Joan Baez

[fox69]

"The Crimes Of Cain"

"The Crimes Of Cain"


Father, can you hear the tolling of the bells
Echo a hundred thousand sons who wish you well?
Tears will pour from the Golden Eagle now
He watches as your soul departs
The fields and the sanctuaries soon will overflow
With the solidarity of hearts

Into our lives you came
With us you will remain
You were given to the fight
To the terror of the night
And the many crimes of Cain

Gravely the Black Madonna walks the winter streets
Bright are the many flowers strewn about her feet
Strong is the spirit of a people scorned
Their freedom is a gift of God
Sweet are the children who hold the legacy
Of the solidarity of Hearts

Into our lives you came
With us you will remain
Oh, forgive us all our trespasses
And we will forgive
The many crimes of Cain
The many crimes of Cain

 

[fox69]

"The Dangling Conversation"
(originally by Simon & Garfunkel)

"The Dangling Conversation"
(originally by Simon & Garfunkel)



It's a still life water color,
Of a now late afternoon,
As the sun shines through the curtained lace
And shadows wash the room.
And we sit and drink our coffee
Couched in our indifference,
Like shells upon the shore
You can hear the ocean roar
In the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs,
The borders of our alliance.

And you read your Emily Dickinson,
And I my Robert Frost,
And we note our place with bookmarkers
That measure what we've lost.
Like a poem poorly written
We are verses out of rhythm,
Couplets out of rhyme,
In syncopated time
And the dangled conversation
And the superficial sighs,
Are the borders of our alliance.

Yes, we speak of things that matter,
With words that must be said,
"Can analysis be worthwhile?"
"Is the theater really dead?"
And how the room is softly faded
And I only kiss your shadow,
I cannot feel your hand,
You're a stranger now unto me
Lost in the dangling conversation.
And the superficial sighs,
In the borders of our alliance.

 

[fox69]

"The Death Of Queen Jane"

"The Death Of Queen Jane"


Queen Jane lay in labor
For six weeks and more
The women grew weary
And the midwife gave o'er

King Henry, he was sent for
On horse back and speed
King Henry came to her
In the time of her need

Oh Henry, good King Henry
If that you do be
Please pierce my side open
And save my baby

Oh no Jane, good Queen Jane
That never could be
I'd lose my sweet flower
To save my baby

Queen Jane she turned over
She fell all in a swoon
Her side was pierced open
And the baby was found

How bright was the morning
How yellow was the moon
How costly the white robes
Queen Jane was wrapped in

King Henry he weeped
He wrung his hands 'til they're sore
The flower of England
Will never be no more

 

[fox69]

"The Dream Song"

"The Dream Song"


I had a dream I was following a barefoot girl
Beside a stream that flowed around the world
And we spoke of many things though her mouth never moved
As the most peculiar scenes were disappearing into view

Oh what a dream beyond the realm of why
Pretty little beings beneath the yawning sky
Speaking of God as though they could define
Music to the deaf and color to the blind or God to man

And then the leaves became a thousand tears
And I was on my knees in a crazy house of mirrors
I couldn't find my face but a voice was drawing nearer
Hush baby, sweet baby, hush don't you cry

And I thought I woke and my mother was standing there
And my heart broke as the ribbons in her hair
Turned into highways surrounded and swirled
Like a crown come down around a not so perfect world

In the corner of the dream was the man with the blue guitar
It had no strings but the music touched the stars
And his long dark curls turned to gold before my eyes
And the barefoot girl smiled off to the side and it was real

Then a thousand birds took flight with a joyful noise
And I heard the angels up on high rejoice
I could see my face and I recognized the voice
Hush baby, sweet baby, hush baby hush

It's just a dream, one of those that goes on and on
Scene after scene with the rhythm of a gypsy song
When I really woke I was frozen in between
I didn't know who I was, it was a dream inside a dream

It's all a dream
Oh what a dream
I had a dream

 

[fox69]

"The Greenwood Side"

"The Greenwood Side"


There was a fair maiden lived in the north
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
She fell in love with her father's clerk
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

He courted her a year and a day
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
Till her, the young man did betray
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

She leaned her back against the thorn
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
And there, two bonny boys, she's born
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

She's taken out her little knife
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
And she's robbed them of their life
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

There, she walked by her father's wall
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
She saw her two bonny boys playing ball
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

Oh, bonny boys, if you were mine,
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
I'd dress you up in silk so fine
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

Oh, mother dear, when we were dying,
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
You did not treat us then so fine
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

Now, bonny boys, come tell to me
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
What sort of life I'll have after dying?
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

Seven years of visions of blood
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
And seven years of hurt in the womb
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

Seven years down in the mourning bell
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
And seven years in the flames of hell
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

Welcome, welcome, visions of blood
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
And welcome, welcome, hurt in the womb
Down by the Greenwood side, oh

Welcome down to the mourning bell
Oh, the rose and the linsey, oh
But, God, save me from the flames of hell
Down by the Greenwood side, oh
Down by the Greenwood side

 

[fox69]

"The Hitchhikers' Song"

"The Hitchhikers' Song"


When the mist rolls in on Highway One
Like a curtain to the day
A thousand silhouettes hold out their thumbs
And I see them and I say
You are my children
My sweet children
I am your poet.

