cash as much as Bob Dylan or Phil Ochs or Ye Merry Minstrel in the court of King Henry VIII. It's a song about loneliness, though, so it fits nonetheless. When You Hear Them Cuckoos Hollerin' B+ This is a pretty straightforward folk song that I'd easily mistake as a spiritual, except I don't notice anything particularly spiritual about the simple lyrics. Unless "cuckoos hollerin'" or "hoot owls callin'" has something to do with Jesus. I like this. I'm imagining Baez busking this on a street corner. I'll tip her a quarter. (A 1963 quarter.) Birmingham Sunday A+ A masterpiece. Written by her brother-in-law Richard Fariña. It's about the 1963 Ku Klux Klan bombing of the Birmingham 16th Street Baptist Church. Wow. . .it's powerful. She delivers it stoically but in exactly the way she describes in the song itself. ("The Sunday has come, the Sunday has gone / And I can't do much more than to sing you a song / I'll sing it so softly it'll do no one wrong / And the choir keeps singing of freedom.") Most of the stanzas end with the line "And the choir kept singing of freedom." Not really sure, but is that referring to the oblivious masses singing patriotic songs while this stuff went on? The solemn melody is beautiful—I can't do anything but sit and gape at this thing in awe. So We'll Go No More a-Roving A Now this one is short and sweet, based on a 19th Century Lord Byron poem. I keep on thinking she's about to break into "Feed the Birds" from Mary Poppins. O' Cangaciero B+ The foreign language songs don't tend to be my favorite (I am American and therefore monolingual), but I like hearing her pronounce the words nonetheless. She treats everything with such respect. I also notice she's providing some her own harmonic overdubs. I'm pretty sure that's the first time she's ever done that. . . .Gettin' flashy, aren't we, maiden Baez? The Unquiet Grave (Child No. 78) A- Hey progheads, you probably recognize this from Gryphon's debut album. Or barely recognize it. This is of course a soft and reverent folk rendition, as opposed to the faux-Medieval, kinda goofy interpretation from Gryphon. She also performs this rather quietly, much unlike what the title might suggest. (OK, I had to look it up. . .unquiet means turbulent. It doesn't mean "loud." Good ole English.) It has a pretty melody, and it makes a nice note to end the album with. Nothing to move us or shake us. Just something nice. BONUS TRACKS Tramp on the Street A- What the heck is this. . . Baez performing with a band. The band doesn't have a drummer, but I hear a bass and a . . . er . . . geez, I can't recognize all the types of guitars there are. It's a high-pitched one. Nice, I like it. I think she should play with a band more often. The melody seems like a generic-type folk song, but I like listening to it. Long Black Veil A+ Hey, listen, the band stuck around. She'd covered this already in her Part 2 concert album. I don't mind hearing it again—it's a great song. It's about the hardiest folk song I'd imagine could exist—and gives me quite a vivid picture of that woman visiting that doomed man's grave. Farewell, Angelina (1965) Read the full review: Farewell, Angelina Farewell, Angelina A+ Bob Dylan songs… so nice when they are dictated by Joan Baez. Unlike some of the other Dylan covers, this one was recorded only once by Dylan himself once—at the beginning of the sessions for Bringing It Back Home. Baez scooped it up and made it her own. It’s a beautiful waltz with a pretty melody. As cliché it seems to keep saying about Bob Dylan, the lyrics are beautiful. Hard to imagine anyone writing a song like that and not making it part of their repertoire. Daddy, You’ve Been on My Mind A This is a slightly less obscure Bob Dylan song. The song, which was written to reflect on Dylan breaking up with a girl, was originally called “Mama, You’ve Been on My Mind.” Baez changes the lyric to match her gender…which is funny, because she’d never done that before with the ancient folk songs out of the catalog. Anyway, this song has a beautiful melody. I’m also love hearing the bass guitar. …It’s so extravagant! It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue A This Dylan cover isn’t obscure at all! I love the song, of course, and Baez’s performance is as it always is. Perhaps, it get a little tiring for me to come up with new things to say about a Baez Dylan cover, so I’ll