The Dangling Conversation
Joan Baez · Other Songs - Joan Baez
Of a now late afternoon,
As the sun shines through the curtained lace
And shadows wash the room.
And we sit and drink our coffee
Couched in our indifference,
Like shells upon the shore
You can hear the ocean roar
In the dangling conversation
And the superficial sighs,
The borders of our alliance.
And you read your Emily Dickinson,
And I my Robert Frost,
And we note our place with bookmarkers
That measure what we've lost.
Like a poem poorly written
We are verses out of rhythm,
Couplets out of rhyme,
In syncopated time
And the dangled conversation
And the superficial sighs,
Are the borders of our alliance.
Yes, we speak of things that matter,
With words that must be said,
"Can analysis be worthwhile?"
"Is the theater really dead?"
And how the room is softly faded
And I only kiss your shadow,
I cannot feel your hand,
You're a stranger now unto me
Lost in the dangling conversation.
And the superficial sighs,
In the borders of our alliance.
The Dangling Conversation
Joan Baez's "The Dangling Conversation" stands as a poignant testament to her mastery of folk storytelling and social commentary. Recorded during the height of the 1960s counterculture movement, the song reflects the era's deep engagement with civil rights and anti-war themes. Baez's distinctive voice and acoustic guitar work create an intimate atmosphere that underscores the narrative of a couple navigating the complexities of their relationship against a backdrop of societal upheaval. The track exemplifies her ability to blend personal emotion with broader political consciousness, a hallmark of her career that influenced countless subsequent artists in the folk and protest music genres. As a staple of her discography, the recording remains a powerful example of how folk music served as a vehicle for expressing the collective anxieties and hopes of its time.