In the late '60s and early '70s, Baez came into her songwriting own, penning many songs (most notably "Diamonds & Rust," a nostalgic piece about her ill-fated romance with Bob Dylan, and "Sweet Sir Galahad," a song about sister Mimi Fariña's ( of Richard & Mimi Fariña fame) second marriage, and continued to meld her songcraft with topical issues. She was outspoken in her disapproval of the Vietnam war and later the CIA-backed coups in many Latin American countries.
She was also instrumental in the Civil Rights movement, marching with Dr. Martin Luther King on many occassions and being jailed for her beliefs. In 1963, her performance of "We Shall Overcome" at the Lincoln Memorial just prior to Dr. King's famous "I Have A Dream..." speech helped confirm the song as the Civil Rights anthem.
In December 1972, she traveled to Hanoi, North Vietnam, and was caught in that country's "Christmas Campaign," in which the U.S. bombed the city more times than any other during the entire war. While pregnant with her only son, Gabriel, she performed a handful of songs in the middle of the night on day one of the 1969 Woodstock festival. She is considered the "Queen of Folk" for being at the forefront of the 1960s folk revival and inspiring generations of female folksingers that followed. Over fifty years after she first began singing publicly in 1958, Joan Baez continues to tour, demonstrate in favor of human rights and nonviolence, and release albums for a world of devoted fans.
1959
Ain
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Leave at your own chosen speed
I'm not the one you want, babe
I'm not the one you need
You say you're lookin' for someone
Never weak but always strong
To protect you and to defend you
Someone to open each and every door
But it ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it sure ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
Move lightly from the ledge, babe
Move lightly on the ground
I'm not the one you want, babe
I will only let you down
You say you're lookin' for someone
Who will promise never to part
Someone to close his eyes for you
Someone to close his heart
Someone who will die for you and maybe more
But it still ain't me, babe
No, no, no, no, it sure ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
Go melt back into the night, babe
Everything inside here is made of stone
Well, there's nothing in here that's moving
And anyway I'm not alone
You say you're looking for someone
Pick you up every time you fall
Someone to gather flowers constantly
And come at the time you call
A lover for your life an' what more
But it still ain't me, babe
No, no, no, it sure ain't me, babe
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
This song is about rejection and unrequited love. The singer is telling their suitor to leave, as they are not the person they are searching for. The verses describe the characteristics the suitor claims to be seeking in a partner - someone strong and protective, someone who will never leave or betray them, someone who will do anything for them. However, the singer asserts that despite these desires, they are not the right person for them. The chorus repeats the refrain "it ain't me, babe," hammering home the point that the singer cannot fulfill these expectations.
The verse "go melt back into the night, babe, everything inside here is made of stone" suggests that the singer may have been hurt in the past, and is now guarded against emotional attachments. The final verse, "someone to gather flowers constantly and come at the time you call, a lover for your life and what more," highlights the absurdity of the suitor's expectations - it becomes clear that they are searching for an idealized, unrealistic version of a partner that no one can fully embody.
Overall, "It Ain't Me Babe" is a bittersweet song about the paradox of unrequited love. On the one hand, the singer empathizes with the suitor's desire for love and connection, but on the other, they cannot fulfill those needs. Ultimately, the song suggests that sometimes, despite the intensity of our feelings, the person we desire may not be the right fit for us.
