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

Paso Rio
Joan Baez Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Paso rio
Paso fuentes
Siempre te encuentro lavando los colores de tu cara
El agua los va llevando
Si vas a la fuente no bebas el agua
Que la envenenaron tus ojos de rana

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Joan Baez's "Paso Rio" talk about the act of passing rivers and fountains, but also about the cleansing of one's face. It portrays the image of water running through these natural elements, washing away the colors of one's face, and cleansing one's soul. In the following lines, the song cautions people against drinking the water from the fountain, signifying a sense of pollution and contamination of the natural environment. This is represented by the metaphor of the rana (a frog), whose eyes represent the vulnerability of nature to human destruction.

The lyrics are poetic and metaphorical, addressing themes of the environment, and urging the audience to appreciate the beauty of nature. By using the natural elements of water and river, the song encourages people to recognize the importance of respecting nature and preserving it for future generations.

Paso RioJoan Baez Lyrics

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Paso Rio
Joan Baez Lyrics