Winds of the Old Days
Joan Baez Lyrics

The lady's adrift in a foreign land
The singer is lost and uncertain about her place in a new place, possibly a foreign country.

Singing on issues both humble and grand
The singer is raising her voice to bring attention to both small and big issues happening in the world.

A decade flew past her and there on the page
Ten years went by and the singer found out that a certain prince was back in the public eye.

She read that the prince had returned to the stage
The singer learned that a prince, who potentially has some kind of symbolic significance, has returned to the public limelight.

Hovering near treacherous waters
The singer is dangerously close to making a bad decision or entering a perilous situation.

A friend saw her drifting and caught her
A friend helped the singer avoid a bad decision or situation.

Unguarded fantasies flying too far
The singer was getting carried away with unrealistic and unachievable ideas or fantasies.

Memories tumbling like sweets from a jar
The singer remembers past events or experiences and they remind her of the sweetness of life.

And take me down to the harbor now
The singer wants to go to the harbor.

Grapes of the summer are low on the bough
Summer is ending and the abundance of life is coming to a close.

Ghosts of my history will follow me there
The singer's past will follow her to the harbor.

And the winds of the old days will blow through my hair
The singer will be reminded of her past as she feels the winds of time.

Breath on an undying ember
A small breath can reignite memories or passions that were never fully extinguished.

It doesn't take much to remember
Memory can be easily triggered.

Those eloquent songs from the good old days
The past had some beautiful and persuasive songs.

That set us to marching with banners ablaze
Those songs energized people to act and protest for a good cause.

But reporters, there's no sense in prying
Journalists shouldn't pry into private lives.

Our blue-eyed son's been denying
Someone's son with blue-eyes is not willing to confess to something.

The truths that are wrapped in a mystery
The truth is unclear or hard to uncover.

The sixties are over so set him free
The time for the son to confess is over and he should be let go.

Why do I sit the autumnal judge
The singer is questioning why she is judging things when it's not the time for it.

Years of self-righteousness will not budge
The singer cannot let go of her self-righteousness, despite its futility.

Singer or savior, it was his to choose
It was someone's choice whether they wanted to be a singer or a savior.

Which of us knows what was his to lose
We don't know what the person had to lose by choosing one path over the other.

Because idols are best when they're made of stone
Idols or figures to look up to are best when they are not real people with flaws.

A savior's a nuisance to live with at home
It's difficult to live with someone who takes on the responsibility of being a savior or leader.

Stars often fall, heroes go unsung
Even those who are celebrated, such as stars or heroes, can fall or go unnoticed.

And martyrs most certainly die too young
Those who give their lives for a cause or belief often die before they are able to fully experience life.

So thank you for writing the best songs
The singer is grateful for the person who wrote great music.

Thank you for righting a few wrongs
The writer also corrected some injustices or wrongdoings with their music.

You're a savage gift on a wayward bus
The artist's music is a wonderful gift to people who are lost in life and don't know where they are going next.

But you stepped down and you sang to us
Despite their abilities, the artist took a humble approach and performed for everyone.

And get you down to the harbor now
Go to the harbor now, as previously mentioned.

Most of the sour grapes are gone from the bough
Most bad things have already happened, and it's time to move forward and focus on the good things in life.

Ghosts of Johanna will visit you there
Memories of someone called Johanna will come to the singer at the harbor.

And the winds of the old days will blow through your hair
The singer will feel the winds of time and be reminded of the past.