The Best of Joan C. Baez

ith the advent of the '70s, Joan Baez's music began to change. Her passionate commitment to human rights never wavered, but her romance with country music cooled, and message oriented, political songs began to interest her less. Instead, Baez began taking a decidedly more pop route. She began to sing more about personal experiences, her own songs beginning to reflect love, loss, and other issues surrounding the human condition.
A rich and eclectic collection of 12 songs recorded during Baez's tenure with A&M Records, THE BEST OF showcases the folk singer in this period of artistic transition, displaying her ability to adapt to the changes wrought by a new decade.On "Please Come to Boston" she croons sadly, "I said no. Would you come home please.".. However, a more self-evidently optimistic tone is reflected in the Spanish tinged ballad, "Gracias A La Vida (Here's to Life)", and her famous rendition of Robbie Robertson's "The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down" is more upbeat and danceable than The Band's original version.|