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. On July 28, 2019, following dates across Europe, Baez performed her final concert at Madrid's Teatro Real. In January 2021, Baez received a 2020 Kennedy Center Honor.
Blowin' in the Wind
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before you call him a man?
How many seas must the white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
How many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
How many years must some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
And how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see the answer
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
How many times can a man look up
Before he sees the sky?
How many ears must one person have
Before he can hear people cry?
And how many deaths will it take 'til he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
Oh, the answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
The lyrics to Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind" serve as a poignant commentary on the social and political issues of the 1960s. The song is composed of a series of rhetorical questions that beckon listeners to consider some of the enduring crimes of human history such as war, oppression, and segregation. The questions asked in the song are indirectly asking society to contemplate how we contribute to the adverse conditions many communities face from a place of privilege.
The first stanza of the song questions the arbitrary notions of manhood and whiteness. The lyrics ask, "How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man? How many seas must a white dove sail before she sleeps in the sand?" Why do these concepts exist, and why do we try to limit people's potential for freedom based on them? The second stanza then invites listeners to contemplate what it means to be free. Freedom is obtained when marginalized persons are granted autonomy and space to live without oppression. The final stanza asks listeners to recognize their own complicity in bringing about the social and political conditions that the song critiques.
"Blowin' in the Wind" was a significant song as it served as a powerful anthem for the Civil Rights and anti-war movements. It was a defining moment in the history of the United States and spearheaded the counterculture movement of the 1960s. The song was a global success and was covered by numerous other musicians in many different languages.
Line by Line Meaning
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
How many challenges or tests must a man face and overcome in his life before society recognizes him as man?
How many seas must the white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
How much effort must be exerted before achieving peace and harmony among all creatures on the earth?
How many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?
How much destruction, devastation, and harm must be inflicted before authorities permanently ban war, violence, and subjugation?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
The solution to these issues and problems are obscure or elusive and could be found in the forces of nature or things that are beyond human control.
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
How long can structures or established orders survive before they eventually crumble, dissolve or replaced?
How many years must some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?
How many years of oppression and suffering must be endured and experienced before people gain the right and privilege to live freely?
And how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see the answer
How many times can a person ignore the truth and pretend to be oblivious to the issues and difficulties facing humanity?
How many times can a man look up
Before he sees the sky?
How much effort does it take before a person becomes aware or conscious of his surroundings and recognizes the beauty and wonders of nature?
How many ears must one person have
Before he can hear people cry?
How much empathy or compassion should a person possess or develop before he becomes aware of the pain, suffering, and struggles of others?
And how many deaths will it take 'til he knows
That too many people have died?
How many more deaths, casualties, or victims are needed before individuals and societies recognize the significance and the value of human life?
The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
Oh, the answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
The resolution to these problems are not easily found or understood, and could be anywhere and everywhere, including in the vagaries of nature and unpredictable events.
Lyrics © CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Terry Hyman
This is my favorite version of Blowing in the Wind (maybe of all songs) so heartfelt and which includes the verses in French. Beautiful and Moving!!
rafaela revez
Lembro bem dela na decada de 70,há muito tempo que não a ouvia não sei se ainda canta?Creio que sim ,mas aqui não a passam.obrigadabjs
Nel Buitenkamp
mooi.
Jot Ge.
I like this video. Instead she is singing ....la reponse dans le vin....the answer is in the wine???