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
Amazing Grace
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They did not ask what brought him there
He was not friend, he was not kin
But they opened the door and let him in
And for an hour the stranger stayed
He sat with them and seemed to pray
But then the young man drew a gun
In Charleston in the month of June
The mourners gathered in a room
The President came to speak some words
And the cameras rolled and the nation heard
But no words could say what must be said
For all the living and the dead
So on that day and in that place
The President sang Amazing Grace
The President sang Amazing Grace
We argued where to lay the blame
On one man's hate or our nation's shame
Some sickness of the mind or soul
And how the wounds might be made whole
But no words could say what must be said
For all the living and the dead
So on that day and in that place
The President sang Amazing Grace
My President sang Amazing Grace
The opening verse of Joan Baez's song "Amazing Grace" recounts the tragedy that occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, in June 2015. A young man entered a church, and despite being a stranger, he was welcomed in. He sat with the churchgoers, appearing to pray alongside them. However, the young man then drew a gun and murdered nine individuals, regardless of their age, ethnicity or background. The mourners later gathered to honor and remember the lives lost at the hands of the single perpetrator. The President of the United States was invited to speak, and he delivered a few words, although the nation was still at a loss for words in the face of this tragedy. However, the President rendered himself vulnerable when he chose to sing "Amazing Grace," a Christian hymn whose emotional depth is as profound as it is universal.
The song calls into question who is to blame for the tragedy that took place. It was unclear if it was an individual with a sickness of mind and soul, or if this was indicative of the state of the nation as a whole. Regardless of who is to blame, it is a problem that cannot be summed up in words. Where there are violent and tragic events, it is challenging to find the right words to say. When we come face to face with an event that shakes us to our core, words often fall short, and music seems to provide us with the most eloquent and profound way to express our thoughts and emotions. The President of the United States chose to sing "Amazing Grace" as a way of commemorating the lives lost, and at that moment in time, those words seemed to provide a glimmer of hope in a moment of deep sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
A young man came to a house of prayer
A stranger entered a place of worship, uninvited and unknown
They did not ask what brought him there
No one questioned his presence
He was not friend, he was not kin
He had no prior relationship with those present
But they opened the door and let him in
Despite his unfamiliarity, they welcomed him
And for an hour the stranger stayed
He joined them for a period of time
He sat with them and seemed to pray
He appeared to participate in their worship
But then the young man drew a gun
Unexpectedly, he revealed a weapon
And killed nine people, old and young
Tragically, he took multiple innocent lives
In Charleston in the month of June
The setting of the tragic event
The mourners gathered in a room
People came together to grieve and honor the victims
The President came to speak some words
The leader of the nation addressed the tragedy
And the cameras rolled and the nation heard
The event gained widespread attention
But no words could say what must be said
The depth of the situation was indescribable
For all the living and the dead
Both the survivors and the deceased were impacted
So on that day and in that place
At that moment in time and setting
The President sang Amazing Grace
The nation's leader expressed sympathy and hope in song
The President sang Amazing Grace
The sentiment was repeated
We argued where to lay the blame
We debated who was responsible
On one man's hate or our nation's shame
The cause was either attributed to the individual or the broader societal issues
Some sickness of the mind or soul
Either a mental or spiritual affliction was speculated
And how the wounds might be made whole
A solution to the problem was sought
But no words could say what must be said
The gravity of the situation could not be articulated fully
For all the living and the dead
Both the surviving and deceased were impacted
So on that day and in that place
In that moment and environment
The President sang Amazing Grace
The nation's leader expressed condolences and hope through a hymn
My President sang Amazing Grace
The personal sentiment of the singer
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Zoe Mulford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Airsoftcleaner
And Joan was NOT lying, For my generation this WAS our Woodstock the only difference is that it was not on a Farm in Sullivan Co NY and there was no Jimi or Janis but they were there in spirit
@ddivincenzo1194
I will never forget watching this live with my brother. My dad had a 50 inch projection screen Panasonic TV, so it was as if we were right there. My favorite was Queen. I remember Jack Nicholson opening for the US and the Prince and Princess of Wales for the UK.
@thomasdanielsen9941
We could use a similar concert today to feed all the hungry children, and adults, in the USA
@ladydevildog8946
Love this!
@moisesmunozgarcia7062
Una voz celestial
@jeanoboyle2439
Her idealism was meant completely well.
@FreddieHg37
Me: Mom, can we get Woodstock?
Mom Joan: We've got Woodstock at home.
Woodstock at home:
@rosybianchi6242
❤️
@jadeodowd809
And then The Hooters opened Live Aid! In Philadelphia
@rogink
What a contrast! The London concert opened with the bouncy anthem 'Rockin all over the world'. The US event opened with a hymn. 1980s America might as well have been 1880s America!