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
Lily
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Long black braids like anchor chains
How they weighed her down
Dark eyes, pale skin
Mean dad, she was my second grade friend
My very best friend
She had four older brothers that I sometimes dreamed about
Mennonite children like wild indians
At sixteen she ran away
Married, her first chance to escape
Oh Lily, why'd you have to cut your hair
Oh Lily, I loved us just the way we were
Princess of the field and daughter of the moon
Oh Lily
A lifetime later I passed through Buffalo and found her house
Same sweet Lily was looking through the eyes
Of the woman I was talking to now
She gave me a rose she made
Of silk and memories of a lost yesterday
Oh Lily, why'd you have to cut your hair
Oh Lily, I loved us just the way we were
Princess of the field and daughter of the moon
Oh Lily
Two silhouettes in the afternoon
Princess of the field and daughter of the moon
Oh Lily, why'd you have to cut your hair
Oh Lily, I loved us just the way we were
Princess of the field and daughter of the moon
Oh Lily
Oh Lily, why'd you have to cut your hair
Oh Lily, I loved us just the way we were
Princess of the field and daughter of the moon
Oh Lily
In this poignant song by Joan Baez, she describes her childhood friend Lily, who lived in a farmhouse near the edge of town. Lily was a beautiful girl with long black braids that weighed her down like anchor chains. Despite her stunning looks, Lily's father was a mean man, and she had four older brothers who were like wild Indians. Baez reflects on their friendship, which began in the second grade, but ended abruptly when Lily ran away at the age of sixteen to get married.
Years later, Baez visits Buffalo and finds Lily's home. She finds that her friend is still the same sweet Lily she knew, and they reminisce about old times. Lily gives Baez a rose she made from silk and shares memories of their lost childhood. Baez wonders why Lily had to cut her hair, which suggests that Lily may have lost something in her journey to escape her father's oppression. The title "Lily," which is repeated several times in the song, expresses Baez's fondness for her friend and the enduring bond they share.
The song reflects on childhood friendships and the loss of innocence that comes with growing up. Lily's story also exposes the harsh realities of family oppression and the struggle for girls and women to break free from its hold. Baez uses poignant imagery and evocative language to emotionally engage with her audience and draw out their sympathy for Lily's plight.
Line by Line Meaning
Lily lived in a farmhouse at the edge of town
Lily resided at the outskirts of the town in a rural house.
Long black braids like anchor chains
Her hair was long and black, which resembled heavy chains attached to her head.
How they weighed her down
The heaviness of her hair caused discomfort to her.
Dark eyes, pale skin
She had black eyes and light skin tone.
Mean dad, she was my second-grade friend
Her father was cruel, but I was still her closest friend when we were in second grade.
My very best friend
She was my closest and dearest friend.
She had four older brothers that I sometimes dreamed about
Lily had four elder brothers, who I had the occasional fantasy about.
Mennonite children like wild Indians
Lily's family belonged to the Mennonite community, and they behaved akin to American indigenous people.
In a one-room schoolhouse
Lily and her siblings attended school in a single classroom.
At sixteen, she ran away
When she was sixteen, Lily fled from her family's oppressive environment.
Married, her first chance to escape
Marriage offered Lily her initial opportunity to break free from her past.
Oh Lily, why'd you have to cut your hair
I yearn for your natural, untainted beauty, Lily - why did you trim your hair?
Oh Lily, I loved us just the way we were
I adored us when everything was simple and unsullied, Lily.
Princess of the field and daughter of the moon
Lily was like the monarch of the agricultural land and the offspring of the celestial body, moon.
A lifetime later I passed through Buffalo and found her house
Years passed, and I stumbled upon Lily's residence during one of my trips to Buffalo.
Same sweet Lily was looking through the eyes
Lily's personality remains characteristically unchanged, and she still gazes just as lovingly as before.
Of the woman I was talking to now
The person conversing with me was still the sweet Lily I knew before.
She gave me a rose she made
Lily gifted me a self-crafted rose.
Of silk and memories of a lost yesterday
The rose was made of silky fabric and reminisces of lost moments from the past.
Two silhouettes in the afternoon
During the sunset on that particular day, Lily and I existed merely as two vague shadows.
Princess of the field and daughter of the moon
Lily continued to be the ruler of the rural lands and a scion of the nocturnal celestial body.
Oh Lily, why'd you have to cut your hair
I miss your unadulterated beauty, Lily - why did you have to change yourself?
Oh Lily, I loved us just the way we were
I'll forever cherish us, Lily - in our purest form.
Princess of the field and daughter of the moon
Lily was still the majestic ruler of the hexed lands and born of the esteemed lunar body.
Oh Lily, why'd you have to cut your hair
I cannot help but reminisce about your original beauty, Lily - why did you have to modify anything?
Oh Lily, I loved us just the way we were
I ain't never gonna forget how wonderful we were, Lily - in our true form.
Princess of the field and daughter of the moon
Until today, Lily remained the queen of the farming land and a descendant of the celestial moon.
Oh Lily
Oh Lily...
