Blowin' Away

This article is about the Joan Baez album. For the album by Dizzy Reece and Ted Curson, see Blowin' Away (Dizzy Reece and Ted Curson album). For the Laura Nyro song, see Blowing Away.
Blowin' Away
Studio album by Joan Baez
Released June 1977
Recorded 1977
Genre Folk
Length 40:24
Label Portrait
Producer David Kershenbaum, Bernard Gelb
Joan Baez chronology

Gulf Winds
(1976)		 Blowin' Away
(1977)		 Best of Joan C. Baez
(1977)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic link
Rolling Stone (no rating) link

Blowin' Away was a 1977 album by Joan Baez, her first after switching from A&M Records to Portrait Records (a then newly created division of CBS Records). The album veered more toward mainstream pop than any album Baez had recorded up to that point, though many critics at the time pointed out that she seemed not entirely comfortable with her "new sound". Among the songs covered were the Rod Stewart hit "Sailing", and the standard "Cry Me a River", in addition to a number of Baez' own compositions. The sardonic "Time Rag" recounts an aborted attempt at an interview by a Time magazine reporter. Throughout the course of the song, she admits to studio executives wanting to spruce up her image to ensure that she'd once again sell well. "I really should tell you that deep in my heart/I don't give a damn where I stand on the charts", she wryly comments toward the song's closing.

From Time Rag:

"Curious about his interest I babbled my way through the worldwide list Ireland, Chile and the African states Poetry, politics and how they relate Motherhood, music and Moog synthesizers Political prisoners and Commie sympathizers Hetero, homo and bisexuality Where they all stand in the nineteen-seventies"

Baez wrote "Alter Boy and the Thief" as a tribute to her gay fanbase.

In her autobiography, "And a Voice to Sing With", Baez described Blowin' Away as "a good album with a terrible cover".

Track listing

All tracks composed by Joan Baez; except where indicated

  1. "Sailing" (Gavin Sutherland) – 4:22
  2. "Many a Mile to Freedom" (Steve Winwood, Anna Capaldi) – 2:58
  3. "Miracles" – 5:24
  4. "Yellow Coat" (Steve Goodman) – 3:37
  5. "Time Rag" – 5:25
  6. "A Heartfelt Line or Two" – 3:23
  7. "I'm Blowin' Away" (Eric Kaz) – 3:18
  8. "Luba the Baroness" – 7:06
  9. "Alter Boy and the Thief" – 3:28
  10. "Cry Me a River" (Arthur Hamilton) – 3:00

Personnel

References