l'll be damned!
As a lifelong Judas Priest fan, l borrowed this album from someone who owned it to hear the original version of the title track. Judas Priest did a memorable version of this on their ''Unleashed ln The East (Live ln Japan)'', as well as an unplugged version on their reunion tour a couple of years ago. WH0A!!! This low key, folksy version kicks Judas Priest's hard and heavy, full octane version's butt. You can picture the gray overcast afternoon in Washington Square in Joan's version.

The rest of the album needs some getting used to, but l can listen to ''Diamonds And Rust'' over and over again on repeat for hours.

Shining Star of an Era
Last night I was listening to this wonderful album for the first time in a while and I was swept back to my high school days, this was my mellow down album in my senior year when it came out.

MS. Baez had kind of gotten out of my play list over the years; my politics have grown so polar opposite from hers over the years it had taken some of the glow off for me. The other day, a friend was asking about 70's vocals that I would recommend, and I pulled out this CD and remembered how clear and piercing Ms Baez's voice can be, and how moving that voice can make some of the wonderful song selections on this CD including her own haunting title cut which chronicles the pain of her relationship with Dylan, Steve Wonder's mournful "I never Dreamed you'd leave in Summer", and a biting rendition of Dylan's "A simple Twist of Fate".

So among my best recommendations for 70's Vocals, has to be Diamonds and Rust.

Love songs in the most beautiful of voices
This is an old friend. The songs are classics, sung in the most beautiful voice of my generation. It is lovely!

One Must Really Like Joan Baez
I bought this albumn before I learned how to burn CDs ... Because really the only song I desired was/is "Diamonds & Rust". It is a beautiful ode to her ex.

I haven't been inclined to listen to the remainder of the albumn, mostly because I can only take so much of Ms. Baez's voice ... Especially her renditions of Bob Dylan's "Simple Twist of Fate", and John Prine's "Hello in There".

One shall be much more rewarded to obtain these two songs in particular by the original artists.

An excellent introduction to Baez' music
I ventured to this album while looking to branch into less famliar territory. My familiarity with Joan Baez was limited, and I am thrilled with this album. She's a fabulous example of American folk music.