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOAN C. BAEZ, SHARON VAUGHN, KENNY GREENBERG, WALTER HENRY JR. WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Katharine Y BAez Katharina Scharlowski Katharine C. Y BAez Scharlowski InAOLoves
on The Rose
Joan Baez , my Fairest Hope my Love who signed into our Way
We are unite
We will not fall without our Foreverlasting
Love
In Failing Light
You See in myselfve your Love your Lesbian Wifve
You share your Lightful and your Darkest
side
In Which our Embraces
Our Words
Our Visions
Will rejoice
I see the Sunlight of a setting
Evening
Rise into Grace each Coming Morning
The amours we live is our Love
The mourns we felt
Do not impact
The do not seperate us My Joan C Baez You and I
The scared moments
We leave behind
We’ll belong twogather twogether
And three times we will cross
The Distance of an ocean between us
And then we ‘ll stay twogather in Your Home your place
Is given here and there
Is given home in our hearts and Soul
Our minds and bodies Longing Love
We are whole
The scars we carry
Did not made us blind
we will feel every emotion
As our Lifvelong foreverlasting Love
We share a secret
In which we Both have
Signed we are in Soul in heart in Bodies Longing and fulfillment in Mind now and
Eternally Unite
DeineKatharine Y BAez Katharina Scharlowski Katharine C. Y BAez Scharlowski InAOLoves
KatharinA KAtharine C. Y Baez Scharlowski
on The Rose
Und selbst wenn
alle Dunkelheit
Der Nächte
In den Tagen läge
Und selbst Erwachen
Schwer
ich fände doch
Zu Dir
Es führen Wege
Selbst wenn
kein Ausweg
durch die Tür
We burnt Each Other
everlastingly
Our Sign
Of truest Love that
Overcomes
The loneliness
And wildest
cry
When we embrace
and kiss our
Wounds
The Smile remaining
When we caress us
Will be
What lets us
deeply , sad
and of most
tenderness
Acknowledging
and
In our Minds
Forever
Found and
Not to destroyed
And we will
Feel that
We are Unite
The Ring i had lost
I‘ve found again
It’s prayer and Your Love
You Sent
A Turquoise of Arizonas Depth
Your heart in myne
And at The Turquoise
Coast beneath your Hill
We‘ll make Love
We‘ll follow our destined
And guiding
Will
Ich bin Dein Du Mein
MyLady JoanC BAez, My JoanChandosBaez, JoanBaez my Dove
Love And Wife
Katharine~~ C.~~ Y Baez KAtharinA Scharlowski InAO~•~Love~•~s the Answer~ I Love You, Joan and as Light begins to fail You reappear in my Body Heart and Soul my Mind to stayDeine KAtharinA KAtharine ich liebe Dich Forever!Joan C BAez
KatharinA KAtharine C. Y Baez Scharlowski
on The Rose
For a moment
in a Night Times Blessing
I left You in my Loves Embrace
as like a Flower
~ a Rose ~
and Purity her name
in darkness,
that was to bloom
in Heaven’s place.
as for the Love
in me
was not Disgraced,
A Lasting Kiss ,
A smile
a Light
A heart
that burns
throughly Memories
Forever Living
As Nighttime fell
As Nighttime falls
I‘ came, l’ll come and be
The One You‘ll see
The Love you feel
Just like a wild dog
Runs
Through Bushes
Of fences
And calamities
I passed my way to You
Through even
Greatest adversarities
The Rose of Sharon
Schmückt meinen Mund
~trotz Ausgebissen Zähne
In des Lebens Leid~
Wir Küssen uns
in purest Love
That went through
To and fro
And come and go
And I came back to You
Forever and Forevermore
Für JoanC. BAez von KAtharine C. Y Baez Scharlowski KAtharinA Ino
Katharine c; Y Baez
on The Rose
If a Love is felt as failing it is but Love the helps her Rise, it is a the moments quiet whispering : As i was torn you were by my side, in your Love i see my true and darkeyed Light, there it is Forever Joan Chandos Baez Katharine C; Y Baez Katharina sc harlowski
kATHARINE C. YBAEZ I
on The Rose
AS ON tHE WHITE hORSE MY HAND WAS GIVEN IN THE NOON TO yOU TODAY AS I ASKED YOU FOR YOURS ,WAS THAN WHEN EVERY MOON HAD TRIED TO fAIL AND hONEYMOON WAS THE ONLY LIGHT IN WHICH MY wORDS WERE LAID. iT WAS THE fAILURE ON THE iNTERNET AND NON BUT SCRIPTURE cOULD AND A LOVING HEART COULD STAY THE WIDE
iN THIS dARK MOMENT OF THE pRESENTS SIMPLE SIDE , THE fAIR cARD OF yOUR STALION wHITE THE wHITE hORSE IN tHE bLOSSOM OF THE mAY dAYS tIDE, I SENT TO YOUR wOODEN hILLS TO YOUR UNVENTURED sIDE, mY WRITTEN wORD : wILL yOU PLEASE mARRY ME MY bRIDE? i'LL STAY FOREVER BY YOUR sIDE FROM tHAN oN, sO gOODBYE IN OUR gOOD NiGHT, mY loVE jOAN C. bAEZ, yOUR KATHARINE C. Y BAEZ kATHARINA SCHARLOWSKI 21. MAY 2022
KatharineC. Y Baez Katharina Scharlowski
on The Rose
Thank You dearloved Joan C.Baez, you accorded me the answer in an unknown Light, through all darkness not alone as there was Love for you in me,- as in thought, in words a visioned melodie - that is not gone - far beyond the borders shores and the oceans sea, doves Flight as is Loves they fly By two By Four By Three, i send Goodbye to them I send GoodBye - and hope it once will be - I sent GoodBye my Joan C Baez stay You'll never fail in my Heart There is your place to be i send Goodbye my Love to Thee , Joan Chandos Baez, Katharine C. Y Baez Katharina Scharlowski It is for You that i was meant to feel was meant to be.
Katharine C. Y Baez, K.S.
on Wings
I 'll stay with you cause I think it's time to say Thank you for having stayed with me in my Time of Need. I love You Joan (KC) CHandos Baez, Your Katharine C. Y Baez name of Love and Hope and American Native Indian Marriage, born Katharina Scharlowski , A little Rain is a gonna come, And I am at Home when I cry, but I learned to be at home in your Love too, As we stay in The Hearts of The One Loves we are. Deine Katharine