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.
Danger Waters
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I holler why
And I holler why,
The tortoise boy no mon ami!
And I holler why,
And I holler why
And I holler why,
First he give me one,
Then he give me two
And he give me three and I holler
"Lord have mercy"
And I holler why,
And I holler why
And I holler why,
The tortoise boy no mon ami!
First we go in a room,
Make me mama no know
Make me lie on a sofa,
Make me have-a me labor
And I holler why,
And I holler why
And I holler why,
The tortoise boy no mon ami!
Give me back me shillin',
Give me back me shillin'
You can stand on your own feet now,
Give me back me shillin'
And I holler why,
And I holler why
And I holler why,
The tortoise boy no mon ami!
Hold me tight, hold me tight,
Danger waters coming baby
Hold me tight
Hold me tight, hold me tight,
Danger water coming, baby,
Hold me
And I holler why,
And I holler why
And I holler why,
The tortoise boy no mon ami!
And I holler why,
And I holler why
And I holler why,
The tortoise boy no mon ami!
Joan Baez's song "Danger Waters" is a haunting ballad that tells a story of a woman's harrowing experience with an unknown man. The lyrics are somewhat cryptic, but they suggest that the woman has been taken advantage of by a "tortoise boy" who has left her feeling abandoned and frightened.
The first verse of the song sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, with the woman repeatedly asking "why" she has been left alone. The reference to the "tortoise boy" is never explained, but it seems likely that he is the man who has mistreated her in some way. In the second verse, the woman describes how the man has given her various things, perhaps as part of a seduction, before leaving her alone to face the dangers of the world outside.
The third verse is the most haunting, as the woman reveals that the man has taken her to a secret room where she has been made to have a baby, possibly against her will. The line "make me mama no know" suggests that the woman is hiding the pregnancy from her own mother, perhaps because of shame or fear.
The final verses of the song see the woman demanding that the "tortoise boy" return her "shillin'" and expressing her fear of the "danger waters" that are coming. It's unclear exactly what these waters represent, but they may be a metaphor for the difficulties and uncertainties of life that the woman now faces alone.
Line by Line Meaning
And I holler why,
The singer is expressing frustration and confusion over a situation that they are experiencing.
The tortoise boy no mon ami!
The singer's frustration is directed towards someone referred to as the 'tortoise boy'. The phrase 'no mon ami' suggests that the singer feels betrayed or hurt by this person.
First he give me one,
The singer is describing a situation where the 'tortoise boy' gave them something.
Then he give me two
The 'tortoise boy' gave the artist more things.
And he give me three and I holler "Lord have mercy"
The 'tortoise boy' continued to give the artist things and their reaction was to exclaim 'Lord have mercy'. This could be interpreted as the artist feeling overwhelmed or uncomfortable with the situation.
First we go in a room,
The singer and the 'tortoise boy' entered a room together.
Make me mama no know
The singer didn't want their mother to know what was happening in the room.
Make me lie on a sofa,
The 'tortoise boy' instructed the artist to lay down on a sofa.
Make me have-a me labor
The situation on the sofa resulted in the artist having to exert some sort of effort, which is described as 'having labor.'
Give me back me shillin'
The artist wants their money or possessions back.
You can stand on your own feet now,
The 'tortoise boy' is telling the singer that they are capable of standing up for themselves.
Hold me tight, hold me tight,
The artist is asking someone to hold them tightly in anticipation of danger.
Danger waters coming baby
There is something dangerous approaching and the singer is seeking protection from it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@willliamking8212
I first heard this song on a staticy car radio cruising through the streets of Atlanta, Georgia, with a group of teen-age friends of both sexes. (was it 1963?) We were all convinced the song was about an illegal and perhaps forced abortion. The line rendered here as "tortoise boy no mon ami" we heard as "tore this boy from the womb of me". A mis-hearing or an intentional Lady Ondigreen?