Diamonds & Rust (song)
Encyclopedia
"Diamonds & Rust" is a song written and performed by Joan Baez
- it was released in 1975, but had been written the previous November.
In the song, Baez recounts an out-of-the-blue phone call from an old lover, which sends her a decade back in time, to a "crummy" hotel in Greenwich Village
; she recalls giving him a pair of cuff-links, and summarizes that memories bring "diamonds and rust" (i.e. time leaves us with both happy and bad memories).
The song, which was a top-40 hit for Baez on the U.S. pop singles chart, is regarded by a number of critics, as well as by Baez fans, as one of her best compositions. It served as the title song on Baez's gold-selling Diamonds & Rust
album in 1975.
For her 1995 live recording Ring Them Bells
, Baez performed the song as a duet with Mary Chapin Carpenter
. In that performance, she changed the end lines: "And if you're / offering me diamonds and rust / I've already paid," to: "And if you... well I'll take the diamonds."
And also : "I bought you some cuff links, you brought me something" turned out to be "I bought you some cuff links, you brought me troubles" And on 25 February 2009, in Austin, she sang it, "And if you... well I'll take the Grammy."
ten years before. In her memoir, And a Voice to Sing With (1987), she recounted how she told Dylan that the song was about her ex-husband David Harris, thereby countering the rumors that the song was about Dylan and Baez. Although Dylan is not specifically named in the song, Baez uses phrases from the song in describing her relationship with Dylan in the third chapter of the memoir, and has been explicit that he was the inspiration for the song.
In And a Voice to Sing With, Baez remembers a conversation between her and Dylan:
Baez's marriage to Harris had, in fact, already ended by the time the song was written. In an interview with music writer Mike Ragogna, Baez later admitted that the character in the song is Dylan:
for the album Sin After Sin
. It was originally recorded a year earlier for Sad Wings of Destiny
but not included on the album- and this early version appears on The Best of Judas Priest
, Hero, Hero
, as well as some remasters of their first album, Rocka Rolla
. A live version of the song is on Unleashed in the East
. The song remains a staple of Judas Priest live concert performances. In recent years, Priest have been performing a mostly-acoustic version of the song that is more similar to the original than the rock version on their recorded albums.
Cover versions have also been recorded by Blackmore's Night
, Great White
, Taylor Mitchell
, Model M (band) and Thunderstone
.
The song has been sampled in two popular hip-hop songs, "Happiness" and "Upgrade Call", by Busdriver and Andre Nickatina respectively. The versions used in both songs are pitched-warped to sound squeaky.
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
- it was released in 1975, but had been written the previous November.
In the song, Baez recounts an out-of-the-blue phone call from an old lover, which sends her a decade back in time, to a "crummy" hotel in Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
; she recalls giving him a pair of cuff-links, and summarizes that memories bring "diamonds and rust" (i.e. time leaves us with both happy and bad memories).
The song, which was a top-40 hit for Baez on the U.S. pop singles chart, is regarded by a number of critics, as well as by Baez fans, as one of her best compositions. It served as the title song on Baez's gold-selling Diamonds & Rust
Diamonds & Rust
Diamonds & Rust is a 1975 album by Joan Baez. Baez is often regarded as an interpreter of other people's work, and on this album she covered songs by Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, The Allman Brothers, and Jackson Browne...
album in 1975.
For her 1995 live recording Ring Them Bells
Ring Them Bells
Ring Them Bells is a live album taken from Joan Baez' April 1995 shows at New York's Bottom Line. In addition to her own solo set, the album featured collaborations with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Mimi Farina, Dar Williams, the Indigo Girls and Mary Black...
, Baez performed the song as a duet with Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary Chapin Carpenter is an American folk and country music artist. Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington, D.C. clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records, who marketed her as a country singer...
. In that performance, she changed the end lines: "And if you're / offering me diamonds and rust / I've already paid," to: "And if you... well I'll take the diamonds."
And also : "I bought you some cuff links, you brought me something" turned out to be "I bought you some cuff links, you brought me troubles" And on 25 February 2009, in Austin, she sang it, "And if you... well I'll take the Grammy."
The Bob Dylan connection
The song alludes to Baez's relationship with Bob DylanBob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
ten years before. In her memoir, And a Voice to Sing With (1987), she recounted how she told Dylan that the song was about her ex-husband David Harris, thereby countering the rumors that the song was about Dylan and Baez. Although Dylan is not specifically named in the song, Baez uses phrases from the song in describing her relationship with Dylan in the third chapter of the memoir, and has been explicit that he was the inspiration for the song.
