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
I Am A Wanderer
Joan Baez Lyrics
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Heart on my sleeve and my head in the clouds.
I own the star above some distant shore,
Wandering ever more.
I am a refugee torn from my land,
Cast off to travel this world to its end.
Never to see my proud mountains again
I am a labourer, sign round my neck:
"Will work for dignity, trust and respect".
Stand on this corner so you don't forget
I haven't had mine yet.
I am a prisoner pacing my cell,
Three steps and back, my corner of hell.
Lock me away and you swallow the key,
But some day I shall be free.
And I'll be a wanderer, feet on the ground,
Heart on my sleeve and my head in the clouds.
I own the star above some distant shore,
Wandering ever more.
The song "I Am A Wanderer" by Joan Baez speaks of a person who is always on the move, wandering from one place to another. The lyrics describe the various facets of the person's life as they wander, stuck in various situations, as a refugee torn from their land, a laborer who is fighting for respect and dignity, and a prisoner, locked away and forgotten. Throughout all of these experiences, the person continues to wander, with their head in the clouds and their heart on their sleeve.
The first verse of the song refers to the person as a wanderer, having their feet on the ground, and their head in the clouds, indicating their deep connection with the earth and their dreams. The second verse speaks of the person's experience as a refugee, forced to leave their land behind and never to see it again. The third verse is focused on the struggles of a laborer who is fighting for basic human rights such as dignity and respect. The fourth and final verse is about a prisoner, trapped and forgotten, yet still hoping to be free and wander again.
Overall, the song speaks about the universal experience of being a wanderer, of feeling lost, alone, and searching for something more. It suggests that we are all wanderers to some degree, and that the act of wandering can be both liberating and challenging at the same time.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a wanderer, feet on the ground,
I am a person who travels from place to place with my feet firmly planted on the ground.
Heart on my sleeve and my head in the clouds.
I am very emotional and idealistic, often having my head in the clouds.
I own the star above some distant shore,
I feel connected to the world and own a piece of it despite being far away.
Wandering ever more.
I am always moving and exploring new places.
I am a refugee torn from my land,
I am someone who has been forced to flee my home and country.
Cast off to travel this world to its end.
I have no choice but to continue travelling this world, despite my desire to return to my homeland.
Never to see my proud mountains again
I am filled with sadness at the thought of never seeing the mountains of my homeland again.
But I still remember them.
Despite being far away, I still have vivid memories of my homeland and carry them with me always.
I am a labourer, sign round my neck:
I am someone who has toiled for work and wears a sign around my neck to advertise my services.
"Will work for dignity, trust and respect".
I want to be treated with dignity, trust and respect in exchange for my hard work.
Stand on this corner so you don't forget
I stand in a prominent place so that people do not forget that I am a skilled labourer looking for work.
I haven't had mine yet.
Despite my efforts, I have yet to receive the dignity, trust and respect that I deserve.
I am a prisoner pacing my cell,
I am someone who is locked up and walks back and forth in my cell.
Three steps and back, my corner of hell.
I am confined to a small space and feel trapped in my own version of hell.
Lock me away and you swallow the key,
You have complete power over me and have locked me away with no escape.
But some day I shall be free.
I believe that one day I will be free from my imprisonment and able to walk the earth again.
And I'll be a wanderer, feet on the ground,
When I am free, I will continue to travel from place to place with my feet on the ground.
Heart on my sleeve and my head in the clouds.
I will maintain my emotional and idealistic nature, always dreaming and exploring.
I own the star above some distant shore,
I will still feel connected to the world and own a piece of it even when I am free.
Wandering ever more.
I will continue to move forward, always exploring and discovering new places.
Contributed by Allison G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hande İleri
I am a wanderer, feet on the ground
Heart on my sleeve and my head in the clouds
I own the star above some distant shore
Wandering ever more
I am a refugee torn from my land
Cast off to travel this world to its end
Never to see my proud mountains again
But I still remember them
I am a laborer, sign round my neck
Will work for dignity, trust and respect
Stand on this corner so you don't forget
I haven't had mine yet
I am a prisoner pacing my cell
Three steps and back, my corner of hell
Lock me away and you swallow the key
But some day I shall be free
And I'll be a wanderer, feet on the ground
Heart on my sleeve and my head in the clouds
I own the star above some distant shore
Wandering ever more
Todd Rosenblatt
She's so great I often forget how great a guitar player she is too.
Mata Pöze
I am afraid she is not playing on this song. Steve Earl may do.
Mary Howard
I have my music again.
Ge Home of Healthy Cooking
Dto nku sis 🇺🇸
Katharina Scharlowski
Gitarre umgehängt jetzt an der Seine, dann an Deiner Coast JoanCBaez
Dignity Trust und Respect
Und Love evermore
The. Doves and seagulls in the morninglight After the Long and Some thret und threatening Night s
Katharina
david barnett
Steve Earle's version is much better.
taddyd1
No.He wrote it especially for her voice.
VoxGothica
david barnett Inclined to agree, Joan is one of the all time greats (so is Steve) and this is a good version, but Steve’s songs always have a ruggedness, a forlornness, that makes them extremely difficult to cover (in my opinion).