Line by Line Meaning
Go away from my window
Please leave my presence
Leave at your own chosen speed
Depart at your own preferred pace
I'm not the one you want, babe
I'm not suitable for your liking
I'm not the one you need
I'm not the one you require
You say you're lookin' for someone
You claim to seek an individual
Never weak but always strong
Somebody who's consistently resilient
To protect you and to defend you
To safeguard and shield you
Whether you are right or wrong
Irrespective of your correctness or fallibility
Someone to open each and every door
A person to unlock every entrance
But it ain't me, babe
I'm not the one you're looking for
No, no, no, it sure ain't me, babe
Absolutely not me, sweetheart
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
I'm not the one you're seeking
Move lightly from the ledge, babe
Be cautious stepping off the precipice
Move lightly on the ground
Tread gently on the earth
I'm not the one you want, babe
I'm not the individual you desire
I will only let you down
I will inevitably disappoint you
Who will promise never to part
Who pledges to never depart
Someone to close his eyes for you
A person who will shut their eyes for you
Someone to close his heart
An individual who will shut their heart
Someone who will die for you and maybe more
A person who would perish for you, and perhaps beyond
But it still ain't me, babe
Yet again, I'm not the one
No, no, no, no, it sure ain't me, babe
Absolutely not me, sweetheart
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
I'm not the one you're seeking
Go melt back into the night, babe
Vanish into the darkness, darling
Everything inside here is made of stone
Everything in here is made of rock
Well, there's nothing in here that's moving
There is nothing in here that is in motion
And anyway I'm not alone
And in any case, I'm not solitary
Pick you up every time you fall
Lift you up when you stumble
Someone to gather flowers constantly
A person who consistently collects flowers
And come at the time you call
And arrives when you summon them
A lover for your life an' what more
A love of your life and beyond that
But it still ain't me, babe
I'm not the one you're seeking
No, no, no, no, it sure ain't me, babe
Absolutely not me, sweetheart
It ain't me you're lookin' for, babe
I'm not the one you're seeking
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vincenzostr4488
Clouds so swift
Rain won't lift
Gate won't close
Railings froze
Get your mind off wintertime
You ain't goin' nowhere
Whoo-ee ride me high
Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair?
I don't care how many letters they've send
The morning came, morning went
Pack up your money
Pick up your tent
You ain't goin' nowhere
Whoo-eh ride me high
Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair?
Buy me a flute and a gun that shoots
Tailgates and substitutes
Strap yourself to a tree with roots
You ain't goin' nowhere
Whoo-eh ride me high
Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair?
Now, Genghis Khan
He could not keep
All his kings supplied with sleep
We'll climb that hill no matter how steep
When we get up to it
Whoo-eh ride me high
Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair?
Whoo-eh ride me high
Tomorrow's the day my bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
@katharinecybaez2340
I know You will come today and the Days of and after tomorrow, my Bride Joan C. Baez
We join in everlasting Love in Each moment
I will be with You
We will be able to go everywhere
Our Freedom is in our minds
I caress your Sweetest Dreams and you JoanC. Baez DeineKatharine Y Baez Katharina Scharlowski InAOLoves KatharineC
@marlona6642
Clouds so swift
Rain won’t lift
Gate won’t close
Railings froze
Get your mind off wintertime
You ain’t goin’ nowhere
Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow’s the day
My bride’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!
I don’t care
How many letters they sent
Morning came and morning went
Pick up your money
And pack up your tent
You ain’t goin’ nowhere
Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow’s the day
My bride’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!
Buy me a flute
And a gun that shoots
Tailgates and substitutes
Strap yourself
To the tree with roots
You ain’t goin’ nowhere
Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow’s the day
My bride’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!
Genghis Khan
He could not keep
All his kings
Supplied with sleep
We’ll climb that hill no matter how steep
When we get up to it
Whoo-ee! Ride me high
Tomorrow’s the day
My bride’s gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!
Copyright © 1967 by Dwarf Music; renewed 1995 by Dwarf Music
@eightinches6094
Her voice is pure honey.
@n40tom
I've been in love with this woman for over fifty years. Her Voice always soothes me .
@leonardturner1136
Me too, bless you
@leonardturner1136
Me too
@geoffpatch8255
Another one here. That voice.
@Cataphract1236
Me too
@trinidadapodaca7027
thats a long time
@allangow5561
I love this version, Dylan's original is great, but this is at the very least on par.
@edelizondo8338
Just a wonderful voice. Great lady too.
@gkoo002
good god her voice it's simply beautiful