Joan Baez - Do I just not get it?

If you want to hear great Baez, try and find some of hear early albums on Vanguard -- even in mono. A voice like a clear bell, no vibrato. You'll understand what all the fuss was about.

First of all, if you're 50, J.B. is not of your generation, she's of the one before (same as Dylan who just turned 64.)

Second, there was no such thing as "PC" in the 60's. Gosh, we even shamed our returning vets. How PC was that!! Thank God, now that we're in Vietnam II and realize we've "been fooled again," at least we're not taking it out on our troops.

Back to Joanie. Most of you probably don't remember when she won a libel suit against the cartoonist Al Capp (creator of Li'l Abner) for placing a raven-haired folk singer in his comic strip named "Little Joanie Phony." As for her voice, I can attest to what Eldartford and Eddaytona said. Steve Kuyamjian, a fellow MIT architecture student, was teaching her to play guitar, and we'd often go to hear her sing at Club 47 Mount Auburn, in Cambridge. Her voice was truly a natural wonder, the material was innocent and ageless. Find some of those early Vanguard LPs, it will be very worth your while. They leave "Diamonds and Rust" in the dust!

Snofun, what it means is that your 12 year old son has great taste in music. What it dosen't mean is that he would be able to relate to the mind boggling cultural sea change one experienced growing up in the 60's. Especially after graduating high school in say 1959! For him, or anyone born after 1945, it's really all hearsay isn't it? -- reports of reports of reports, mostly (now) by people who were not there either.

The 60's youth were nothing if not "in your face", and as far as we were concerned, the only "correct" thing was to change all politics. And being peace-loving (touchy-feelie as you put it) never kept us from speaking our minds. Unfortunately the media has now put most of the kids to sleep. Only 30% of current college graduates show proficient reading skills. Yada, yada.

Nope, I don't think you'll find much evidence of the 60s vision in our current culture. We've gone (or been led) down a different road -- it's called consumerism. And it won't end now until the oil runs out. . . . . . and at the rate things are going, if I take real good care of myself, I just might live to see it -- wouldn't THAT be a trip?!

As for Joanie, she had an undeniably great voice; and that's what sold records, not her politics or her songwriting. If she was just starting out today, she'd be the darling of some niche market label, just like Jacintha, but not the star she was then.

Fishboat, I hope by "bring out the best in people" you are referring to the creative use of alternative energy sources?

JD, I'd be happy to chat about architecture. Best if you'll email me separately, I think.

Neil

Rja, you are (somewhat) right. To restate (24 year old) Goatwuss's inquiry: After listening to his first Baez album, he was, to say the least, underwhelmed with the sound of her voice -- which is all she really has to offer, since she's not a songwriter.

I think most of us simply tried to direct him to those recordings that best exemplify the qualities that made her so popular from the start.

If he seeks out a couple of those suggested recordings and remains unimpressed, he's certainly earned my respect as a serious music lover regardless.

Long hair and flat tops do remain == it's what's under them that has changed :~))

Swamp and Fish, in case you hadn't heard, Joanie is Lesbianese, and her relationship with Dylan, and marriage to Harris (I forget his first name just now) were, as far as anyone knows, platonic.

And for those of you who have apparently never listened to enough Dylan to actually hear him sing, I suggest Lay Lady Lay, or all of Blood on the Tracks and Slow Train Comin, just to name two albums. Perhaps, you have also not realized the man is not a songwriter, but a poet who sings (remember Leonard Cohen?) -- which is why only the bravest souls have tried to cover any of his material, usually with little success.

Bob Dylan has the most on-the-nose timing and delivery of any blues singer ever, from Muddy Waters on down, as any musician will tell you. Not only that, but he has perfect pitch and the most accomplished guitar technique of anyone according to none other than Johnny Cash (read Johnny's liner notes on the back of the Nashville Skyline album.)

Really you guys!!