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
Heaven Help Us All
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heaven help the girl who walks the streets alone
Heaven help the roses if the bombs begin to fall,
Heaven help us all.
Heaven help the black man if he struggles one more day,
Heaven help the white man if he turns his back away.
Heaven help the man who kicks the man who has to crawl,
Heaven help us all.
Heaven help us all, help us all.
Heaven help us, Lord, hear our call when we call Oh, yeah!
Heaven help the boy who won't reach twenty one,
Heaven help the man who gave that boy a gun.
Heaven help the people with their backs against the wall,
Lord, Heaven help us all.
Heaven help us all.
Heaven help us all,
Heaven help us all, help us all.
Heaven help us, Lord, hear our call when we call, help us all.
Now I lay me down before I go to sleep.
In a troubled world, I pray the Lord to keep, keep hatred from the mighty,
And the mighty, from the small,
Heaven help us all.
Oh, oh, oh, yeah!
Heaven help us all
Heaven help us all.
Heaven help us all,
Heaven help us all, help us all.
Heaven help us, Lord, hear our call when we call, help us all.
The lyrics of Joan Baez's "Heaven Help Us All" call for divine intervention in a world that is plagued by poverty, violence, and inequality. The song's opening lines describe the plight of children without homes and girls on the streets, painting a picture of a society that fails to provide basic shelter and safety to its most vulnerable members. The song goes on to address issues of race and class, calling on heaven to help both Black and White people, and condemning those who use their power to push others down. The chorus repeats the phrase "Heaven help us all" as a plea for mercy and guidance in a world that seems to be falling apart.
These lyrics were written by Ron Miller, a songwriter who also wrote hits for artists like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. "Heaven Help Us All" was first recorded by Motown artist Stevie Wonder, but Joan Baez's version became a hit in the early 1970s. The song reflects the political and social upheaval of that era, which saw widespread protests against the Vietnam War and the struggle for civil rights in the United States. The song's call for divine intervention can be seen as a response to the sense of helplessness and despair that many people felt during this time.
Line by Line Meaning
Heaven help the child who never had a home
May divine intervention be granted to children who have no place to call home
Heaven help the girl who walks the streets alone
May those without companionship receive divine assistance and protection
Heaven help the roses if the bombs begin to fall
May protection be granted to all living things, even delicate flowers, in times of crisis and destruction
Heaven help us all
Let there be divine intervention for all of us
Heaven help the black man if he struggles one more day
May those facing systemic oppression and discrimination receive divine aid
Heaven help the white man if he turns his back away
May those with privilege and power not turn a blind eye to the suffering of their fellow humans
Heaven help the man who kicks the man who has to crawl
May those who inflict harm on others, particularly on the most vulnerable, face divine justice and condemnation
Heaven help us all
May there be divine aid and intervention for all of us
Heaven help us all, help us all
Let everyone be the recipient of divine assistance
Heaven help us, Lord, hear our call when we call Oh, yeah!
May we be heard by a divine entity when we reach out for help
Heaven help the boy who won't reach twenty one
May divine intervention be granted to those who die before they have a chance to live a full life
Heaven help the man who gave that boy a gun
May there be justice and divine reckoning for those who contribute to violence and destruction
Heaven help the people with their backs against the wall
May those facing immense hardship and obstacles receive divine assistance and protection
Lord, Heaven help us all
May there be divine intervention and aid for all of us, as we face the challenges of this world
Heaven help us all
May we all receive divine assistance and protection
Heaven help us all
May there be divine intervention and aid for all of us
Heaven help us all, help us all
May every person be granted divine assistance and intervention
Heaven help us, Lord, hear our call when we call, help us all.
May we be heard by a higher power when we seek divine aid and comfort
Now I lay me down before I go to sleep.
Before I rest my head for the night
In a troubled world, I pray the Lord to keep, keep hatred from the mighty,
In a world filled with turmoil and conflict, I ask that a higher power prevent those in power from perpetrating hate and violence
And the mighty, from the small, Heaven help us all.
May everyone, regardless of their station in life, receive divine assistance and protection
Oh, oh, oh, yeah!
An expression of emotion and urgency
Heaven help us all
May everyone receive divine intervention and protection
Heaven help us all.
May divine aid be granted to all of us
Heaven help us all,
May there be divine intervention and help for everyone
Heaven help us all, help us all.
May everyone receive divine assistance and protection
Heaven help us, Lord, hear our call when we call, help us all.
May we be heard by a higher power when we ask for divine aid and assistance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: Ronald N. Miller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
DealReal12
This is the VERY BEST! Joan singing ONE OF THE BEST SONGS OF ALL TIME!!!!!!!
Martin The Writer
This message and the heart behind it are even more needed now than when the great Joan Baez first sang this song. America is in desperate trouble and only a love like this can save us.
nayanmalig
Absolute masterpiece.
Corinne Yaworski
I love Joan Baez. She's the best. Great political views. Peacemaker.
john borucki
joan-is-a-true-american-god-bless-her
Nicholas Herr
she has some great protest songs
Marlana Edwards
I love this christian song. It's full of joy. It is true that we all need God's help. Amen!
Ra Bob
LoL. Heaven Help Us All was written by Ron Miller... a Jewish songwriter. But ok, if you want to believe it's a "Christian" song... LoL. (fyi, you don't have to be a Christian to be a good and decent human being. Please listen to the words again. Heaven help us ALL. (not "Heaven help the Christians, not "Heaven Help The Americans," not "Heaven help the Republicans," not "Heaven help the Democrats," not "Heaven help the Muslims," not "Heaven help the atheists," .... but HEAVEN HELP US ALL!
Tom Sporman
What is she now,...77? Maybe. the range is gone, but not the passion and firey spirit of a true Warrior!
Sonny Mustarseed
'Hope Beyond Hell' by Gerry Beauchemin helped me overcome the world by God's grace :)