I Saw The Vision Of Armies
Joan Baez · Other Songs - Joan Baez
And I saw, as in noiseless dreams, hundreds of battle-flags,
Borne through the smoke of the battles and pierced
with missiles, I saw them,
And carried, hither and yon through the smoke, and torn and bloody
And at last but a few shreds of 'the flags left on
the staffs, (and all in silence,)
And the staffs all splintered and broken.
I saw battle-corpses, myriads of them,
And the white skeletons of young men, I saw them
I saw the debris and debris of all dead soldiers,
But I saw they were not as was thought
They themselves were fully at rest, they suffered not
The living remained and suffered, the mother suffered,
And the wife and the child and the musing comrade suffered,
And the armies that remained suffered..
I Saw The Vision Of Armies
Joan Baez's 'I Saw The Vision Of Armies' stands as a poignant testament to her role as a chronicler of the American folk revival. Recorded during the height of the 1960s counterculture movement, the track captures the urgency and spiritual intensity characteristic of her work with The Weavers and later solo. The song reflects the era's deep engagement with social justice and anti-war sentiment, utilizing Baez's signature acoustic guitar and clear vocal delivery to convey a narrative of impending conflict. As a staple of her discography, the recording exemplifies how folk music served as both a personal expression and a collective voice for a generation seeking change. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to evoke the historical moment while maintaining universal themes of hope and vigilance.