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. 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

Johnny Cuckoo
Joan Baez Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Here comes one Johnny cuckoo,
Cuckoo,cuckoo.
Here comes one Johnny Cuckoo,
On a cold and stormy night.

What did you come for,
Come for,come for?
What did you come for,

On a cold and stormy night?

I come to be a soldier,
Soldier,soldier,
I come to be a soldier,
On a cold and stormy night.

You are too black and dirty,
Dirty,dirty.
You are too black and dirty
On a cold and stormy night.

I'm just as good as you are
You are,you are.

I'm just as good as you are
On a cold and stormy night.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Joan Baez's song "Johnny Cuckoo" narrate the story of Johnny Cuckoo, who arrives on a cold and stormy night, and is met by a person questioning his intentions. In response, Johnny Cuckoo says that he has come to be a soldier. However, the reply that he gets is that he is too black and dirty for the role. Johnny Cuckoo asserts that he is just as good as the other person questioning him.

The song was written by Alan Lomax and has its origins in the West Indian folk song "John Kuku" (also spelled "John Kookoo" or "John Koo-Koo"), which Lomax recorded and included in his 1960 book "The Folk Songs of North America." The lyrics have undergone some changes, but the central theme of rejection based on one's race or appearance remains the same.

The song can be interpreted as a commentary on the racial discrimination and prejudice faced by blacks in America. The reference to Johnny Cuckoo's skin color and his rejection as a soldier highlights the disparities in opportunities and privileges based on race. At the same time, Johnny Cuckoo's assertion that he is just as good as the other person challenges the notion of white superiority and emphasizes the common humanity of all individuals.

Line by Line Meaning

Here comes one Johnny cuckoo, Cuckoo,cuckoo. Here comes one Johnny Cuckoo, On a cold and stormy night.
An eccentric man who is known to be unreliable and unpredictable, named Johnny Cuckoo, is approaching on a cold and stormy night

What did you come for, Come for,come for? What did you come for, On a cold and stormy night?
Johnny Cuckoo is asked why he's come on such a harsh night

I come to be a soldier, Soldier,soldier, I come to be a soldier, On a cold and stormy night.
Johnny Cuckoo claims that he's come to enlist as a soldier in the military

You are too black and dirty, Dirty,dirty. You are too black and dirty On a cold and stormy night.
The person who questioned Johnny's motives tells him he's unsuitable to be a soldier because of his disheveled appearance

I'm just as good as you are You are,you are. I'm just as good as you are On a cold and stormy night.
Johnny Cuckoo defends himself, asserting that he's just as worthy as anyone else to be a soldier despite his appearance

Contributed by Arianna L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS