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. On July 28, 2019, following dates across Europe, Baez performed her final concert at Madrid's Teatro Real. In January 2021, Baez received a 2020 Kennedy Center Honor.
Sweeter for Me
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Practically bore your name
Lying alone in the twilight zone
Waiting for your call to come in
Hadn't been for the kid
Who was sleeping upstairs
You'd have found me well on my way
On that midnight plane to L.A.
You suffered sweeter for me
Than anyone I've ever known
I dared to look into the years
Would you still have your wife?
I dared to peer through my tears
Could we ever have a life?
Even thought I was pregnant by you
But I didn't care
I just talked to my son
Would he mind another one?
You suffered sweeter for me
Than anyone I've ever known
Once more the mist rolls to the sea
Like a hundred times we've known
Trees are faded and the clouds have stopped
Where the wind had blown
How I dread when the evening comes
And I cannot be
What you want me to be
When you are next to me
How silent you are as the veils come down
Before my eyes
Soft and reserved as you move away
Donning your disguise
While every folk song that I ever knew
Once more comes true
And loves grows old
And waxes cold
You suffered sweeter for me
Than anyone I've ever known
Just one favor of you, my love
If I should die today
Take me down to where the hills
Meet the sea on a stormy day
Ride a ridge on a snow white horse
And throw my ashes away
To the wind and the sand
Where my song began
You suffered sweeter for me
Than anyone I've ever known
The lyrics of Joan Baez's song Sweeter For Me seem to be about a woman who is in love with a man who is not her husband. She has a red telephone by her bed, and she is waiting for a call from the man who is the object of her affections. She says that if it wasn't for her child, she would already be on a plane to L.A. She is torn between the life she is leading and the life she wants to have with this other person. Despite the complications of their situation, she believes that he "suffered sweeter" for her than anyone she has ever known.
The woman looks into the future and wonders if the man would still be with her if she were his wife. She talks to her son about the possibility of having another child with this man. The tone of the song is somber, and the woman seems to be resigned to the fact that her lover will never be hers fully. The final verse of the song is a request that if the woman were to die, the man take her ashes to the place where her song began, indicating that her love for him is deeply ingrained in her being.
Line by Line Meaning
Red telephone sitting by my bed
The phone next to me, like the phone you used to call me on, is right here.
Practically bore your name
I was so used to hearing from you that it felt like the phone was intended for you specifically.
Lying alone in the twilight zone
I'm feeling empty and lost without you.
Waiting for your call to come in
I'm hoping you'll call me even though I know it's unlikely.
Hadn't been for the kid
If I didn't have a child, I might have already left town to get away from my longing for you.
Who was sleeping upstairs
My child's presence is a reminder of my responsibilities.
You'd have found me well on my way
I would have left town to try to forget you if it weren't for my child.
On that midnight plane to L.A.
I would fly to LA to escape the memories of you.
You suffered sweeter for me
You endured more pain for me than anyone else I've ever known.
Than anyone I've ever known
No one else has ever gone through what you have for me.
I dared to look into the years
I'm considering the future and whether we can ever be together.
Would you still have your wife?
I wonder if you would leave your wife for me if we could be together.
I dared to peer through my tears
Even though I'm crying, I'm trying to see clearly and find a way through this.
Could we ever have a life?
I'm wondering if we could ever be happy together.
Even thought I was pregnant by you
Even though I'm carrying your child, I still have doubts about us.
But I didn't care
Despite my doubts, I still care about you deeply.
I just talked to my son
I'm trying to figure out how to explain our situation to my child.
Would he mind another one?
I wonder if my child would resent or accept another sibling.
Once more the mist rolls to the sea
The mist and waves remind me of the cycles of life and how much time has passed.
Like a hundred times we've known
The sight of the mist and waves is so familiar that it's as if I've seen it hundreds of times before.
Trees are faded and the clouds have stopped
The scenery around me seems sad and stale.
Where the wind had blown
The wind, which once seemed wild and free, is now gone.
How I dread when the evening comes
I worry about what happens when I'm alone and have time to think.
And I cannot be
I'm not sure I can be the person you want me to be.
What you want me to be
I feel pressure to be someone who can make you happy.
When you are next to me
Even when you're with me, I feel unsure and uncomfortable.
How silent you are as the veils come down
As the day ends and we become more honest with each other, you become quieter.
Before my eyes
I'm watching our relationship change before my very eyes.
Soft and reserved as you move away
You're becoming more distant and it's hard for me to connect with you.
Donning your disguise
You're putting on a facade and I'm not sure what you're really thinking or feeling.
While every folk song that I ever knew
All the songs that relate to love and heartbreak are starting to make sense to me.
Once more comes true
The songs I once thought were cliches now feel true to my experience.
And loves grows old
Even when love is good, it can still become routine and mundane.
And waxes cold
Love can sometimes grow cold and distant when it's taken for granted.
Just one favor of you, my love
Before I die, there's one thing I want from you.
If I should die today
I'm contemplating my mortality and asking for a favor before I'm gone.
Take me down to where the hills
Bring me to a place where I feel close to nature and free.
Meet the sea on a stormy day
I want to go to the ocean when it's wild and untamed, like my feelings.
Ride a ridge on a snow white horse
I want to feel like I'm in a movie, with a sense of romance and adventure.
And throw my ashes away
After I'm gone, I want my remains to be cast to the wind and sea.
To the wind and the sand
I want to be caught up in the elements, part of something bigger than myself.
Where my song began
I want to return to the place where I first found my voice and my passion.
Lyrics © GABRIEL EARL MUSIC
Written by: JOAN BAEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
james barfield
This song will always be my favorite by Joan, memorized every word and sing it when alone in nature when my heart is broken.
Andrew Board
I hope it was about Bob.
Peter Clancy
"...…… and throw my ashes away to the wind and the sand where my song began". Hauntingly beautiful words!
MotherofpearlMusic
This is one of the most beautiful songs by Joan that I know. Pure balm for the soul.
Gary Smith
You are very correst!
Tamara DeBernardis
One of my favorite songs ever!
Ira Lee
Eloquently captures the agony and ecstasy of true love. Ira Lee, Ph.D.
Ethel Nagelberg
Just breathtaking!!
Moon Yar
I discovered Joan in my teens, a long time ago now, this is one of my favourites. Beautiful
foreignfilmfan711
Beautiful and pure, makes my heart ache, and my eyes tear. Joan has always been a goddess to me.