Joan Baez
Joan Baez
1960
Album Summary
Joan Baez is the debut solo album by folk singer Joan Baez. The album was recorded in the summer of 1960 and released the same year. The original release featured 13 traditional folk songs. Later reissues included three additional songs.In 2015, the album was selected for induction into National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress for special recognition and preservation as one of the sound recordings in over 130 years of recording history that has "cultural, artistic and/or historical significance to American society and the nation's audio legacy".
WikipediaUnlistenable. This sounds like Woodstock and the Renaissance Fair had a baby.
Beautiful in its simplicity is something I've said on previous albums but this is another perfect example. Folk that I can get behind. Nothing more beautiful than a person and their guitar. Great cover of House of the Rising Sun.
Such a beautiful first album from the goddess of folk. Totally forgot that House Of The Rising Son was on her debut. Hard not to get emotional on All My Trials or Girl Of Constant Sorrow, and have some peyote and run around like a kid in the fields of Walnut Grove as school lets out on Wildwood Flower. I would have loved to be on the hillside listening in at Woodstock when she was 6 months pregnant and missing her husband who was in a Texas prison for refusing to fight in the Vietnam War. There is a reason that a passion for folk songwriting is in my soul, and I know that Joan had something to do with it. Tip of the hat to present era folk troubadours like Colin Meloy who continue to water the flowers that Baez planted.
This was a very nice folk album with such a clear and clean sound. I enjoyed how the guitar feels like it's just there to enhance her voice.
I know what they are trying to do and I think they are doing it well. I just am not a fan.
“Joan Baez” by Joan Baez (1960) I don’t know what you were doing in 1960, but with this album, Joan Baez was launching her career as a folk icon. Actually, she wasn’t. She was simply singing beautiful traditional folk ballads and laments with her inimitable voice and deftly executed acoustic stylings. Her ‘career’ was simply the loving conversation that the world had with her musical magic. This recording is both tasteful and tasty in its simplicity, its resonance, and its depth. Her lyrics, melodies, and chord structures are all, of course, features of well-selected traditional folk songs (Her songwriting would come later). But it’s what she did with these songs that yanked on the heartstrings of millions—and still does. Vocally, her characteristic rapid vibrato over an equally characteristic sonorous timbre wrings every drop of passion out of the poetry. When she attacks the melody in her upper register, she freezes the listener in his tracks, like the ears of a deer caught in the headlights. Her dynamic variation is frightening—going from soft and sweet to a powerful wail in the space of a skipped heartbeat. Accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she chooses and performs fingerings and fills that are perfectly suited to each composition. Beginning guitarists would be well advised to listen to her, learn, practice, and aspire—in that order. This was Joan Baez’ first album. Most tracks were recorded in one take, with voice and guitar together. No dubbing. No effects. No frills. Folks, this is as pure as folk music gets. 5/5
Well, looks like I've fallen in love with a voice again. Joan, you have my heart. Don't tell my wife.
Joan's voice is incredibly clear and bright. The album is mastered so well for something as old as it is. This is gorgeous, very stripped folk music that highlights an incredible voice.
not really my taste in music. the singing was very high pitched and light and airy with a thin backing track. not really what i like
Very calm and relaxing. Every song sounds like it should be in a Disney movie.
this is one of those albums that are too good to rate I can’t tell you how much I love this kind of folksy music the vocals, the guitar, those nice melodies, it all comes together to create a beautiful, warm atmosphere it reminds me a lot of Vashti Bunyan’s album Just Another Diamond Day (one of my favorite albums ever) I would love to find more albums with this kind of sound Cottage Songs by Naomi Lewis is a pretty nice album, but the genre is a little too different, it still sounds incredible and I love that album, but it could use a little more one on one with her voice and some warm guitar anyway, this album is just too special for me to give a simple 10/10 I really need more music like this
Joan does some good stuff with these songs, but I do find 30+ minutes of her warbling away a little testing.
I thought this was going to be perfect listening for a slightly hungover Sunday morning but her voice is far too shrill for my tastes, I only made it halfway through.
tanto su voz, su música como sus letras son increíblemente bellas. este álbum se merece las cinco estrellas completas, y eso sin olvidar que es su álbum DEBUT.
My Mum played a lot of Baez when I was growing up, but, being 10, I never really saw the appeal. This album really clicked for me, though; it's very straightforward, but her pitch-perfect voice and skills as a guitarist elevate it to stratospheric levels. What's more is that it has a level of authenticity and sincerity that's sorely missed in modern music.
