The Van Morrison song Joan Baez was “addicted to”
In the tapestry of folk music’s rich history, Joan Baez is a luminary whose voice resonated melodically and echoed the cries for justice and social change. Her ethereal soprano, matched with an unwavering dedication to humanitarian causes, cemented her as an icon both on and off the stage.
Born in Staten Island, New York, in 1941, Baez was immersed in music from an early age. Raised in a Quaker household, her upbringing instilled values of pacifism and social responsibility, elements that became intrinsic to her musical journey.
Baez’s rise to prominence coincided with the folk music revival of the 1960s, and her self-titled debut album at the start of the decade introduced her angelic voice to the world. However, it was her activism intertwined with her music that set her apart: inspired by the civil rights movement and guided by her deep-seated beliefs, Baez used her platform to advocate for equality and peace.
The landscape was changing in more ways than one, but Baez was at the forefront of it all. As Bob Dylan described in the 2009 documentary Joan Baez: How Sweet the Sound: “Joaney was at the forefront of a new dynamic in American music. She had a record out that was circulating in the folk circles; I think it was just called Joan Baez, and everybody was listening to it, me included; I listened to it a lot.”
It was her central role in the ’60s movement that added significance to her guest appearances on shows, including BBC’s Desert Island Discs, a show which holds a revered status in the UK, having hosted some of history’s most prominent figures across its long run. During the programme, guests select eight songs, a book, and a luxury item, imagining themselves stranded on a desert island, left in solitude.
While it would be easy to assume that a Dylan song would have made it onto her island, Baez opted for a couple of male troubadours in her record collection. “I listened to Astral Weeks every single night for I don’t know how many weeks before I had my son,” she explained, “And I think ‘Madame George’ was the one I was addicted to. It occurs to me that this is a song that my son knows by heart somewhere in his system, whether he’s ever listened to it in his conscious life or not.”
Released in 1968, ‘Madame George’ is renowned for its enigmatic, poetic lyrics and its fusion of folk, jazz, and soul elements woven into evocative melodies and atmospheric arrangements. Its haunting, almost mystical atmosphere conjures a profound sense of nostalgia, inviting contemplation — an experience you could easily envision someone as perceptive as Baez appreciating. Within the song, Morrison vividly portrays life in Belfast, resurrecting specific scenes and emotions from his personal history, infusing the track with a palpable longing.
Revisit the song below.