just sit here and listen to it. The Wild Mountain Thyme A- Baez is back to her trusty material, which are traditional folk song covers. This one is an old Irish folk song. It has a nice melody, and I love hearing that full (but quiet) band play on it. To complain about one thing, it does seem to be played slowly…those long, sustained notes of Baez singing “lassieeeeee… go…….” get a little tiring to me. Ranger’s Command B This is a Woody Guthrie song about cowboys. It’s not terribly interesting, at least as far as I can tell. The melody seems generic, not terribly memorable. The lyrics are fine. Them rootin’ tootin’ cowboys. Colours A There’s a new folk singer out of England that you guys should know about: Donovan! Now, these are lyrics that I do love…imagining Donovan (or whoever) getting up in the morning on a farm and enjoying life. Perhaps not while riding a horse, because that’s how Oklahoma starts. Nonetheless, it’s a beautiful song. Satisfied Mind A When I think about this album, this is one of the songs I remember the most. It’s a fairly well-known old country standard, having been covered by pretty much anyone, including notably The Byrds. (“When my life is ended, my time has run out/My trials and my loved ones, I’ll leave them no doubt/But one thing’s for certain, when it comes my time/I’ll leave this old world with a satisfied mind”) The River in the Pines B+ I would have thought this was a 15th Century ballad, but then the lyrics make reference to Wisconsin. I was picturing a Renaissance minstrel singing this up until then. The melody is lovely, even if it comes off a little repetitive—even for an old folk song. Paurve Ruteboeuf A+ According to Google translate, this is French, and it translates to “Poor Ruteboeuf.” Well, there’s something I really love about French folk songs. Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel… well, that’s all I really know, so I have quite a bit of learning to do. The melody is utterly gorgeous, and as always, I love hearing Baez’s dedicated diction in multiple languages. Sagt Mir wo die Blumen sind” A+ Baez jumped the border from the land of baguettes to the land of sausages to sing a German-language version of Pete Seeger’s “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” I would put the Pete Seeger song on my extremely large list of favorite songs ever written, and hearing this beautiful song in German is quite the novelty. The acoustic guitar strumming is mesmerizing. A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall A+ Dylan cover #4! This one should also be instantly recognizable to Dylan fans, most of his fans (should) consider this among his finest works. The song goes on for nearly eight minutes, it has me feeling like I’m sitting on the floor, cross legged like a Kindergartener, with my attention utterly transfixed. The minimalist but full band with a lightly jangling electric guitar and a stringed bass is mesmerizing. Very beautiful. BONUS TRACKS One Too Many Mornings A+ Dylan cover #5. This one is beautiful. I don’t know if I would say it’s better than the Dylan original, but it does at least make me sit up and pay attention to it. It’s somehow not a song that I remember particularly well from the album, The Times They Are A-Changin’. The melody is gorgeous though, and the arpeggiating guitar is mesmerizing. Really, this sort of thing was always the best Baez had to offer. Rock, Salt and Nails A- Here is a nice folk song written by one of Baez’s contemporaries, Utah Phillips, who I should probably learn more about. The melody is pleasant, and the lyrics are lovely to read. Doesn’t quite hit me at the center of my chest like some of the other songs Baez sings, but I like it. The Water is Wide A This is a pleasant song to end the encore session with, a well-known Scottish folk song. It’s pleasant, gentle song with a beautiful melody—no wonder it’s so popular. Easily, something with which to immerse myself. Noël (1966) Read the full review: Noël O Come, O Come, Emmanuel A- Where’s the acoustic guitar? This is orchestrated minimally, with what I believe is a pipe organ and a very sparse string quartet. Maybe some kind of xylophone. I’m sure we all know this solemn and beautiful song, which Baez sings with her high-pitched operatic voice as we expect her to. Coventry Carol A+ This came out of the King Henry VIII era, and it’s supplied with a