Joan Baez:
Home > Music > B > Baez, Joan > Discography
Albums | Compilations | Singles | Videos
 Joan BaezRing Them Bells Release Date: 1995 09 26 Label: Proper Sales & Dist. Rating:  |
By the mid-'90s, Joan Baez had been around long enough to assume the mantle of grand matron of the folk scene. Ring Them Bells finds her freshening her sound by tapping into the revivified singer/songwriter genre of the mid-'90s, an especially strong time for women artists. For this live album (recorded at the Bottom Line in New York City) Baez enlisted an impressive roster of women, sharing the stage with the likes of Indigo Girls, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Mary Black. And while the collaborations tend to be casual and lack a certain finish, there's added interest in hearing Baez backed up by those who were undoubtedly influenced by her style. That's obviously the raison d'etre for this disc, which otherwise might have been just another throwaway live album. The strength of the album lies in the diverse set list. It spans Baez's career: the usual standards like "Diamonds & Rust" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (sung a cappella), are bolstered by traditional folk songs like "Lily of the West." She peppers her own repertoire with an ample range of covers, including "Suzanne," Janis Ian's "Jesse," and more recent offerings from Dar Williams and Indigo Girls. Baez was still listening to Bob Dylan's work, as evidenced by her delicate treatment of "Ring Them Bells," a hymn-like gem from Oh Mercy. There's a gentle, unifying force in these performances -- as if Baez is tying up 30-plus years of folk and singer/songwriter tradition, sweeping across the land, and liking what she sees. Jim Esch, All Music Guide
Tracks:
| Title | Composer | Time | |
| 1 | Lily of the West | Traditional | |
| 2 | Sweet Sir Galahad | Baez | |
| 3 | And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda | ||
| 4 | Willie Moore | ||
| 5 | Swallow Song | Farina | |
| 6 | Don't Make Promises | ||
| 7 | Jesse | Ian | |
| 8 | Ring Them Bells | Dylan | |
| 9 | Welcome Me | ||
| 10 | Suzanne | Cohen | |
| 11 | You're Aging Well | Williams | |
| 12 | Pajarillo Barranqueño | ||
| 13 | Don't Think Twice, It's All Right | Dylan | |
| 14 | Diamonds & Rust | ||
| 15 | Night They Drove Old Dixie Down | Robertson |
Other Releases:
| Ring Them Bells [Collectors Edition] Release Date: 1995 Label: Proper Sales & Dist. |
Browse More Music:
![Add to My Music](javascript:addFavorite("0","R 220158","3","Joan+Baez%3A+Ring+Them+Bells","http%3A%2F%2Fimages.starpulse.com%2FAMGPhotos%2Fpop%2Fcov75%2Fdrd500%2Fd551%2Fd55177d101a.jpg","Music%2FBaez%2C_Joan%2FDiscography%2Falbum%2FP1917%2FR220158","My Music");){kind=link}