With hair just like the burning tree of Moses
The girl beside you is your twin
Behind your fiery make-up you should know this
I am your sister, I am your kin, your flesh and kin
I'll write this tune
In matching phrases
Just to show it

You are the orphans in an age
Of no tomorrows
And with your walking you wage a war
Against the sorrows
Your fathers left you
A row to hoe
And you'll hoe it.

If I could write you easy directions
On a list
You would not read it, you could not see it
For the mist
Besides my pen is
Very righteous
And I know it.

So walk to the edges of a dying kingdom
There's one more summer just around the bend
The amber in your smile is brave and winsome
For though your highway has no end, it never ends
There is still the sky
The windy cliff
And the sea below it
I'd take an angel's ram horn trumpet
And I'd blow it
I'd blow it.

 

[fox69]

"The Lady Came From Baltimore"
(originally by Tim Hardin)

"The Lady Came From Baltimore"
(originally by Tim Hardin)



The lady came from Baltimore
All she wore was lace
She didn't know that I was poor
She never saw my face

I was sent to steal her money
Take her rings and run
But I fell in love with the lady
Came away with none

The lady's name was Suzanne Moore
Her daddy read her law
She didn't know that I was poor
Livin' outside the law

I was sent to steal her money
Take her rings and run
But I fell in love with the lady
Came away with none

Her daddy said I was a thief
And didn't have her love [?]
But I [?] was Suzanne's true belief
I married her for love [?]

I was sent to steal her money
Take her rings and run
But I fell in love with the lady
Came away with none

The way she lived in?
To keep the robbers out
She never stop to think it all
That's what I'm about

I was sent to steal her money
Take her rings and run
But I fell in love with the lady
Came away with none

 

[fox69]

"The Last Thing On My Mind"

"The Last Thing On My Mind"


It's a lesson too late for the learnin'
Made of sand, made of sand
In the wink of an eye my soul is turnin'
In your hand, in your hand

Are you goin' away with no word of farewell?
Will there be not a trace left behind
Well, I could have loved you better
Didn't mean to be unkind
That was the last thing on my mind

You've got reasons a-plenty for goin'
This I know, this I know
For the weeds have been steadily growin'
Please don't go, please don't go

Are you goin' away with no word of farewell?
Will there be not a trace left behind
Well, I could have loved you better
Didn't mean to be unkind
That was the last thing on my mind

As I lie in my bed in the mornin'
Without you, without you
Each song in my breast dies a-bornin'
Without you, without you

Are you goin' away with no word of farewell?
Will there be not a trace left behind
Well, I should have loved you better
Didn't mean to be unkind
That was the last thing on my mind

 

[fox69]

"The Lily Of The West"

"The Lily Of The West"


When first I came to Louisville
Some pleasure there to find
A damsel there from Lexington
Was pleasing to my mind
Her rosy cheeks, her ruby lips
Like arrows pierced my breast
And the name she bore was Flora
The Lily Of The West

I courted lovely Flora
Some pleasure there to find
"But" she turned unto another man
Which sore distressed my mind
She robbed me of my liberty
Deprived me of my rest
(Still I love my faithless) "Then go my lovely" Flora
The Lily Of The West

"Way" down in yonder shady grove
A man of high degree
Conversing with my Flora there
It seemed so strange to me
And the answer that she gave to him
It sure did me oppress
I was betrayed by Flora
The Lily Of The West

I stepped up to my rival
My dagger in my hand
I seized him by the collar and
I boldly made him stand
Being mad to desperation I pierced him in the breast
(All for) "Then go" my lovely Flora
The Lily Of The West

"And" I had to stand my trial
I had to make my plea
They placed me in the criminal box
And then commenced on me
Although she swore my life away
Deprived me of my rest
(And I) Still love my faithless Flora
The Lily Of The West

 

[fox69]

"The Little Drummer Boy"

"The Little Drummer Boy"


Come they told me parapapampam
A new born king to see parapapampam
Our finest gifst we bring parapapampam
To lay before the king parapapampam
Rapapampam rapapampam
So to honour him parapapampam
When we come

Baby Jesus parapapampam
I am a poor boy to parapapampam
I have nothing to bring parapapampam
Nothing to give our king parapapampam
Rapapampam rapapampam
Shall I play for you parapapampam
On my drum

Mary nodded parapapampam
The ox and lamb kept time parapapampam
I played my drum for him parapapampam
I played my best for him parapapampam
Rapapampam rapapampam
Then he smiled at me parapapampam
Me and my drum