Joan Baez, born on January 9th, 1941, is an American folk singer and a song… Read Full Bio ↴Joan Baez, born on January 9th, 1941, is an American folk singer and a songwriter who is of mixed Mexican and Scottish descent. Baez rose to prominence in the early '60s with her stunning renditions of traditional balladry.

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.

Help Me Make It Through the Night
Joan Baez Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall

Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm takin' is your time

Help me make it through the night

I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord tonight I need a friend

Yesterday is dead and gone

And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone

Overall Meaning

"Help Me Make It Through The Night" is a deeply spiritual song with a clear message of companionship in times of need. Opening with the line "Take the ribbon from your hair, shake it loose and let it fall," the song alludes to removing any and all barriers between individuals in order to come to a deeper, more intimate understanding of one another. The line "Laying soft upon my skin like the shadows on the wall" refers to the idea of losing oneself in the moment, letting go of the past and the future to become present with one another. The song is an earnest plea for human connection and the reassurance that even in moments of great difficulty or heartache, we can find happiness in one another.

Joan Baez's "Help Me Make It Through The Night" has been interpreted in myriad ways since its release in 1971. Some view the song as a love song, while others see it as a plea for salvation. Perhaps the most common interpretation is that the song is about finding solace in the physical and emotional presence of another person. Baez's powerful voice and soulful delivery makes it easy to get lost in the song's deeply emotional lyrics. All in all, the song is a testament to the power of companionship and the ways in which we can lean on each other during life's difficult moments.

Line by Line Meaning

Take the ribbon from your hair
Take off your accessory that makes you presentable

Shake it loose and let it fall
Let your hair down and relax

Layin' soft upon my skin
Your hair feels nice on my skin

Like the shadows on the wall
Your hair casts a relaxing shadow on the wall

Come and lay down by my side
Come and lay close to me

Till the early mornin' light
Stay with me until sunrise

All I'm takin' is your time
I just want to spend time with you

Help me make it through the night
Your presence helps me cope with the night

I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't want to argue or assign blame

I don't try to understand
I don't need to make sense of everything

Let the devil take tomorrow
I'll deal with tomorrow when it comes