Joan Baez - The First 10 Years

She had the public persona of a saint, and a face and voice that captured all the idealism, innocence, and optimism of the '60s folk revival. She wasn't the movement's greatest talent, but her work helped shape all women balladeers who followed. Baez's best youthful work is here, including a host of Dylan songs: "Don't Think Twice," "Gates of Eden," "Farewell Angelina," and "Love Is Just a Four-Letter Word," one of the best songs Dylan wrote but never recorded. Her version of Phil Ochs's "There but for Fortune" is her finest vocal interpretation, a political song that never ceases to move. --Roy Francis Kasten Amazon.com essential recording

OK CD

The cd was good, but Joan Baez does better music than this cd shows. But all in all, still a good cd. September 13, 2008

Not a replacement cd!

What's up with the guy that says he bought this as a replacement for his well worn vinyl and it served the purpose? Did he actually listen all those years while the records were spinning? This cd reissue lacks 5 of the songs that were on the original LP that I actually HAVE listened to since 1970. The missing songs are: Green, Green Grass Of Home, Carry It On, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, London/Old Welsh Song and Silver Dagger! Since the reissue clocks in at around 70 minutes Vanguard could have at least given us Silver Dagger and London/Old Welsh Song and still put it all on one cd. If you are looking for a vinyl replacement this is not it. You will sorely miss the absent tracks. I am giving it only 3 stars because the title does not represent the contents. Otherwise I would give it 5 stars. October 24, 2007

Incomplete

The CD does not cover all the songs of the original double album. How could Joan (or the editors) drop Silver Dagger? October 1, 2007

The First Ten Years

After listening to this CD, I now have to buy more! I missed listening to Joan Baez the last few years. She is the quintessential folk singer .... her music is as relevant now as it was in the 60s. September 2, 2007

Essential

This item gets five stars... just as sure as spring follows winter. The task is to explain why. I have read and appreciated the other reviews (and learned a lot!) so I will try a less factual approach. If you are new to Joan Baez and/or want to know where to start, this CD is IT.

I had the vinyl version of this album a hundred years ago and somehow lost track of it as is the case with many by-gone valuables. So with vague fondness, I went looking for a CD containing a song called "Sweet Sir Gallahad" because I remembered how it captivated me.

I put the CD on... and it was as though I'd always had it, had never gone a week without listening and knowing every word. Have you gotten reacquainted with a dear friend and noticed the value of your friendship melts years and miles away in an instant? Have you ever met a new friend and known instinctively that person would always be a dear friend? Look forward to savoring this CD as one of those dear friends.

Maybe you've picked up that Joan Baez has a hauntingly beautiful voice. It's true. The POWER and PURITY with which she delivers the stories on this CD are deliciously intoxicating. She could be singing Mary had a little lamb and it would be wonderful, but Joan Baez does not sing anything but deeply moving ballads...They are "meaty:" they kind of stick with you. And they grow on you. And after a while you just know they aren't going away anytime soon... so they are yours.

This is the greatness of Joan Baez. You think that listening to this rich, beautiful voice - music on its own - is the gift... and when the CD is over, the next day comes and goes, you realize that not only is the song stuck in your head, but all the richness that Joan Baez put into the song is stuck there too. Most of these songs are timeless, as if they had written themselves... so many are stories collected from here and there and cherished because they have strong messages, passionate plots. Joan Baez found the stories that became her songs. She found them, she loved them, she sang them, she shared them, gave them to us - and now they are ours.

This could be the reason there are so many high ratings... One does't take lightly the value of pricelss gifts and we diehard fans think this CD qualifies.

Bottom Line: (knowing what I know) I would buy this CD if it cost twice as much and came in a paper bag... and now you know what I know... so go ahead and pay whatever it costs... and you may find it a bargain. March 2, 2007

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