The Joan Baez Songbook
This vintage illustrated songbook brings together 66 songs from Joan Baez’s repertoire in a substantial English-language volume. Voice and piano arrangements sit alongside guitar chord progressions, lyrics and historical notes. Eric von Schmidt’s illustrations add a distinctive visual counterpart to the music.
The white and pale blue cover features a large profile photograph of Joan Baez. Bold black lettering identifies the book above the portrait. The generous format allows both notation and artwork to retain a strong presence across the pages.
Voice, Piano and Guitar
Elie Siegmeister provides the arrangements for voice and piano, together with the introduction. Guitar chord symbols appear above the musical staves. The cover also describes capo-key indications for instrumentalists playing along with Joan Baez recordings.
Selections include “The Water Is Wide,” “House Carpenter,” “Fennario,” “Wildwood Flower” and “Virgin Mary.” These songs bring together ballad narratives, lyrical folk melodies and devotional themes. Introductory notes discuss the songs alongside the printed music.
Verses extend beyond the staves into clearly arranged blocks of text. The notation combines a vocal line with piano accompaniment. This makes the book useful for studying the arrangements as well as reading the words.
Illustrations by Eric von Schmidt
The illustrations use dark forms and restrained purple-grey tones to complement the songs’ moods. They vary in scale and placement rather than following a single repeated layout. Some occupy much of a page, while others sit beneath the verses.
The “Wildwood Flower” opening includes a violin within a dark, textured composition. “Virgin Mary” places mounted figures beneath a night sky. The opening pages also contain a photograph of Joan Baez seated outdoors with a guitar.
John M. Conly contributes the preface, and Maynard Solomon is credited as editor. Amsco Publications appears on the title page. These named contributions give the volume a clear identity beyond a general anthology of traditional songs.
Softcover Format and Condition
The book contains 189 pages and measures approximately 30 × 23 × 2 cm. Its substantial white paper supports both musical notation and illustrations. The soft cover shows light age toning, surface wear, creasing and slight curl near the spine.
Good vintage condition overall, with generally clean, bright interior pages and clear printing. The binding holds the page block together. Edge and corner wear remain visible in the close photographs.
Key Details
Title: The Joan Baez Songbook
Publisher: Amsco Publications
Language: English
Period: Twentieth century
Number of songs: 66
Arrangements and introduction: Elie Siegmeister
Illustrations: Eric von Schmidt
Preface: John M. Conly
Editor: Maynard Solomon
Notation: Voice and piano with guitar chord symbols and capo-key indications
Selected songs: The Water Is Wide, House Carpenter, Fennario, Wildwood Flower and Virgin Mary
Pages: 189
Cover: Illustrated softcover with Joan Baez portrait
Dimensions: Approximately 30 × 23 × 2 cm / 11.8 × 9.1 × 0.8 inches
Condition: Good vintage condition with light cover wear, age toning, creasing and slight curl
SKU: 2C180
Why It’s Special
The appeal lies in the combination of Joan Baez’s repertoire, practical musical arrangements and expressive illustration. Song notes and verses add context beyond the score. A distinctive volume for a folk music collection, a musician’s library or a shelf of illustrated music books.
