Folksingers 'Round Harvard Square
Joan Baez · 1959
47 min · 18 tracks · country music
A collection of traditional folk songs, showcasing Baez's haunting vocals and emotive storytelling against simple acoustic arrangements.
Top tracks — play these first
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Banks of the Ohio — This track opens the album with a poignant narrative about love and loss, highlighting Baez's ability to convey deep emotion through her voice.
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Black Is the Color — Baez's rendition transforms this traditional ballad into an ethereal experience, showcasing her vocal range and emotional depth.
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John Henry — This version captures the spirit of American folklore, illustrating Baez's commitment to preserving traditional stories while infusing them with personal resonance.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album effectively showcases Baez's vocal talent within traditional folk frameworks, contributing to its historical significance.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent use of acoustic guitar and minimal instrumentation, allowing Baez's vocals to remain the focal point throughout.
- Each track is performed in a straightforward manner, often sticking closely to traditional folk arrangements without significant variation.
- The sequencing includes several songs that share similar themes of love and loss, creating a cohesive emotional thread across the record.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady pace for reflective moments
- warm melodies for cozy settings
- sing-along opportunities with friends
- nostalgic vibes of simpler times
- engaging storytelling through song
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of fast-paced thrills
- prefer standalone energetic tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Debut album that helped establish Baez's recognition in the folk music scene.
- Career context
- Folksingers 'Round Harvard Square was Joan Baez's debut album, released in 1959 when she was just starting to gain recognition in the folk music scene. This album came after her performances at local venues like Club 47 in Cambridge, which helped establish her as a key figure in the American folk revival.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Joni Mitchell· Leonard Cohen· Odetta
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Banks of the Ohio 2:42
- 2 O What a Beautiful City 3:24
- 3 Sail Away Ladies 2:51
- 4 Black Is the Color 2:45
- 5 Lowlands 2:51
- 6 What You Gonna Call Your Pretty Little Baby 2:33
- 7 Kitty 2:04
- 8 So Soon in the Morning 2:11
- 9 Careless Love 2:30
- 10 Le Cheval dans la baignoire (Horse in the Bathtub) 2:13
- 11 John Henry 3:21
- 12 Travelin’ Shoes 2:17
- 13 Bold Soldier 1:57
- 14 Walie Walie 2:01
- 15 Rejected Lover 3:35
- 16 Astrapsen (The Sun Is Risen) 1:44
- 17 Lass From the Low Country 3:09
- 18 Don’t Weep After Me 2:52
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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