Alllllll the scrumptious folky singing, jangly guitar and all executed perfectly by the effortlessly cool Joan Baez. Voice of an angel combined with epic guitar skills. Absolutely beautiful and flawless renditions of some traditional folk songs. Finally, an album to get really excited about again! I love the feeling an album like this gives me, the story telling is done in such a relaxing yet haunting way. I'm so drawn into a different time in history, even if the subject of the story is super mundane. Ugh the Spanish tooooo, incredible. In awe!
Excellent example of why I think Folk Music may be the TRUEST form for music, no matter the origin. It feels Primordial and contemporary all at once.
A true classic. She exemplifies true folk....a masterpiece. Joan, Janis Jopin, Joni Mitchell, Carole King.....the true greats!
Great voice. Had memories of the Carpenters with more a country/folk twist.
Obviously a pinnacle talent in this genre, though I think her style meshes better with some songs (Silver Dagger, John Riley), but can't quite carry others (House of the Rising Sun) where her singing is just too refined and frankly pretty for the content of the lyrics.
Beautiful renditions of some classic songs. Interesting to read about how it was recorded in a hotel with just Joan and an acoustic guitar. Highlights: -East Virginia -House of the Rising Sun -I Know You Rider
I very much enjoyed it. Didn’t know House of the Rising Sun was a Baez jam.
Love her or not, Baez is definitely one of the foundational pillars of modern folk in America.
Love her. Her voice is haunting and so gripping. I've only heard this first album a couple of times, so it's a nice revisit.
Joan Baez has a beautiful voice. this is a great collection of folk covers
Proof that simplicity does not mean something has to be dull or uninspiring.
I was very surprised when I heard woman of constant sorry and house of the rising sun on this album. She has a beautiful voice that fits so well with the genre she was playing
A very soft and intimate album... Like you're sitting in someone's living room or around a fire and listening to them tell you stories. Thoroughly enjoyed. Favorite Tracks(s): "Silver Dagger," "House of the Rising Sun," and "Henry Martin"
I thought I wasn't gonna like this but you know what? First song is really pretty. I like her voice. I feel like Mandy Moore probably loves the hell out of this woman. But seriously I'm surprised I've never really listened to her. This is lovely. Makes me very calm. Sometimes she veers into sea shanty vibes lol. Bitch even sings in Spanish! This is dope. I'm gonna give it a 4/5 not cause it was one of my favorite albums but it's really good for the genre I think.
Sets the tone from the beginning. Wasn’t expecting an album of ballads, and wouldn’t expect to like one, but this is interesting. House of the Rising Sun was great. All in all an enjoyable, relaxing listening experience.
This is the first time I've ever listened to Joan Baez. I surprisingly enjoyed it. She has a very pleasant voice and impressive guitar skills. Some of the songs are depressing but musically engaging. I'll check out some more Joan Baez someday. Wren liked it too.
I wish I could say that this was a revelation for me. Maybe it would have been if I were a teenager when it was released but I have to listen through the spectrum of my already established tastes. 4 🌟 just for her angelic voice and the intimate recording.
A little low keyed for my tastes. But I can see where Joan was impressing folks.
Top Picks: Silver Dagger and House of the Rising Sun. Really liked this one! Obviously very Dylan-esque. Some really nice songs on here and due to the recording techniques used, it managed to capture studio sound with a very live, authentic feel.
Beautiful folk album. Stripped back instrumentation shows the strength in the vocals and the lyricism of the stories.
Even through these are mostly traditional songs, her voice is lovely and I really enjoyed listening to them.
J’aime bien le cote folk rock et la voix. C’est tres bin et ca secoute super bien dans le style. Content d’avoir decouvert cela. 4.75
Easy listen, I'm not usually into the ethereal ladies voices, but somehow this grabbed me. Interesting how these are all traditional songs -- many of unknown origin. Some of them are first take. Amazing. Reading more into this makes me like it more.
What a pleasant surprise! Thoroughly enjoyed this, relaxing backing with a really impressive vocal performance on top. Not a 'get shit done' album but fully here for it as one for an after work wind down
Trouxe uma vibe toda diferente. É uma voz peculiar, mas que cativa. Gostei v
Baez is such a lovely and talented writer and musician her folksy soprano perfect placed within subtle guitar. Lyrically she’s tearing my heart out “All My Trials” is a STANDOUT.
This type of folk music is not my favorite but I appreciate it from a historical perspective.
Such pretty/haunting melodies! I’m so impressed with the multiple languages and styles of songs across the board, and “House of the rising sun” is one of my all-time favorite songs, so this is a winner for me.
