Joan Baez - Carry It On (1971)

"Carry It On" is a 1971 album by Joan Baez, a soundtrack album to the documentary film of the same name. The film is a documentary on the powerful emotional and political currents of the late 60's as seen through the eyes of folksinger Joan Baez and her then husband David Harris, a student organizer and leader of the draft resistance movement. Its title is taken from one of its songs, "Carry It On", which was written by Gil Turner.

The film chronicles the events taking place in the months immediately before the incarceration of Joan's husband at the time, David Harris, in 1969.

This soundtrack intersperses acoustic live performances with politically oriented dialog, much of which is spoken by her then-husband, draft resister David Harris. If not for the commentary by her then husband, David Harris, throughout the recording, one could easily forget this is actually a soundtrack for a documentary being filmed of the events leading up to Harris being locked away in prison for draft resistance.

In spite of their impending separation, the mood of the entire album is upbeat and encouraging. From the gospel "Oh, Happy Day" to the audience-accompanied "We Shall Overcome", listeners should be impressed by the social conscience typified by Harris's comments and Baez' singing.

"Carry It On" is also a tribute to Joan's eclectic tastes; the selections range from traditional "We Shall Overcome", "Joe Hill" to contemporary composers such as Gram Parsons ("Hickory Wind") and two songs written by Bob Dylan, one of which, "Love is Just a Four Letter Word", Dylan never recorded.

In 1971, when "Carry It On" was released, Joan still had the magnificent five octave range which is vividly clear on each of the 10 songs.

Tracklist:

"Oh Happy Day" (Edwin Hawkins) – 3:43
"Carry It On" (Gil Turner) – 3:48
"In Forty Days" ("Joan & David") – 3:22
"Hickory Wind" (Gram Parsons, Bob Buchanan) – 3:16
"The Last Thing on My Mind" (Tom Paxton) – 3:29
"Life Is Sacred" (David) – 2:02
"Joe Hill" (Robinson, Hayes) – 3:53
"I Shall Be Released" (Dylan) – 3:33
"Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" (assisted by Jeffrey Shurtleff) (Dan Penn, Chips Moman) – 4:21
"Love Is Just A Four-Letter Word" (Bob Dylan) – 4:05
"Suzanne" (Leonard Cohen) – 4:54
"Idols and Heroes" (David) – 2:30
"We Shall Overcome" (Horton, Frank Hamilton, Guy Carawan, Pete Seeger) – 4:45

Joan Baez - Carry It On (1971)

(320 kbps, cover art included)