Track Listing

1. Diamonds And Rust
2. Fountain Of Sorrow
3. Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer
4. Children And All That Jazz
5. Simple Twist Of Fate
6. Blue Sky
7. Hello In There
8. Jesse
9. Winds Of The Old Days - Joan Baez, David Kershenbaum, Bernard Gelb
10. Dida - David Kershenbaum, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Bernard Gelb
11. I Dream Of Jeannie/Danny Boy (Medley)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2346 in Music
• Released on: 2003-02-20
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds
• Running time: 42 minutes

CD Description
Joan Baez scored the biggest commercial success of her career with this 1975 album by tapping into the '70s singer-songwriter zeitgeist in the manner of Joni Mitchell's post-BLUE albums. Baez even recruited Mitchell and her then-current band, the L.A. Express, for the fusion-like groove of "Di Da",and salted the other tracks with guest shots by pop-jazzersTom Scott, Hampton Hawes, and Larry Carlton. Baez also includes covers of Jackson Browne's "Fountain of Sorrow", John Prine's "Hello in There", and Stevie Wonder's "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer".
DIAMONDS AND RUST is perhaps bestviewed as Baez's response to Dylan's confessional BLOOD ON THE TRACKS, including two songs directly addressing their '60s romance (the title track and "Winds of the Old Days"). Asin the past, Baez also performs a song from Dylan's most recent album, in this case, "Simple Twist of Fate" from the aforementioned record. DIAMONDS AND RUST is an oddity in Joan Baez's career, but it's one of her strongest albums.

Customer Reviews

Joan Baez writes a really great song about her and Dylan
I have been mulling over the idea that "Diamonds & Rust" is the best folk album of the Seventies, and it has made me realize that I am always going to think of Bob Dylan as being a folksinger even when his guitar is electric. So I would still give the nod to "Blood on the Tracks," especially since that is where Joan Baez's cover of "Simple Twist Of Fate" comes from. But I have no problem with the idea that this is the best Joan Baez album and no doubt whatsoever that "Diamonds & Rust" is her greatest accomplishment as a songwriter...
Of course the song is about Dylan "the unwashed phenomenon"; what else would make more perfect sense? More importantly, the elegance of the dichotomy offered by those two words is simple genius, which inspires instant recognition on the part of the listener. My biggest compliment that would be "Diamonds & Rust" is the best Dylan songs not written by Dylan. Baez has never sounded any better than she does on this album. In addition to the title song my other favorites are "Hello In There" and "Jesse." The argument can certainly be made by armchair psychologists that the title song was an important catharsis for Baez, which could explain the dramatic improvement in both her songwriting and singing. The latter is probably less obvious simply because Baez and Judy Collins were the standards by which all female folk singers were judged in the Sixties and Seventies. But I think it is obvious that her rich soprano voice with its distinctive vibrato never sounded better. Still, that title song is just so impressive. I would have to say it is one of the ten best songs of the Seventies.

Yes, "Tangled Up in Blue" would also be on that list on diamonds.

One of the best......
Having bought the single way back in the 70's when it was first released and heard what seemed the fashionable comment at the time that "some records were too good for the charts" I wanted to buy the album when funds permitted. No disappointments - this is a classic that doesn't waste a track. Different in style to other albums that Joan Baez has done but more than worth hearing and at a fantastic price. Buy, play, enjoy, you will not regret.

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DIAMONDS AND RUST DELIVERS...
This is an excellent CD from a more mature Joan Baez. Her own musical composition, "Diamonds and Rust", which is the signature song on the CD, is simply outstanding, both lyrically and melodically. Couple it with her own glorious set of pipes, and what one has is a winner! It is simply a beautiful song, sung beautifully.

This CD clearly shows a transition from the more folk based earlier CDs to one which is a little more contemporary in feel, with lusher and, yes, more commercial musical arrangements. There, I said it. Which is not to imply that it is bad. It is simply a change and a different direction than that which had been previously taken by Ms. Baez. Best of all, it works!

Clearly, she can make the transition to a wider audience in this fashion, and she deserves to be heard by as many people as is possible, such is her talent. This CD holds many pleasant surprises in store for the listener.