"You gonna sing that song about robin's eggs and diamonds?" Bob had asked me on the first day of rehearsals.
"Which one?"
"You know, that one about blue eyes and diamonds..."
"Oh", I said, "you must mean 'Diamonds And Rust', the song I wrote for my husband, David. I wrote it while he was in prison."
"For your husband?" Bob said.
"Yeah. Who did you think it was about?" I stonewalled.
"Oh, hey, what the fuck do I know?"
"Never mind. Yeah, I'll sing it, if you like."
Baez's marriage to Harris had, in fact, already ended by the time the song was written. In an interview with music writer Mike Ragogna, Baez later admitted that the character in the song is Dylan:
MR: "Diamonds And Rust" was another magic moment. You've said when you began writing the song, it started as something else until Dylan phoned you. Then it became about him. That must have been one hell of a call.
JB: He read me the entire lyrics to "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of HeartsLily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts"Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts", is a song by Bob Dylan released on the 1975 album Blood on the Tracks. There have been two screenplays written based on the song: one by John Kaye and commissioned by Dylan, and another written by James Byron...
" that he'd just finished from a phone booth in the Midwest.
MR: What was the song about originally?
JB: I don't remember what I'd been writing about, but it had nothing to do with what it ended up as.
- interview in The Huffington Post, 15 October 2009
Popular covers
The song was later covered with edited lyrics by Judas PriestJudas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
for the album Sin After Sin
Sin After Sin
Sin After Sin is the third album by British heavy metal group Judas Priest, released in 1977. It was the band's first album on Columbia Records after their contract with Gull Records was terminated, as a consequence of which they lost all rights to Rocka Rolla and Sad Wings of Destiny, and any...
. It was originally recorded a year earlier for Sad Wings of Destiny
Sad Wings of Destiny
-CD Track listing:The 1995 CD reissue by Repertoire Records had track 3 labeled as "Dream Deceiver" rather than "Dreamer Deceiver", this was later changed back to its original title on the 1998 release by Snapper Music. None of the reissues of Sad Wings of Destiny are endorsed by Judas Priest. -...
but not included on the album- and this early version appears on The Best of Judas Priest
The Best of Judas Priest
The Best of Judas Priest is a collection of a few select songs from Judas Priest's first two albums, and was released under Gull Records, the band's former record label. It was the first of many reissues of the band's earlier material produced in an effort to "capitalize on Judas Priest's...
, Hero, Hero
Hero, Hero
Hero, Hero is a compilation album of early Judas Priest recordings, released in between British Steel and Point of Entry by Gull Records....
, as well as some remasters of their first album, Rocka Rolla
Rocka Rolla
Rocka Rolla is the debut album by the British heavy metal group Judas Priest, released in 1974. It was produced by Rodger Bain, who had made a name for himself as the producer of Black Sabbath's first three albums....
. A live version of the song is on Unleashed in the East
Unleashed in the East
Unleashed in the East is Judas Priest's first live album, recorded live in Tokyo, Japan during the Hell Bent for Leather Tour in 1979...
. The song remains a staple of Judas Priest live concert performances. In recent years, Priest have been performing a mostly-acoustic version of the song that is more similar to the original than the rock version on their recorded albums.
Cover versions have also been recorded by Blackmore's Night
Blackmore's Night
Blackmore's Night is an English-American traditional folk rock duo led by Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night .-Early:...
, Great White
Great White
Great White is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The band gained popularity during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band released several albums in the late 1980s and gained airplay on MTV with music videos for songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy"...
, Taylor Mitchell
Taylor Mitchell
Taylor Josephine Stephanie Luciow, known by her stage name Taylor Mitchell, was a Canadian folk singer. She is the only adult person, and second person overall known to be fatally attacked by coyotes.-Personal life:...
, Model M (band) and Thunderstone
Thunderstone (band)
Thunderstone is a Power metal band from Helsinki, Finland. The band was formed in 2000 by guitarist Nino Laurenne, and the line-up became full the following year. After the release of the band's self-titled debut album, Thunderstone, the band toured Europe supporting Stratovarius and Symphony X...
.
The song has been sampled in two popular hip-hop songs, "Happiness" and "Upgrade Call", by Busdriver and Andre Nickatina respectively. The versions used in both songs are pitched-warped to sound squeaky.