Joan Baez - Kumbaya

Subject: RE: Joan Baez - Kumbaya
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 02:31 PM

We were singing it in in Girl Guide camp (early 60's)before I ever heard of Joan Baez, but I agree her version is good.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez - Kumbaya
From: Maryrrf
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 01:21 PM

My dad didn't like it either. Well, I'm sure he secretly did, but he wouldn't admit it, because he couldn't stand her politics. Her albums were banned in our house, but of course that only made me like her more!

Subject: RE: Joan Baez - Kumbaya
From: Little Hawk
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 12:34 PM

"Very Early Joan" is my favorite too. Boy, she sure was some singer, and there was a freshness to her style then that was just riveting.

(Unless you were one of those philistines who didn't get it...like DaveA's dad...heh! Too bad for them.)

Subject: RE: Joan Baez - Kumbaya
From: Maryrrf
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 10:57 AM

I don't have that particular album but yes it IS wonderful to go back and hear Joan when she was in her prime and did traditional material so beautifully. My favorite is "Very Early Joan".

Subject: RE: Joan Baez - Kumbaya
From: Nerd
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 10:47 AM

Those Joan Baez reissues are really nice! But I think the US and Australian issues must be different: Kumbaya is on "In Concert" in my set. "Volume 2" has some other great stuff,

incidentally, my friend Joe Hickerson reckons he was the first person to record Kumbaya on a commercially published record. It was with the Folksmiths in 1958.

Subject: RE: Joan Baez - Kumbaya
From: Georgiansilver
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 07:41 AM

Stuck with the vinyl I'm afraid. My Joan Baez on Vanguard LP still hits the turntable occasionally and I have to agree with your statement on the best version of Kumbaya.
Best wishes, Mike.

Subject: Joan Baez - Kumbaya
From: DaveA
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 06:58 AM

I was wondering if anyone else could identify with this,

In 1963, in Australia, this was THE SONG, and Joan Baez in Concert Vol: II was the record. I played it incessantly (my Dad called her Moaning Joan), and gave it to several girl friends (alas without success), and I judged every performance I heard of it against hers.

It's now 2006 & I just took delivery of a CD of Joan Baez Vol II.
As a cynical 62 year old I have to say I am not moved by much these days BUT this has snuck under my guard. The transfer to CD is wonderful and the sound is superb.

Joan Baez still has the best version of Kumbaya (albeit she recorded it over 40 years ago) and her Copper Kettle, Danger Waters & Pretty Boy Floyd are pretty damn good as well.

Isn't it wonderful that folk artists build a body of work as their career develops. And that current technology gives us the chance to hear them as they originaly sounded.