Jesse
Joan Baez Lyrics

Jesse come home
Joan Baez is asking her lover Jesse to come back home.

There's a hole in the bed
Joan has noticed the empty space where Jesse used to sleep beside her.

Where we slept
Joan and Jesse used to sleep together in that bed.

Now it's growing cold
The bed is cold and empty without Jesse's warmth.

Hey Jesse, your face
Joan is reminiscing about Jesse's face and the moments they shared together in bed.

In the place where we lay
She is visualizing the spot where they used to share intimate moments.

By the hearth, all apart
The memory of Jesse is still present in their home, but he is no longer there.

It hangs on my heart
The memory of Jesse still weighs heavy on Joan's heart.

And I'm leaving the light on the stairs
Joan is eagerly waiting for Jesse's return.

No I'm not scared - I wait for you
She reassures Jesse that she is not afraid and that she eagerly awaits his return.

Hey Jesse, I'm lonely, come home
Joan expresses her loneliness and longing for Jesse to return home.

Jesse, the floors and the boards
The sound of Jesse's footsteps on the floors and boards is etched in Joan's memory.

Recalling your step
She remembers Jesse's footsteps and the way he used to move around the house.

And I remember, too
Joan reminisces about the memories she shared with Jesse in their home.

All the pictures are fading
The memories captured in pictures are starting to fade away.

And shaded in grey
The memories are no longer as vivid as they used to be and are becoming dull and grey.

But I still set a place
Joan still sets a place for Jesse at the dining table every day, hoping that he will return.

On the table at noon
She sets the place at noon as a reminder of their shared meals together.

And I'm leaving a light on the stairs
She is leaving a light on the stairs as a beacon for Jesse's return.

Jesse, the spread on the bed
Joan is talking about the bedspread that Jesse left behind on their bed.

Is like when you left
The bedspread is still in the same condition as when Jesse left it.

I've kept it all for you
Joan has kept the bedspread for Jesse as a reminder of him.

And all the blues and the greens
The colors of their shared life are starting to fade.

Have been recently cleaned
Joan has cleaned the house, but the memories still linger.

And they're seemingly new
Despite cleaning the house, the memories still feel new and fresh in Joan's mind.

Hey jes, me and you
Joan is addressing Jesse, and they will soon reunite as a couple.

We'll swallow the light on the stairs
They will walk up the stairs together, hand in hand.

We'll do up my hair
They will get dressed up and look their best for each other.

We'll sleep unaware
They will fall asleep together, oblivious to the world around them.

Hey Jesse, I'm lonely, come home
Joan repeats her plea for Jesse to come home and end her loneliness.