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Joan Baez - Do I just not get it?

Hi,

I'm a relatively young music/audio guy (24). I recently bought a remaster LP of Joan Baez "In Concert" which I've heard is a great album, both musically and soundwise.

This is my first exposure to Joan Baez - and not meant to offend fans... But I could not make it past song two. Now I love singer/songwriter music, and certainly enjoy female vocals and acoustic guitar... but her voice! It is unlistenable! She uses so much vibrato and sounds like a sheep... baaaaaaa... Stevie nicks can at least get away with being a sheep because she has the rock music to keep the attention away... but joan Baez - How do you guys enjoy listening to this stuff? The vibrato is terrible!
goatwuss
mt10425
1,138 posts
 
Please excuse Ray, it seems he just woke from a nap ;-} DJRD is Joni Mitchell, not Joan Baez. I also don't believe anything on Audiogon is free anymore. I also grew up during the 60's and Joan did have a beautiful singing voice, albeit an acquired taste. She is not a long-term listen for me either.
jadem6's avatar
jadem6
1,071 posts
 
She was a messenger for a very troubled time. Equal rights, the assassination of Kennedy, Vietnam, riots in our cities and collage campuses created some very troubled youth who believed they could change the world. The messages from Dylan, Baez, Guthrie and so many others was change.

These "leaders" speaking through their words help an entire generation change the world. Think about that, none were older than you Goatwuss, yet the world stopped for a time, and great changes happened.

It's one of those "guess you had to be there" things. emotion and energy of generations are portrayed in music, it's not always good however.

jd
avguygeorge
2,300 posts
 
I do own the MoFi D&R and love it. But I understand different female voices appeal to different folks. Me?? I can't handle Patricia Barber--go figure.__
gregm
3,021 posts
 
A lot is time-related and, as JD notes... the lyrics no longer strike the direct emotional chord as before, perhaps. Without the direct emotional & situational context, what's left is the music & that vibrato. That, I concur, hasn't aged very well.
Nor have my ears:
...(A)... song from Joan Baez I love is Diamonds & Rust
So do I -- but now that I'm a few months older, I prefer the version by Judas Priest! Go figure...
phd
1,008 posts
 
Gregm, I had no idea that Judas Priest did a version of this song, never heard that one but I bet it would be interesting to hear.

Music is like stepping into a time machine, I don't think there is another media that can transport you so effectively & quickly to a another place and time. For better or worse this is one of Music's greatest draws.
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