Joan Baez has some incredible music. So, you better bet that her taste in music is just as good. Well, in our humble opinion, it is, and it doesn’t just encompass the folk and roots music you’d think. Like most legendary musicians, Baez’s taste in music is incredibly diverse and is not limited to the genre she typically toils in. So, when she divulged the songs she couldn’t live without on the BBC’s Desert Island Discs, she featured a little bit of everything.
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Here are four songs Joan Baez divulged she couldn’t live without…
“O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings” by George Frideric Handel
Yes, one of Baez’s prized picks comes from the 18th-century world-changing musician, George Frideric Handel. Originally performed on April 13, 1742, in Dublin, Ireland, Handel’s “O Thou That Tellest Good Tidings” is one of the most important compositions in music history. Hence, it comes as no surprise that Baez, one of the most famous singers in music history, took such an affinity to it.
Also, while the masses most commonly associate the song with Christmas, given that it is part of Handel’s Messiah. Baez seemingly loves this song not for that reason alone. Instead, she seemingly sees it as just a general masterpiece.
“Madame George” by Van Morrison
This song is a bit more expected thanks to the mutual musical aspects that Baez and Morrison share. Regardless, Morrison’s 1968 track resides on his infamous album Astral Weeks, which also features monumental songs such as “Sweet Thing” and “Cyprus Avenue”.
The song never peaked on the Billboard Hot 100, given that it was not released as a single. However, the single helped Morrison’s masterclass album peak at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 following its release.
“Diamonds and Rust” by Joan Baez
Hey, a little self-love and pride never hurt. That being so, it seems Joan Baez is so proud of this single that she wishes to never part ways with it in light of the hypothetical posed in the BBC segment. The masses seemingly agree, as the song peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 following its release in 1975.
In addition to praising the song to the BBC, Baez has stated before that she believes this is the best song she has ever written. Concerning her affinity for the song, she told Rolling Stone, “The really, really good stuff comes from down deep, and that was how strongly I was affected by Bob[Dylan] in the relationship and everything.”
“Goldberg Variations” by Johann Sebastian Bach (Played by Glen Gould)
Glen Gould’s rendition of Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” is the most commercially successful and notable interpretation of the 18th-century masterpiece. Gould recorded his version of the composition in 1955. Subsequently, he became a commercial success and one of the better-known composers of the 20th century.
In short, the quality of this masterpiece is simply breathtaking. Thus, it isn’t suprising that Joan Baez added this song to her desert island list. It’s a staple, not only to Baez but to devout music fans of all kinds.
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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