Her voice has a kind of hypnotic power. Interesting to listen to this shortly after the Joni Mitchell album - she must count Joan Baez as an influence. Their voices are similar. Recently I’ve enjoyed listening to mellow music on headphones late at night when everything’s quiet and this album fits that mood. I may have to add her to the nighttime rotation. (And she sings in Spanish too? God bless!)
Despite the several songs in which her warbly trilling hits the exact resonant frequency that vibrates the pain receptors behind my eyeballs, I enjoy much of this album. But then, I grew up with folk music. I love finger picking, I love story songs. Hard to believe she was basically a kid when this was recorded.
Oh MATE this was absolutely lush. What an amazing voice she had, interested to recognise some of her songs and wondering whether they are OGs or covers. Loved the folky country tones and the absolute clarity of her voice. Gorg
I always love Joan Baez voice from the day I first heard it. Amazing folk artist, I could listen to her over and over again. Such an inspiration for a lot of great artist. Legend.
Quite amazing indeed. I truly enjoyed this one, even if it was a little too long. It's nice to discover the original voice that defined a whole folk style. I'm going to need this one in my collection!
Неожиданно многие песни зашли. Возможно, так сказывается тотальное одиночество и обречённость, а эта музыка и великолепный вокал дали луч света в этом царстве. 7 из 10.
Flawless vocals, note perfect guitar playing, and yet it all feels a bit bloodless. I still really enjoyed it though! Would probably benefit from being listened to a few more times.
There is beauty in simplicity and Joan Baez has a airy,stunning voice, with stripped back traditional folk songs her voice shines. I’m only giving it a 4 because there is no original songwriting and sometimes bland production.
This album features a beautiful voice singing many traditional old folk tunes. Joan Baez sings soulfully and beautifully. This album doesn't offer much more than that but if you are into folk (like myself) you should dig this album. My favorite songs are 'Donna Donna', 'House Of The Rising Sun' and 'El Preso Numero Nueve'. Good relaxing album to have on in the background. 3.5/5
Fantastic folk from the beginning of the 60s. It's easy to see where a lot of the singers who came after Baez took their inspiration from.
"Joan Baez" is the debut album by American folk singer Joan Baez. The album is also known as Joan Baez Vol. 1 and includes 13 traditional folk songs. It was recorded in just four days in a NYC basement with Joan's voice and her guitar. There is some backing guitar. The sparse musical arrangements stress the lyrics and Joan's voice which can be stunning and sometimes piercing. It is also one of those culturally, aesthetically and/or historically significant albums selected for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. The album begins with the American folk ballad "Silver Dagger." Nice guitar playing. The female narrator turns away a suitor based on a warning by her Mother. Baez shows her vocal strength on the English folk ballad "Fare Thee Well (10,000 Miles)." Bidding her man farewell. The Animals do a pretty evil-sounding version of "House of the Rising Sun" but with just her voice and a guitar Joan's version is even more haunting. A person's life goes wrong in New Orleans. Joan goes country in "Wildwood Flowers" and then Yiddish in "Donna Donna." The highlight of the album for me is her version of the Scottish ballad "Mary Hamilton." Speaking of haunting, a lady-in-waiting to the queen becomes pregnant by the king, kills the baby and then awaits her impending death. Quite a tale and Joan's emotional range is just fantastic. I think a decent job at the accent too. This was an interesting album. I really liked the way the songs switched from traditional American to English to country to Yiddish to Scottish and back. With a simple acoustic guitar, Joan's voice carried the emotion and was able to successfully achieve the variety of folk songs on this album. I recommend this for obviously anyone who likes folk and/or wanting to hear one of the best artists in that category.
At first sight it seems a really normal album of folk, however it's interesting that "the house of the rising sun" is present and also a song from Roberto Cantoral who wrote a lot of songs very popular in spanish
In verbalizing the feelings, I have to justify the way that Joan Baez impacted me in contrast with the other folk stalwarts. I think it has something to do with in-betweenness, the way Joan's voice is a bridge between the traditional forms and the moment one listens. There's precious little else in the recording. A lot of dynamic range, I suppose. These are compositions held gently, and offered now and for the future: After all, they arrived at Baez.
Very Joni Mitchell-esque chilled-out folk vibes. I liked it, probably not going to revisit anytime soon.
Nice enough, couple of pretty good covers in there. Probably wouldn't look it out.
Beautiful voice, and some good tracks. Overall wouldn't listen to much again.
Archetypal folk! She has an amazing voice, but I'm not so keen on the vibratto (if that's the word) technique she uses in most of the songs. Fave track - Toss up between "House of the Rising Sun" (which has a really interesting wikipedia page!) and "Girl of Constant Sorrow"
The voice of an angel. Beautiful. Never listened to her first record before; I mostly spin Diamonds and Rust.