string quartet, woodwinds, and a harpsichord. I can’t imagine the original version played in the king’s court sounding a little like this, supplied with Baez’s high-pitched vocals. I don’t suppose I hear this one that often during the Christmas season—I do like it. Good King Wenceslas A- I know most people reading this probably don’t know the prog-band Gryphon that well, but this gleefully medieval 30-second flash of this well-known Christmas jingle seems right out of their debut album. (Less goofy, but still the Medieval bongos make me smile.) The Little Drummer Boy B- I have to admit I don’t care much for the Harry Simone Corale original version of this, which had come out of the late 1950s. Baez makes it sound like she taught this to King Henry VIII’s band, but they didn’t really know what they were doing. …I am somehow finding this more humorous than I probably should be. The “little drummer boy” sounded like he’s playing Ravel’s “Bolero” and the harpsichordist starts pounding away like mad with a huge sounding bass drum in the middle of this. It’s a mess. I Wonder As I Wander A- Oh, we’re getting a little too carried away with the solemnness here. She does sing this nicely with a pretty string and flute arrangement and some dissonant string quartet chords, but… this is so sparse. Ohhhhhhhh my gosh, I’m wondering as I wander where the marshmallow world went. Wait, never mind, I like this actually. Marshmallows are dumb. Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella B- Forty seconds of a dreary string quartet. I wonder as I wander why this is included. Down in Yon Forrest A This one is nice. I can’t say I’m familiar with this one as a Christmas carol. The melody again sounds like it came out of the King Henry VIII era, this time with a nice, stately string quartet and woodwind arrangement. The Carol of the Birds A This is really beautiful and a song I’m not too familiar with. If nothing else, Baez is doing to Christmas songs like she did with other folk songs—plucked them out of obscurity. She sings her fluttering soprano to a smooth stringed orchestra a melody that’s captivating. Angels We Have Heard on High B- Another instrumental, this time rather basic. I feel like I just walked into an ornament store. Merry Christmas! Ave Maria (Sung in German) A Unlike that, hate to say it, throwaway instrumental that preceded this, this track is the kind of thing I sign up for when I put on a Joan Baez album. It’s a familiar song presented in a new way. And you probably already know what makes it unique, because it says it right there in the title. I continue to enjoy Baez’s incredibly dedicated diction. The instrumentation seems pretty standard treatment for this extremely well known song—which, well you know, I love this song. (My wife even walked down the aisle to this after I couldn’t sell her on “A Whiter Shade of Pale.”) Mary’s Wandering A+ I’m such a sucker for this kind of thing. I have my tights back on, and King Henry VIII is eating a turkey leg, which is odd considering they didn’t have turkey in England in the 16th Century. I like that old, old sounding pipe organ I’m hearing. Some music theory person can tell me more about the chords it’s playing. Deck the Halls B A 23-minute instrumental. I guess I don’t really have to complain about these things. Away in a Manger A- This is a well-known song, but I suppose it has a folk-flavor enough for Baez to give it a go. I like the orchestration—a high pitched harpsichord and bell sounds. So twinkly. Adeste Fidelis B Under 51 minutes. I feel like I’m in the cold park at Christmastime and a brass band is playing. Cantique de Noel (Oh Holy Night, Sung in German) A Of all the Christmas carols, I’m the biggest sucker for this one, and it’s nice that I have Baez’s version of it sung in German. The orchestration once again is pretty typical from what I usually hear for this song…a sweeping stringed orchestra and a scaling harp. This is lovely. What Child is This? B+ She’s turning to awfully popular songs this late in the album. I guess the people want to hear Christmas songs they know, too. I like this melody—well it’s “Greensleeves”—but again the presentation isn’t too special. (King Henry VIII did NOT write this melody. Factoid.) Silent Night B I’ve heard a really good version of Silent Night by The Manhattan Transfer. Baez’s is also very solemn, but it’s a little