Caruso
Joan Baez Lyrics

Infinity gives me chills
The idea of infinity is overwhelming and awe-inspiring to me.

So could the waters of Iceland
The beauty of Iceland's waters can also evoke this kind of feeling in me.

But there's a difference in finding diamonds in rust
It takes a keen eye to recognize value, even in unexpected places.

And rhinestones in a dishpan
Sometimes, what appears shiny and valuable is actually not very special or meaningful.

Miracles bowl me over
I am often amazed and overwhelmed by acts or events that seem miraculous.

And often will they do so
These experiences happen frequently in my life.

Now I think I was asleep till I heard
I had not truly experienced the fullness of life until I discovered something that touched me deeply.

The voice of the great Caruso
The music of Enrico Caruso stirred something deep within me.

Bring infinity home
I want to bring the feeling of awe and wonder that I experience out in the world into my daily life.

Let me embrace it one more time
I want to fully immerse myself in this feeling once again.

Make it the lilies of the field
Even something seemingly small and commonplace, like a lily, can evoke this kind of feeling in me.

Or Caruso in his prime
But the music of Caruso, at the height of his career, is especially powerful and moving to me.

A friend of mine gave me a tape
Someone close to me shared a recording with me.

She'd copied from a record disc
She made a copy of a record she owned.

It was made at the turn of the century
The recording was made around the year 1900.

And found in a jacket labeled "misc."
The recording was discovered in a nondescript jacket with no specific label.

And midst cellos, harps, and flugelhorns
The recording included a variety of musical instruments, like cellos, harps, and flugelhorns.

With the precision of a hummingbird's heart
Despite the complexity of the musical arrangement, the musicians played with exceptional accuracy and attention to detail.

Was the lord of the monarch butterflies
Enrico Caruso, the famous opera singer, was the centerpiece of the recording.

One-time ruler of the world of art
Caruso was once considered one of the greatest artists in the world.

Yes, the king of them all was Enrico
Caruso was widely recognized as the preeminent artist of his time.

Whose singular chest could rival
His powerful voice was unmatched, even by other great singers.

A hundred fervent Baptists
Caruso's voice was so intense and passionate that it could sound like the combined voices of a hundred religious zealots.

Giving forth in a tent revival
This kind of energy is often associated with intense religious gatherings, like revivals held under a tent.

True he was a vocal miracle
Caruso's voice was so extraordinary that it was considered almost supernatural.

But that's only secondary
While Caruso's vocal talent was amazing, it was not the only thing that made him special to me.

It's the soul of the monarch butterfly
There is something in the essence of Caruso's music that resonates with me on a deeper level.

That I find a little bit scary
This connection to his music is so intense that it can feel overwhelming or intimidating at times.

Perhaps he's just a vehicle
It's possible that Caruso's music is simply a conduit or vessel that helps me connect with something greater than myself.

To bear us to the hills of Truth
Through his music, Caruso may help us access a deeper, more profound understanding of the nature of reality.

That's Truth spelled with a great big T
This kind of Truth is not just about facts or information, but about a larger, more universal sense of meaning and purpose.

And peddled in the mystic's booth
This kind of Truth is often associated with spiritual or mystical experiences.

There are oh so many miracles
The world is full of wonders and mysteries that are often overlooked or ignored.

That the western sky exposes
The beauty of the natural world can often be seen most clearly in the vast skies of the west.

Why go looking for lilacs
There is so much beauty and wonder around us already, that we need not seek it out.

When you're lying in a bed of roses?
When we focus on what we already have and appreciate the present moment, life can be like lying in a bed of roses.