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
The Lily of the West
Joan Baez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Arrangement by Joan Baez
When first I came to Louisville
Some pleasure there to find
A damsel there from Lexington
Was pleasing to my mind
Like arrows pierced my breast
And the name she bore was Flora
The Lily Of The West
I courted lovely Flora
Some pleasure there to find
She turned unto another man
Which sore distressed my mind
She robbed me of my liberty
Deprived me of my rest
Still I love my faithless Flora
The Lily Of The West
Down in yonder shady grove
A man of high degree
Conversing with my Flora there
It seemed so strange to me
And the answer that she gave to him
It sure did me oppress
I was betrayed by Flora
The Lily Of The West
I stepped up to my rival
My dagger in my hand
I seized him by the collar and
I boldly made him stand
Being mad to desperation I pierced him in the breast
All for my lovely Flora
The Lily Of The West
I had to stand my trial
I had to make my plea
They placed me in the criminal box
And then commenced on me
Although she swore my life away
Deprived me of my rest
And I still love my faithless Flora
The Lily Of The West
In Joan Baez's Lily of the West, the singer shares his story of falling in love with a beautiful maiden named Flora. He describes her rosy cheeks and ruby lips as piercing his breast like arrows, and he is taken aback by her beauty. The two begin to court, and he is devoted to her, seeking pleasure in her company. However, his happiness is short-lived as Flora turns to another man, breaking his heart and betraying his trust. She robs him of his liberty, and he is left to dream of her love.
The story takes a dramatic turn when the singer finds Flora in conversation with another man of high degree, accentuating the betrayal and the gravity of the situation. The answer that Flora gives the man further depresses the singer as he feels that he has been betrayed once again. The singer's emotions escalate, and he steps up to his rival with his dagger in his hand, taking the situation into his own hands. He kills the man, possibly driven by mad desperation, for his beloved Flora, the Lily of the West.
The singer must face the consequences of his actions and stands trial, where Flora betrays him again by swearing away his life for his crime. Despite this sequence of brutal events, the singer still loves Flora, who he refers to as the Lily of the West.
Line by Line Meaning
When first I came to Louisville
When I first arrived in Louisville
Some pleasure there to find
I was hoping to find some enjoyment there
A damsel there from Lexington
I met a young woman from Lexington
Was pleasing to my mind
She caught my attention and I found her attractive
Her rosy cheeks, her ruby lips
Her cheeks were pink and her lips were red
Like arrows pierced my breast
She had an immediate, strong impact on my emotions
And the name she bore was Flora
Her name was Flora
The Lily Of The West
She was known as the Lily of the West, a title of beauty and purity
I courted lovely Flora
I pursued a relationship with Flora
Some pleasure there to find
I hoped to find happiness with her
She turned unto another man
She started seeing someone else
Which sore distressed my mind
It caused me a great deal of emotional pain
She robbed me of my liberty
She took away my freedom
Deprived me of my rest
She caused me to lose sleep and feel unrested
Still I love my faithless Flora
I still have feelings for Flora even though she betrayed me
The Lily Of The West
She still holds the title of the Lily of the West in my heart
Down in yonder shady grove
Over in that shaded area
A man of high degree
A man of high social standing
Conversing with my Flora there
Engaging in conversation with Flora
It seemed so strange to me
It seemed unusual and suspicious
And the answer that she gave to him
Her response to him
It sure did me oppress
It weighed heavily on my mind and troubled me deeply
I was betrayed by Flora
Flora betrayed me
The Lily Of The West
The Lily of the West has again caused me pain
I stepped up to my rival
I approached the man I saw as my competition
My dagger in my hand
Holding a weapon
I seized him by the collar and
Grabbed him by the neck
I boldly made him stand
I demanded he stand up
Being mad to desperation I pierced him in the breast
I was so angry and desperate that I stabbed him in the chest
All for my lovely Flora
I did this because of my feelings for Flora
The Lily Of The West
Again her title is invoked as the reason behind my actions
I had to stand my trial
I had to face a legal trial
I had to make my plea
I had to defend myself
They placed me in the criminal box
They put me in the defendant's section of the courtroom
And then commenced on me
The legal proceedings began against me
Although she swore my life away
Flora spoke against me in court
Deprived me of my rest
Her actions caused me to lose sleep and feel anxious
And I still love my faithless Flora
Despite everything, I still have feelings of love for Flora
The Lily Of The West
She will always be The Lily of the West
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, GABRIEL EARL MUSIC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: . TRADITIONAL, DAVID HOLGATE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Phillippilib
It's great to see new generations discover this wonderful singer and musician from the late 1950s and 1960s. She was one of the giants of folk music. Though she is in her 70s, she is still singing music and a great person.
Patti Snee
I grew up on Baez, Neil Diamond, Simon and Garfunkel as well as Haggard. My mom's favorites and I love them still!
D B majed
Still today☺️ I'm 17 years old and I love her songs
Madison Bouse
absolutely. so so thankful to have stumbled upon her <3
deez nutz
im 22 and Joan Baez has been my favorite female vocalist ever since i discovered her some years ago. i adore her. every song and every line she sings is just pure art.
Enneise
@Sylvain Labbé So do I. I totally agree.
meltzerboy
The young Joan Baez with the pure crystalline soprano voice at her best! Her diction too was and still is exemplary, not to mention here guitar playing. A wonderful artist.
Saul Tigh
The way she plays this guitar is just breathtaking. as if her voice was not enough to get you baffled.. one of the world most special voices if you ask me. ;)
Giovanni Bellini
I agree
lisa rosen
I am old now. Her music shaped life, and gave me joy for over half a century.