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
James & the Gang
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The summer's coming to an end
Say goodbye to all your wandering friends
And lovers, casual confidants
Who shared your dreams
When you were sixteen
And you walked on the sands of glory
With James and the gang
You and James and the gang
Pass the pipe and like the sun get higher
In pack of roving wolverines
Placing bets on every girl in teens and jeans
Who eyed you suspiciously
With your biblical hair
And your mystical stare
As you walked on the sands of glory
With James and the gang
You were one magnificent story
You and James and the gang
When all your illusions did lie in the palm of your hand
And your limits were only the sky and the rolling sand
And of every summer to come
This summer would be the one
You'd remember forever
In your dreams
Oh, twinkle, twinkle little star
Did you ever wonder who you are
And do you think that life is just a Belushi movie
And the heartbreak years that lie ahead
Be true to yourself and the Grateful Dead
And remember the summer when all was hip and groovy
And you walked on the sands of glory
With James and the gang
You were one magnificent story
You and James and the gang
Hush little baby, momma once was sixteen
On the back of a Harley Davidson
Boyfriend was a born again
He shouted from the word of Jesus while doing 105
Down the coast highway
Only half a day from where
You walked on the sands of glory
With James and the gang
You were one magnificent story
You and James and the gang
The lyrics to Joan Baez's song "James & the Gang" are a nostalgic look back at a summer from the past, where the singer was young and carefree, walking on the "sands of glory" with James and the gang. The song suggests that the singer is now older and looking back on that time with fondness, but with a sense of loss and wistfulness. Throughout the song, Baez sings about the singer's memories of that time, of smoking a pipe and feeling carefree, and of being with friends who made them feel "magnificent".
In one stanza, Baez sings, "When all your illusions did lie in the palm of your hand / And your limits were only the sky and the rolling sand / And of every summer to come / This summer would be the one". Here, she highlights the idea that the singer felt at the time that anything was possible and that the summer they spent with James and the gang was special and meaningful to them.
The song's lyrics contain many references to the counterculture of the 1960s, including references to the Grateful Dead, smoking a pipe, and walking on the beach with friends. Ultimately, the song captures both the joys and the heartaches of growing older and leaving behind the carefree days of youth.
Line by Line Meaning
Can you find another star to dream on
Can you find another source of inspiration or motivation?
The summer’s coming to an end
The youthful, carefree era is coming to a close
Say goodbye to all your wandering friends
Bid farewell to aimlessly wandering acquaintances
And lovers, casual confidants
Also say farewell to romantic partners and casual friends
Who shared your dreams when you were sixteen
Who shared your youthful aspirations and ambitions
And you walked on the sands of glory
When you were carefree and experiencing the joys of youth
With James and the gang
In the company of close friends named James and others
You were one magnificent story
You lived a unique, fascinating life that others found interesting
Pass the pipe and like the sun get higher
Inhale marijuana and experience a feeling of euphoria
In pack of roving wolverines
In the company of a group that can be wild or unruly
Placing bets on every girl in teens and jeans
Taking bets on which teenage girl will be most interested in them
Who eyed you suspiciously
Who viewed them with skepticism or suspicion
With your biblical hair
With long hair that was reminiscent of biblical times
And your mystical stare
With a gaze that had an air of mystery or otherworldliness
When all your illusions did lie in the palm of your hand
When all of their dreams and fantasies seemed within reach
And your limits were only the sky and the rolling sand
When the possibilities for their life seemed endless
And of every summer to come, this summer would be the one
They believed this summer would be unforgettable and the best yet
You'd remember forever in your dreams
They anticipated that this summer would have a lasting impact on them
Oh, twinkle, twinkle little star
Addressing a celestial object to symbolize the vastness of the universe and contemplating one's place in it
Did you ever wonder who you are
Reflection on one's identity and purpose
And do you think that life is just a Belushi movie
Questioning whether life is as carefree and humorous as depicted in pop culture
And the heartbreak years that lie ahead
Anticipating that life's challenges and difficulties will follow
Be true to yourself and the Grateful Dead
Advice to stay authentic and connected to a band known for their themes of peace and love
And remember the summer when all was hip and groovy
Recalling a time when everything felt fashionable, exciting, and optimistic
Hush little baby, momma once was sixteen
A soothing lullaby that acknowledges the singer's own experiences as a young person
On the back of a Harley Davidson
Recalling a time when they rode on a motorcycle
Boyfriend was a born-again
Referring to a past romantic partner who had converted to a new spiritual belief
He shouted from the word of Jesus while doing 105
Describing a past event when a partner was outspoken about their religious beliefs while driving fast
Down the coast highway
Describing where the above event took place
Lyrics © GABRIEL EARL MUSIC
Written by: JOAN BAEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maria Reinildes Rodrigues da Cunha
Joan Baez é uma pérola rara! 💎Um cristal que já veio burilada💖💖💖
Katharina Scharlowski
~The magnificent Existance ~ nichts Grösseres als die Liebe ~"Und wer in der Liebe bleibt ,bleibt in Gott und Gott in {ihr~ihm, ~} Bibel"...Uns Bibel
Katharina Scharlowski