flat. I think I once called this Christmas Carol the worst song ever written before. I’ve mellowed on such things since I wrote that. Probably because I discovered alcohol. Well I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a good night! (In a few months…it happens to be August right now.) BONUS TRACKS: The First Noel B Oh we’re not done yet. Why did she record so many songs? Even for Baez’s reissues, six bonus tracks seems to be a lot. This is much like the songs I was least impressed with from the main album. The song is super-well-known, and there’s nothing special about the orchestration. Just a stringed quartet. Pretty but pretty standard. We Three Kings C+ Where did those Kings come from anyway. …Huh, probably scholars of the Zoroasthrianism religion. Pretty cool. Also I hope nobody gets upset when I say this, but this is an instrumental and it sounds like the conductor fell asleep. (That makes more sense than 3 kings of ancient empires hanging out together.) Virgin Mary A- Now this one could have been included in the album. I’d argue in place of “What Child is This.” This isn’t a well-known Christmas song (to my ears, anyway), and it’s also orchestrated a little more like a typical Baez song. With her acoustic guitar. Maybe it all sounds a bit loose—perhaps why they didn’t include it in the album—but I like it. Good Christian Kings B This is an instrumental and so I officially don’t care about it. It’s a little loose…a little boring…but I’m not familiar with the tune. Burgundian Carol B- Oof, I don’t know what else to say other than I just don’t really like this song. I like to hear old songs unearthed like this, but the old timey dudes were just as capable of writing bad songs as Bon Jovi is. The string quartet plays dissonantly—rather dark—and not the good kind of dark that makes me want to light candles put on a goth costume. The melody Baez sings is also pretty dull—and she keeps singing about oxen and donkeys. That honestly is the coolest part of this song. Away in a Manger (Sung in French) A The same as the English version from the main album, except it’s in French. She should have done away with the English version altogether and just used the French version. We all know what the English lyrics are. Even French people probably know what the lyrics are in English. We want the French version and the French version only! Joan (1967) Read the full review: Joan Be Not Hard A- The album begins quietly and modestly with a pretty and straightforward rendition of a Donovan folk song. The orchestration is pretty simple upon most standards. For Baez, we get an added bonus of a drum kit that’s really just barely noticeable. Well we’re still getting used to this thing called “folk-rock.” Eleanor Rigby A An artsy Beatles cover…considering the original was pretty artsy to begin with, I guess that’s pretty impressive. Peter Schickele provided some interesting textures in here with a scaling harp (first verse) and then a one-fingered piano (second verse) instead of the string quartet we’re used to. Then a woodwind section picks up with a pounding bass and drum section. Well I do love the song, so I’ll love this cover as well. Turquoise B Another Donovan song! I guess she must’ve figured she was covering Dylan too much? I don’t want to pull a Mike Love, but I wish Baez would just play this with an acoustic guitar. Schickele’s orchestrations are fine—they’re very lush. But I’m not finding them all that impressive. The song lacks the kind of rhythmic momentum that she’d give it naturally with an acoustic guitar. And this barely plodding bass guitar and triangle twinkle doesn’t do the trick. The French horn and scaling harp is very pretty though. La Colombe (The Dove) A- Well I really do love Jacques Brel. Also, Judy Collins covered this better a year earlier. (Sorry, Joan.) But I can’t help but love this song too. The one thing I wish was handled better was the transition into that thunderous chorus. Schickele‘s orchestration concentrates pretty heavily on generating these minimalist but sophisticated textures (pre-Philip Glass?), but the transition from that quiet texture to that big flare-up when Baez starts to sing “The dove has tooorrrnn her wings” comes off a little jarring. The Dangling Conversation A Ooo, Simon & Garfunkel now. No way she does this better than the original, but this is still pretty nice. Where