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
Donna Donna
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a calf with a mournful eye
High above him there's a swallow
Winging swiftly through the sky
How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all the their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
"Stop complaining", said the farmer
Who told you a calf to be
Why don't you have wings to fly with
Like the swallow so proud and free
How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all the their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summer's night
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered
Never knowing the reason why
But whoever treasures freedom
Like the swallow has learned to fly
How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all the their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summer's night
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
The song "Donna Donna" tells the story of a calf being taken to market, and while the calf is resigned to its fate, a swallow flies overhead and its freedom causes the calf to wonder why it couldn't be free like the swallow. The lyrics use the calf and swallow as metaphors for societal hierarchy and class inequality. The calf represents the oppressed working class who are forced to labor for the benefit of the wealthy while the swallow represents the privileged upper class who are born with the ability to live free and unencumbered lives. The lyrics of the song imply that this system is unjust and that everyone deserves the same ability to live freely.
The song was written in Yiddish by Sholom Secunda in the 1930s and was originally titled "Dana Dana." Secunda wrote the song as part of a musical called "Esterke" about a young girl in a Jewish shtetl. The song gained popularity in the United States during the 1950s and was translated into English by Aaron Zeitlin. Joan Baez recorded a version of the song in 1960, which helped to popularize the song and make it a political anthem during the Civil Rights movement.
Line by Line Meaning
On a wagon bound for market
Travelling to the market, on a wagon ride
There's a calf with a mournful eye
A calf looking sad and low
High above him there's a swallow
A swallow flying above the calf on the wagon
Winging swiftly through the sky
Flying rapidly through the air'
How the winds are laughing
The winds are gleeful
They laugh with all their might
Their laughter is intense and strong
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
They laugh continuously all day long
And half the summer's night
And continue to laugh through the night
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Stop complaining" said the farmer
The farmer tells the calf to stop whining
Who told you a calf to be
The farmer questions why the calf is acting like a calf
Why don't you have wings to fly with
The farmer thinks that the calf should have wings like a bird
Like the swallow so proud and free
Just like the swallow bird that's free to fly
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered
Calves are easily captured and butchered
Never knowing the reason why
They don't understand why they're being killed
But whoever treasures freedom
Those that value freedom
Like the swallow has learned to fly
Are the ones that can soar
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Aaron Zeitlin, Arthur Keuess, Sheldon Secunda, Sholom Secunda, Teddie Schwarz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@asifloading3042
On a wagon bound for market
There's a calf with a mournful eye
High above him there's a swallow
Winging swiftly through the sky
How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all the their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summer's night
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
"Stop complaining", said the farmer
Who told you a calf to be
Why don't you have wings to fly with
Like the swallow so proud and free
How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all the their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summer's night
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered
Never knowing the reason why
But whoever treasures freedom
Like the swallow has learned to fly
How the winds are laughing
They laugh with all the their might
Laugh and laugh the whole day through
And half the summer's night
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
Donna Donna Donna Donna
Donna Donna Donna Don
@binanovida7948
Donna Donna"
On a wagon bound for market
there's a calf with a mournful eye.
High above him there's a swallow,
winging swiftly through the sky.
[Chorus:]
How the winds are laughing,
they laugh with all their might.
Laugh and laugh the whole day through,
and half the summer's night.
Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna; Donna, Donna, Donna, Don.
Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna; Donna, Donna, Donna, Don.
"Stop complaining!" said the farmer,
"Who told you a calf to be?
Why don't you have wings to fly with,
like the swallow so proud and free?"
[Chorus:]
How the winds are laughing,
they laugh with all their might.
Laugh and laugh the whole day through,
and half the summer's night.
Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna; Donna, Donna, Donna, Don.
Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna; Donna, Donna, Donna, Don.
Calves are easily bound and slaughtered,
never knowing the reason why.
But whoever treasures freedom,
like the swallow has learned to fly.
[Chorus:]
How the winds are laughing,
they laugh with all their might.
Laugh and laugh the whole day through,
and half the summer's night.
Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna; Donna, Donna, Donna, Don.
Donna, Donna, Donna, Donna; Donna, Donna, Donna, Don.
@Dianelee999
My older sister and I would sing this song together as she played guitar. My sweetest memories are when we sang harmony together. She died at age 18 of liver cancer. I was 17 then, and now at age 62 this song makes me 12 again, singing harmony with my sister. 💜 I miss you, Chrissy.
Edit: since this post, I have been so moved by the compassion of readers from all over the world. You have been a great comfort. Christine Ann was my only sister. When I was little, I would curl up at the foot of her bed rather than sleep in my own. I was always in awe of her mastery of music theory. Our singing was a deep bond. This song touches me still. Thank you for the love. Diane 🦋
@sitifaizah3628
This cut me deep :(
@Dianelee999
@Sabina Huseynova Thank you 🙏
@babayaga5638
İ'm too much sad to hear
@clairel254
<3
@dukechan8924
Sorry about your sister
@rodeboer2
Due to a horrible divorce I lost contact with my children for 7 years now. Almost every evening I sang this song two times when bringing my youngest daughter to bed. First time on the original melody, second time with the refrain on a selfmade melody. Almost every night, year after year. One of my dearest and most painfull memories. We had an intimate joke together: I always skipped the last word 'don', and my daughter was always waiting untill that last 'don' to come. And then, when she no longer expected it or was almost falling asleep, that last word 'don' sounded and we laughed together.
I hope she will remember this beautifull sung. The words are so simple and true. I hope she finds the strength to put the terrible misery of her parents' divorce behind her - a divorce that she never wanted but which has shaped her. And that she finds the strength, that inner power, to become a swallow once again, and not a calf.
@ahmedayaz6685
Men should not lose their children after divorce. Something is wrong
@alexanderkieding2268
Thank you for sharing your pain. It resonates with so manys. Mine too.
@humanfirst1578
How can a voice be so haunting, so livid, so beautiful? Always puts a tear in my eye, inadvertently.