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
It's All Over Now Baby Blue
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out the saints are comin' through
And it's all over now, baby blue
Take what you have gathered from coincidence
The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheet
This sky, too, is folding under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home
All your reindeer armies are all going home
Your lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all her blankets from the floor
The carpet, too, is moving under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
Leave your stepping stones behind you, something calls for you
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you
A vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Strike another match, let's start anew
And it's all over now, baby blue
Oh, it's all over now, baby blue
The song "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" by Joan Baez is a poetic farewell ballad, truly emotional and powerful. The lyrics are a message to someone dear to her, telling them that they must move on in life and let go of everything left behind. The beginning lyrics say "You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last. But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast." This refers to the inevitability of the situation that the person needs to leave and that they should only take what's essential to them, or else they might lose everything. Joan Baez further urges the person to use their sense when gambling on the highway of life.
As the song progresses, Joan Baez speaks about the person's surroundings, and how everything is moving away from them, alluding to the change taking place in their life. The lines "The empty-handed painter from your streets, Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheet" refers to the creative individuals that the person will leave behind, or perhaps the person themselves being creative. The person is also urged to forget about their past, and leave the dead behind, for they will not follow them.
Baez ends the song by saying "Strike another match, let's start anew, and it's all over now, baby blue," implying that the person should ignite a flame within themselves, start with a clean slate, and move on gracefully.
Line by Line Meaning
You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last
You have to leave now and take only what you really need and can preserve
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
If there's something you want to hold onto, you should act quickly
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
You see the child you once were, now grown up and taking control
Crying like a fire in the sun
The orphan is crying intensely, like the brightness of the sun
Look out the saints are comin' through
Watch out, the pure souls are coming forward
And it's all over now, baby blue
This part of your life is coming to an end, it's time for a change
The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense
The road ahead is uncertain, so make wise choices
Take what you have gathered from coincidence
Use your intuition and the things you've learned from chance experiences
The empty-handed painter from your streets
The artist in your community who has nothing tangible to give
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheet
They're leaving behind a legacy of unconventional ideas
This sky, too, is folding under you
Even the vastness of the sky is changing
And it's all over now, baby blue
This chapter of your life is coming to a close
All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home
The people who are lost and adrift are finding their way back
All your reindeer armies are all going home
The magic and fantasy of childhood are disappearing
Your lover who just walked out your door
The person you cared for who just left you
Has taken all her blankets from the floor
She's packing up everything she owned and used during her stay
The carpet, too, is moving under you
Even the ground beneath your feet is unsteady
And it's all over now, baby blue
This phase of your life is sliding to an end
Leave your stepping stones behind you, something calls for you
Don't cling to the familiar, there's something new calling out to you
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you
Don't worry about those who have passed on, they can't follow you
A vagabond who's rapping at your door
A wanderer is knocking at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
They're wearing clothes that remind you of memories from your past
Strike another match, let's start anew
Let's create a new beginning together
And it's all over now, baby blue
This phase of your journey is ending
Oh, it's all over now, baby blue
The transition is complete
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Magier Family Entertainer Pierre Mardue
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue Songtext
You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out the saints are comin' through
And it's all over now, baby blue
The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense
Take what you have gathered from coincidence
The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheet
This sky, too, is folding under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home
All your reindeer armies are all going home
Your lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all her blankets from the floor
The carpet, too, is moving under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
Leave your stepping stones behind you, something calls for you
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you
A vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Strike another match, let's start anew
And it's all over now, baby blue
Oh, it's all over now, baby blue
Abhishek Talukder Euphony and Euphoria
You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out, the saints are comin' through
And it's all over now, baby blue
The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense
Take what you have gathered from coincidence
The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets
The sky, too, is folding under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home
Your empty-handed army is all going home
You lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all his blankets from the floor
The carpet, too, is moving under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
Leave your stepping stones behind now, something calls for you
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you
The vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Strike another match, go start anew
And it's all over now, baby blue
Wu Wei
You must leave now take what you need
You think will last
But whatever you wish to keep you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out baby, the saints are comin' through
And it's all over now baby blue
The highway is for gamblers better use your sense
Take what you have gathered from coincidence
The empty handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheets
The sky too is fallin in over you- ooo
And it's all over now baby blue
Leave your stepping stones behind
There's something that calls for you
Forget the debt you left that will not follow you
Your lover who has just walked through the door
Has taken all his blankets from the floor
The carpet too is foldin' over you
And it's all over now baby blue
Well strike another match, yeah, go start a-new
Go start a-new
'Cause it's all over now baby blue
Hey, hey, yeah
It's all over, it's all over now baby blue
It's all over, it's all over now oh yeah
It's all over now, it's all over now baby blue
William Reynolds
Beautiful lyrics beautifully sung by one of the greatest artists this world will ever see.
folkmusicgirl
Yes, such an incredible voice! I remember being about 17 & hearing her for the first time (long ago now) & I just could not believe someone could sing like this....even to this day I am in awe. Imagine being born with a voice like this? You can study voice all you want & you can learn a lot; breath control, projection etc. but you are born with a voice that Joan Baez has. Her late sister Mimi also was a singer & very good & really talented but in a different way then Joan.
Alessio
I love this version of the song so much. The way her voice escalates those three times in the song before its title. Even the way the guitar strums with even more power in that moment building up to it. You hear musicians discuss how folk inspired much in the genre of rock music and it's evident here when I always find myself strumming an imaginary acoustic after those vocal peaks.
1tornado1
I just cant get over how incredible her voice is!!!
ObviousInit1
BY far the most wonderful version of this beautiful song.
Gary Church
I have always liked this song and couldn’t t remember where I first heard it but I now suspect it was my Dad as he had a Joan Baez LP back in the 70s. Fast-forward a few decades and the LP’s his had gone, replaced by CD’s and a while later he’d passed too. Just realised my Dad was even ‘cooler’ than I thought he was already.
Eric Beaulieu
Love this version,immensley
Magier Family Entertainer Pierre Mardue
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue Songtext
You must leave now, take what you need, you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Look out the saints are comin' through
And it's all over now, baby blue
The highway is for gamblers, better use your sense
Take what you have gathered from coincidence
The empty-handed painter from your streets
Is drawing crazy patterns on your sheet
This sky, too, is folding under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home
All your reindeer armies are all going home
Your lover who just walked out your door
Has taken all her blankets from the floor
The carpet, too, is moving under you
And it's all over now, baby blue
Leave your stepping stones behind you, something calls for you
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you
A vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Strike another match, let's start anew
And it's all over now, baby blue
Oh, it's all over now, baby blue
Nicholas Whyte
always appreciated
Gsabeano
Magier Family Entertainer Pierre Mardue Aa