Music from the West of the states that gives 1800 vibes. Powerful voice of Joan Baez and a rich scale of tones.
super 60s this innit. you can positively smell the flower children. i'm sympathetic to fingerpicking acoustic guitar, there's a time and place for it, it's great background music.
Pleasant background listening. Not interesting enough for the foreground though.
A vocally strong folk album. Some of the songs had a story that was a little dark or depressing which was contrary to Baez’s strong voice. It was enjoyed more than expected. 7.6/10
Classic folk songs sung & played on guitar in a sincere way by artist Joan Baez. The recording for this album is as simple as it gets, but the voice of Joan steals the show and makes a listener think they are hearing one of the specific folk songs for the first time!
Were debating between 2 and 3 because her voice is high and can be *grating*. But when she is not doing that, it is really beautiful. Jess also forced this rating
Queen of the folkies. Acoustic finger picking and powerful vibrato vocals deliver a bunch of traditional folk songs. Best Tracks: Silver Dagger; The House of the Rising Sun; Rake and Rambling Boy
Все эти бардоские песни не очень, да ещё и высокий громкий женский вокал, не по мне, даже переслушивать не стану.
Eh. It was fine. I was going back and forth between whether to give it three or four stars. I was originally leaning towards four because of how good Joan Baez's singing is, but man, this album just feels too long.
Sounds wildly similar to Joni Mitchell's stuff. In one song she even says 'circle' and it immediately made me think of the Circle Game. Pleasant enough but none of it really stuck out to me. Learned that House of the Rising Sun is essentially on old folk tune that's been adapted by many
Nice voice and songwriting. Obviously like House of the Rising Sun. Kind of music to fall asleep to
I enjoy this at first and would have likes to give it 4 stars. It outstayed its welcome though And started to wear on my patience. Still had some nice finger picking but after 45mins I was glad when it finished.
expecting to like this. 3-4? Definite 3. a little wailey. Standout is Dona dona dona tho.
3.7 - A tasteful selection of folk songs, arranged simply and sung with an undeniably gorgeous voice.
11th January 2022 Listened throughout the day while working from home home. Rosie came over and me and dad watched on her majesty's secret service. Sounds similar to Joni Mitchell, immediate 60s folk vibes. Lovely voice
Penso sia un bell'album, mi piace la voce e gli arrangiamenti. Però tende a sembrarmi un po' tutto uguale. Forse leggendo i testi potrebbe essere più appassionante.
My black olives again. Everyone loves them but me. I keep trying them, still find them meh. This is Joan Baez for me.
I know JB' music a little bit. Diamonds and Rust is an incredible song, which sadly does not feature on this album. I think this is an album made up of covers only (no original songs), which is obviously not that unusual in the folk circles. There's a good mixture of trad. songs in familiar with, and songs im not. She has a good voice and is a good guitarist, which makes for an enjoyable album albeit not overly memorable
I've not heard much Joan Baez but this album feels very familiar. The style of singing, the acoustic guitar accompaniment, and even a few of the songs are very much a part of my youth. Joan's voice is better than most of the stuff I grew up with, though, and some of the fingerpicking hits the spot too. When they mesh perfectly it's really enchanting. I'm not above getting a little bored though, particularly in the middle part of the album. I'll relax my 'low marks for all covers' policy a bit as it's sort of the point of the whole folk tradition...
Eh. It was fine. I was going back and forth between whether to give it three or four stars. I was originally leaning towards four because of how good Joan Baez's singing is, but man, this album just feels too long.
She has a beautiful voice on this album and the songs are interesting. I guess this is an example of top form folk singing but I didn’t enjoy it. It was not bad but it didn’t catch me.
Beautiful, majestic, romantic are all the things this album is and I am not
I'll admit never been a big fan of Joan Baez, I've only listen to one album of hers before, Any Day Now, a cover of Dylan songs. Overall I enjoyed this album much more than expected, I felt her soprano voice was more constraint and subtle compared to other works. It has a very ethereal sound. There's such a diversity in which traditional folk songs were chosen I felt transported to 19th century America (Silver Dagger, Wildwood Flower) or the common room of a Scottish Tavern (John Riley, Henry Martin). Overall it was a fun listen, and I surely check out her early work but still not a big fan.
I realize the historical significance of the release of this album and the lasting influence Joan Baez has been since the 60's, but I can't honestly say I enjoy it that much. Her music and her singing is fine, I just need to hear her in small doses.
