Joan (album)
Encyclopedia
Joan was a 1967 album by Joan Baez
. Having exhausted the standard voice/guitar folksong format by 1967, Baez collaborated with composer Peter Schickele
(with whom she'd worked on the 1966 Christmas
album, Noël
), on an album of orchestrated covers of mostly then-current pop and rock and roll songs. Works by Donovan
, Paul Simon
, Tim Hardin
, the Beatles and Richard Fariña
were included, as well as selections by Jacques Brel
and Edgar Allan Poe
.
The recording of "Children of Darkness
" was a tribute to Baez's brother-in-law, novelist and musician Richard Fariña
, who had been killed in a motorcycle accident a year earlier.
"La Colombe" is a French anti-war anthem about French soldiers being sent to fight Algeria
in the latter country's bid for independence.
The 2003 Vanguard reissue contains two bonus tracks: "Oh, Had I a Golden Thread" and "Autumn Leaves".
Side 2
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
. Having exhausted the standard voice/guitar folksong format by 1967, Baez collaborated with composer Peter Schickele
Peter Schickele
Johann Peter Schickele is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist. He is best known for his comedy music albums featuring his music that he presents as music written by the fictional composer P. D. Q...
(with whom she'd worked on the 1966 Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
album, Noël
Noel (Joan Baez album)
Noël was a Christmas album by Joan Baez, released in 1966. Working with composer Peter Schickele , Baez, for the first time, recorded an album outside the standard guitar-based folk format...
), on an album of orchestrated covers of mostly then-current pop and rock and roll songs. Works by Donovan
Donovan
Donovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, Tim Hardin
Tim Hardin
James Timothy "Tim" Hardin was an American folk musician and composer. He wrote the Top 40 hits "If I Were a Carpenter", covered by, among others, Joan Baez, Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, and Robert Plant, and "Reason to Believe", covered by many, including Rod Stewart, as well...
, the Beatles and Richard Fariña
Richard Fariña
Richard George Fariña was an American writer and folksinger.-Early years and education:Richard Fariña was born in Brooklyn, New York, of Cuban and Irish descent. He grew up in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn and attended Brooklyn Technical High School...
were included, as well as selections by Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
and Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
.
The recording of "Children of Darkness
Children of Darkness
Children of Darkness is a 1983 documentary film produced by Ara Chekmayan and Richard Kotuk. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature....
" was a tribute to Baez's brother-in-law, novelist and musician Richard Fariña
Richard Fariña
Richard George Fariña was an American writer and folksinger.-Early years and education:Richard Fariña was born in Brooklyn, New York, of Cuban and Irish descent. He grew up in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn and attended Brooklyn Technical High School...
, who had been killed in a motorcycle accident a year earlier.
"La Colombe" is a French anti-war anthem about French soldiers being sent to fight Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
in the latter country's bid for independence.
The 2003 Vanguard reissue contains two bonus tracks: "Oh, Had I a Golden Thread" and "Autumn Leaves".
Cover
According to the liner notes on the 2003 reissue, in the cover photo of Baez, she was actually lying down. A candid photo taken during recording sessions while she was resting between songs was spun around so it looked as though she was sitting or standing upright.Track listing
Side 1- "Be Not Too Hard" (DonovanDonovanDonovan Donovan Donovan (born Donovan Philips Leitch (born 10 May 1946) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
, lyrics: Christopher LogueChristopher LogueChristopher Logue, CBE is an English poet associated with the British Poetry Revival. He has also written for the theatre and cinema as well as acting in a number of films. His two screenplays are Savage Messiah and The End of Arthur's Marriage...
) - "Eleanor RigbyEleanor Rigby"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by The Beatles, simultaneously released on the 1966 album Revolver and on a 45 rpm single. The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney...
" (John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) - "TurquoiseTurquoise (song)"Turquoise" is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. The "Turquoise" single was released in the United Kingdom on October 30, 1965 through Pye Records and charted to #30. The "Turquoise" single was backed with "Hey Gyp " and only released in the United Kingdom...
" (Donovan) - "La Colombe (The Dove)" (Jacques BrelJacques BrelJacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
) - "The Dangling ConversationThe Dangling Conversation"The Dangling Conversation" is a song written by Paul Simon, first released in September 1966 as a Simon and Garfunkel single "The Dangling Conversation"/"The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine". The song only climbed to 25 on the US charts and never made it onto the UK charts. Paul Simon was amazed...
" (Paul SimonPaul SimonPaul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
) - "The Lady Came from Baltimore" (Tim HardinTim HardinJames Timothy "Tim" Hardin was an American folk musician and composer. He wrote the Top 40 hits "If I Were a Carpenter", covered by, among others, Joan Baez, Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, and Robert Plant, and "Reason to Believe", covered by many, including Rod Stewart, as well...
) - "North" (Baez, Nina Dusheck)
Side 2
- "Children of Darkness" (Richard FariñaRichard FariñaRichard George Fariña was an American writer and folksinger.-Early years and education:Richard Fariña was born in Brooklyn, New York, of Cuban and Irish descent. He grew up in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn and attended Brooklyn Technical High School...
) - "The Greenwood Side" (Traditional)
- "If You Were a Carpenter" (Tim Hardin)
- "Annabel LeeAnnabel Lee"Annabel Lee" is the last complete poem composed by American author Edgar Allan Poe. Like many of Poe's poems, it explores the theme of the death of a beautiful woman. The narrator, who fell in love with Annabel Lee when they were young, has a love for her so strong that even angels are jealous. He...
" (Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
) - "Saigon Bride" (Baez, Nina Dusheck)
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Billboard Pop Albums | 38 |