is the acoustic guitar? But Schickele‘s orchestration is pretty nice, starting out with a simply played piano and a shuffling drum rhythm. The Lady Came From Baltimore A This one works pretty well. It’s a Tim Hardin song with a drum rhythm that keeps things jaunty. Baez sings the dramatic melody with the forcefulness that it deserves. Schickele‘s woodwind heavy orchestration swells throughout, which is how I prefer to hear it…as opposed to these artsy-fartsy textures. North A- An original! Joan Baez now seeking inspiration from within. That was a good thing for her to start exploring at this time—how on earth would she survive on covers alone? She came up with a nicely morose melody. I know her most famous song is “Diamonds and Rust”…I’m just noticing similarities with that song already…the guitar arpeggiates similarly and the melody seems structured similarly. It has kind of that “mystical” flavor. Children of Darkness A I like Peter Schickele here…he’s giving a marching drum rhythm and heavy, medieval flavored orchestral flare ups. The song is by her brother-in-law Richard Fariña who had recently and tragically died. Must’ve been an emotional experience for her, covering this song. The Greenwood Side A Oh do you remember the days when Joan Baez used to sing old traditional folk songs? Just in case you forgot, here’s one! Fortunately, Schickele gives it a rest here, and we’re just left with Baez singing a beautiful song with an acoustic guitar. The way God intended for us to listen to Joan Baez. If You Were a Carpenter A She changed the song from “If I Were a Carpenter” to switch the genders around. But then she still says “Will you have my baby.” So switching the genders didn’t even make sense. Unless she were roleplaying as seahorse. Since the male of the species has the babies. This is one of the most well-known folk songs to come out of the folk-revival period, and I think it was covered by just about everyone. That twinky piano that starts this out makes me think I’m about to listen to Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights.” I know that song didn’t exist yet! Schickele did good here. The piano is pretty of course, but he gives us a nice drum shuffle and an electric bass rhythm. The woodwinds swell in the background, and they are nice. Annabel Lee A+ I’m giving this an A+ just because when I listen to this, I think of Zelda. Twinkly harps and xylophones and a very fruity melody. It’s remarkably pretty. I’m not sure I ever heard anything quite like this before. This song exists in a medieval fairy tale. The lyrics are from Edgar Allen Poe and—yes—they are a medieval fairy tale. Saigon Bride B- Another Joan Baez original. I find the melody a little bit too repetitive… but geez, if “Diamonds and Rust” was repetitive, too. In that case the hook worked pretty well. I guess she wasn’t a Bob Dylan or anything. Ancient folk songs had that problem too. The orchestration is dark and moody. I hate to say…doesn’t really draw me in. Ends the album on a meh note. BONUS TRACKS Oh I Had a Golden Thread B Well I’ll be, there are bonus tracks here. Wikipedia doesn’t have info about them at the moment, so how can I even be sure this exists? This appears to be a traditional folk song that had been making the rounds on the folk scene. Nothing terribly special about it as far as I can tell. The melody is OK but nothing that grabs me that well. Just seems like a standard folk-rock presentation of the song. The acoustic guitar combined with the drums seem a little stiff. Then I think that’s a Hammond organ that comes in. …Eh. Autumn Leaves B+ This one was probably an outtake from the album, since that’s unquestionably Peter Schickele’s orchestration there. Those thick bassoons or whatever. She proceeds to sing in French, which is always cool. The orchestration is pretty dark dreary and then—suddenly—it turns into a bossa nova. The melody seems familiar to me like I’ve heard it a million times. OK, I just pulled up a version by Doris Day. Every jazz person ever performed this song. I believe this originated as a French song from the ‘40s, called “Les Fuilles Mortes,” translated to mean literally “The Dead Leaves.” French > English. Home | F.A.Q. | Rating System | Best-to-Worst List | Links | About the Author | Movie Reviews | Short Stories | Message Board | Contact Me All reviews are written by Michael Lawrence.