Diamonds & Rust

Diamonds & Rust
Studio album by Joan Baez
Released	April 1975
Recorded	January 1975
Genre	Folk rock, folk jazz
Length	39:45
Label	A&M
Producer	David Kershenbaum
Joan Baez chronology
Gracias A la Vida (1974) Diamonds & Rust (1975) From Every Stage (1976)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	C[2]

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 written or played by Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, The Allman Brothers, and Jackson Browne. But Diamonds & Rust also contained a number of her own compositions, including the acclaimed title track, a distinctive song written about Bob Dylan.^[3]

The title track was covered by British heavy metal band Judas Priest on their 1977 album Sin After Sin, and has since been one of their staples in live performance. American folk duo The Smith Sisters featured the song on their 1986 album Mockingbird. Anglo-American Renaissance rock band Blackmore's Night covered the song on their 2003 album Ghost of a Rose. Finnish power metal band Thunderstone covered the song on their 2004 album The Burning.

On her cover of Dylan's "Simple Twist of Fate", one verse features Baez attempting a good-humoured impersonation of the song's composer.

An alternate recording of "Dida" had appeared on the previous year's Gracias A la Vida. The Diamonds & Rust recording of the song was more uptempo and featured duet vocals by Joni Mitchell.

Track listing

1. "Diamonds & Rust" (Joan Baez)
2. "Fountain of Sorrow" (Jackson Browne)
3. "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer" (Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright)
4. "Children and All That Jazz" (Joan Baez)
5. "Simple Twist of Fate" (Bob Dylan)
6. "Blue Sky" (Dickey Betts)
7. "Hello in There" (John Prine)
8. "Jesse" (Janis Ian)
9. "Winds of the Old Days" (Joan Baez)
10. "Dida" (Joan Baez) – duet with Joni Mitchell
11. Medley: "I Dream of Jeannie" (Stephen Foster) / "Danny Boy"^[4] (Frederick Weatherly)

Personnel

• Joan Baez – Vocals, Acoustic guitar, Synthesisers, Arranger, Producer
• Larry Carlton – Electric guitar, Acoustic guitar, Arranger, Producer
• Dean Parks – Electric guitar, Acoustic guitar
• Wilton Felder – Bass
• Reinie Press – Bass
• Max Bennett – Bass (10)
• Jim Gordon – Drums
• John Guerin – Drums (10)
• Larry Knechtel – Piano
• Joe Sample – Electric piano, Hammond organ
• Hampton Hawes – Piano (4)
• David Paich – Piano, Electric harpsichord
• Red Rhodes – Pedal steel guitar
• Malcolm Cecil – Synthesisers
• Tom Scott – Flute, Saxophone, Arranger
• Jim Horn – Saxophone
• Joni Mitchell – vocal improvisation (10)
• Rick Lo Tempio – Electric guitar (10)
• Ollie Mitchell – Trumpet
• Buck Monari – Trumpet
• David Kershenbaum – Producer
• Rick Riggieri – Engineer
• Henry Lewy – Engineer (10)
• Ellis Sorkin – Assistant Engineer
• Bob Cato – Design

Chart positions

Chart (1975–76)	Peak position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[5]	28
US Billboard 200[6]	11

References

1. Allmusic review
2. Christgau, Robert (June 16, 1975). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
3. Baez, Joan. 1987. And a Voice to Sing With: A Memoir. Century Hutchinson, London. ISBN 0-671-40062-2
4. An Irish song, on the album cover: Dedicated to my Grandmother, Barbara Bridge
5. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4083a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
6. "Joan Baez – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Joan Baez.