Diamonds And Rust – Joan Baez | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#35); 1975
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Joan Baez was already considered the Queen of Folksingers when she crossed paths with a scruffy Midwest original named Bob Dylan in 1963. Baez took him under her wing and into her heart.
She not only introduced Dylan to the movers and shakers of the folk world, she also sang his songs in concert and included them on record. (Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right and With God On Our Side appeared on her 1963 Top 10 LP Joan Baez In Concert Part 2). As Dylan’s star rose, their relationship disintegrated.
Still, Joan recorded an entire album of her former lover’s songs in 1968. In 1971 Blessed Are became Joan’s most successful album in six years on the strength of the hit single, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.
Diamonds And Rust arrived in 1975 with Joan’s title-track reflection on her love for Dylan when he was “The unwashed phenomenon/The original vagabond.” After a decade apart, Bob responded by asking Joan to tour with him in the Rolling Thunder Revue.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Joan Baez
Lyrics Written by:
- David Kershenbaum
- Joan Baez
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).