C’est bien fait. C’est pas mon genre, mais ça s’écoute bien. Ça fait beaucoup de chansons, ça devient un peu long et répétitif. Sa voix est un peu agressante dans l’aigüe. 1960, c’est surprennant, mais peut-être que c’est parce que je ne connais pas le bag.
A good folk record, nothing particularly hooked me, but the whole album flows very well and the intimate atmosphere that reigns there is beautiful.
Mais um pra lista 'Artistas excelentes que não consigo ouvir 3 musicas em sequencia'
She’s got a great voice. Don’t really care for much of the folk stuff though. 6/10
Monumentally influential album that led to the folk explosion in the 60s. Joan Baez' debut album is the groundwork that would lead to Bob Dylan, The Byrds and the essential sound of the 70s. Combined with an ethic for doing good and protesting the bad, the hippie movement is being seeded here. 3.5./5
This type of music is like balm for my weary soul and made for pleasant listening on my morning commute today. “Wildwood Flower” was the highlight for me. I don’t think I’d listen to this album again but it was nice this morning.
Sparse but clear arrangements of traditional songs. Stands up well today. Sometimes her voice gets a little shrill but otherwise good to have in the background.
Remarkable voice for a 19 year old. She is clean and clear cut with stark accompaniment on the guitar. It's maybe too clean for my liking and sounds more American folk (Appalachian in places?) to me but I'm no expert. In the 60's she was a BIG celebrity with Dylan and very influencial but she seems to have faded. All in all I'm grateful to have heard this but not a favourite.
Listened Before? N I have heard OF Joan Baez, but I've never heard Joan Baez. She's an extremely talented singer. This was a very good album and I really like all the folk songs she covered here. The only gripe I have is that her range is fairly limited so it starts to sound samey after a while. I'm sure she improved later in her career. Enjoyable. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist:
I like the selection of songs on this album. I think she is a fine guitarist and has a good sense of rhythm. Her voice is powerful and she can reach those high notes with crisp and clear tones. However, I prefer when women sing with a clear voice instead of adding the trill sounds. It can be even more powerful that way. The female voice is so beautiful, pure simple tones convey a feeling that the singer is revealing the beauty of her soul. The British folk singers of the 60s sang that way and it was lovely. Joan was a pioneer in the American folk movement and it wouldn't have been the same without her. But she could have been nicer to Rose and Licorice. They were cool too.
63/100: I’m so glad this album came up in this project. As a huge Bob Dylan fan, I’ve always meant to listen to Joan Baez, but the problem is I always end up reverting back to Dylan instead. Dylan and Baez play the same type of music, but Dylan is clearly the better artist, so I never choose to listen to the “worse” artist on my own volition. I’m glad this project forced me to, though. While I don’t think I really discovered anything new, this album did provide interesting context to the musical world Bob Dylan surrounded himself with, which I found really cool. Listening to this album full of new arrangements of old traditional songs gave me a newfound respect for Dylan’s sound as heard by his own generation. Most folk artists at the time were like Joan Baez, stretching the limits of old arrangements—and doing it very well as this album proves. But Dylan went out and wrote his own songs, told his own stories, with these songs as inspiration. Baez is an incredibly talented singer, her voice is so beautiful and soothing, sometimes even hauntingly so, but this album left a lot to desire in terms of songwriting creativity. That amount to be desired can be satisfied by putting on any Bob Dylan album, which—no disrespect to Joan Baez—is exactly what I did after listening to this album. It was a fun listen, but mostly only for the historical context it provided around another artist.
For Kate Wolf fans, and probably for some specific eras of Joni Mitchell fans, as well. The album is more of a mood than anything – no real peaks and troughs. Favorite tracks for me include "El Preso Numero Nueve" and "I Know You Rider". Unlikely to revisit in its entirety, but curious to hear more Baez singing spanish.
Beautiful voice. Some interesting covers that I hadn't heard before. Not something I would normally listen to, but I am glad to have heard it.
Best Song: House of the Rising Sun. I just love this song. I love the original, I love most covers. Her voice fits nicely, turning it into a somewhat more haunted version than others. Worst Song: Mary Hamilton. This song exemplifies some of the problems with self-editing in the album. The song is overly long, lingering long after it has made its point, and is the tipping point for the same regarding the album in general. Overall: What felt charming and ethereal at the beginning gave way to tiresome as the soft vibrato continued relatively unabated for 16 long tracks. I might have loved a shorter version of this album, trimmed of its fat.
A classic, without a doubt. Such simplicity and feeling blend together to give life to these folk tales. However, not a recording I would return to often…