Joan Baez - Do I just not get it?

>>Bob Dylan's next<<

Yes Dylan's voice is quite rugged now. It was, however, much better in the 60's and 70's. That being said he is unquestionably the single most important pop songwriter of the last 50 years.

First of all, if you're 50, J.B. is not of your generation, she's of the one before (same as Dylan who just turned 64.)

Second, there was no such thing as "PC" in the 60's. Gosh, we even shamed our returning vets. How PC was that!! Thank God, now that we're in Vietnam II and realize we've "been fooled again," at least we're not taking it out on our troops.

Back to Joanie. Most of you probably don't remember when she won a libel suit against the cartoonist Al Capp (creator of Li'l Abner) for placing a raven-haired folk singer in his comic strip named "Little Joanie Phony." As for her voice, I can attest to what Eldartford and Eddaytona said. Steve Kuyamjian, a fellow MIT architecture student, was teaching her to play guitar, and we'd often go to hear her sing at Club 47 Mount Auburn, in Cambridge. Her voice was truly a natural wonder, the material was innocent and ageless. Find some of those early Vanguard LPs, it will be very worth your while. They leave "Diamonds and Rust" in the dust!

When did relative age have anything to do with anything. My 12 year-old loves Frank Zappa, so that means what? He isn't supposed to have an opinion because he's a couple of generations removed? Huh?
I was exposed to Joan Baez well before I was 10 by some unthoughtful siblings, and that means what?
PC start was in the 60's for gosh sakes. It's when everyone got touchy feely about everything and became so concerned with offending anyone in any fashion yada, yada, yada.
You can find instances where the great unwashed acted in an unseemly fashion - the 60's weren't unique.

Snofun, what it means is that your 12 year old son has great taste in music. What it dosen't mean is that he would be able to relate to the mind boggling cultural sea change one experienced growing up in the 60's. Especially after graduating high school in say 1959! For him, or anyone born after 1945, it's really all hearsay isn't it? -- reports of reports of reports, mostly (now) by people who were not there either.

The 60's youth were nothing if not "in your face", and as far as we were concerned, the only "correct" thing was to change all politics. And being peace-loving (touchy-feelie as you put it) never kept us from speaking our minds. Unfortunately the media has now put most of the kids to sleep. Only 30% of current college graduates show proficient reading skills. Yada, yada.

Nope, I don't think you'll find much evidence of the 60s vision in our current culture. We've gone (or been led) down a different road -- it's called consumerism. And it won't end now until the oil runs out. . . . . . and at the rate things are going, if I take real good care of myself, I just might live to see it -- wouldn't THAT be a trip?!

As for Joanie, she had an undeniably great voice; and that's what sold records, not her politics or her songwriting. If she was just starting out today, she'd be the darling of some niche market label, just like Jacintha, but not the star she was then.

Nsgarch, MIT Architecture school? As a fellow Architect I am fully intimidated and completely humbled. That must have been quite a great experience!!!

I then had to go look at your system, Now I feel jealous, I'm not enjoying this morning, we do need to talk however...

Snow-man, you are a friend and as you know, I now live my skiing adventures through you. It was great hearing from you on your vacation plans this winter and I hope you plan on keeping me informed.

Having said that, I do disagree with you on PC of the '60's and '70's. I think riots in the poorest neighborhoods of our nation, riots and killings on our collage campuses, finally exposing the corruption of the Presidential Office and even sit-ins in the Junior High Schools do not qualify as political correct behavior.

Now if you feel the peace, love and Bobby Sherman attitude was PC, I think you missed the point. I do not read Imagine (John Lennon) as political correctness, I read it as love and respect for our fellow man. Sadly this lasted until the hippies got to stoned as to not remember what their cause was. This generation was so close to realizing the truth that it makes me sad to see how far we (human race) has fallen.

Political correctness is no scary halloween customs at the schools, supporting the troops no matter how crazy the reasoning. Calling minorities by the absolute correct name, but not questioning the fairness of their existence. Political correctness is sending vast amounts of money to African charities so we can believe we are doing all we can to help the poorest nations, when actually we have simply turn our backs, "Yes it's tragic, but what more can I do? I already send $$$." Hell, if you need proof of the effects of PC, look at congress, they have not moved in eight years of fear of alienating some group, despite what the masses have asked for. Our nation is no longer a Democracy, it's a forum for the super minority. One atheist complains about the pledge of allegiance in our schools and the entire Government stops to investigate, while thousands of our youth are underfunded by mandated programs that Congress has not gotten around to funding. Is this really what the majority has asked for?

PC states my comments here are not allowed, and as a life long battler of the establishment, I am saddened to see how even you my friend has lost sight of the truth.

BTW, if my complete and honest admiration of MIT Architecture school and my comments above sound like a contradiction, they are not. I must have respect for anyone who worked that hard for a title that I got without any schooling. I chose a thirteen years of experience out of High school rather than "the establishment" and their rules. This got me to the very top of my profession by the age of 35, and I made $$$ every year along the way. PC would dictate people like me not be allowed. Funny thing, 15 years ago the politically correct leaders of Architects made my route no longer available.

The '60's and '70's were a time when anything was possible, and all voices could be heard. Today the only route is the establishments route. No longer is your voice heard if it disagrees, now the protests, if even allowed to gather are forced to gather out of the reach of cameras. And the peace, love and Bobby Sherman? Could we as a nation be any further away???

PC, don't get me started!!!!

jd