Joan Baez - Love Is Just A Four Letter Word

[hinsole]

she is just a wonderful woman...

[orbitle]

Einer meiner Lieblingssongs, der zudem eine witzige Entstehungsgeschichte hat.

[migaladriel1977]

linda cancion pero no estoy de acuerdo qaue el amor es solo una palabra de 4 letras joan menos cuando recuerdo este momento

[inuwanwan123456]

Steve JobsのiPodにこの曲が入ってるらしい・・・

[TheJerichoRambler]

'stolen'?  please, recorded. Did Frank steal My Way?

[hurricanekiki]

Not particularly a Joan fan, but this song blows me away. What a voice, what a guitar player--doesn't get any better. The young man playing acoustic is absolutely staggering. Thanks for posting this.

[MetrazolElectricity]

Joan on the acoustic singing Love is just a 4 letter word is about as good as it gets for sad-girl songs

[hurricanekiki]

@MetrazolElectricity This song is, I think, about Sara (written by Bob Dylan) who was splitting up with her husband. Dylan and Sara Lowndes soon married, he adopted her child and they had several children together. Bob heard the song as Joan sang it and said "that's a pretty good song." She said "you wrote it you dope!" I can't imagine any one else singing this better.

[Tornfreedom]

Joan's voice often hides her amazing guitar playing. This is a great version. Thanx.

[amorebello5]

That is some mean friggin' guitar playing. Wow. Love love love this song, loved when it first was released, and she is still amazing today. One artist that will always be in my top ten. She is a force.

[LaughingatpainUSAway]

classic, better each time heard song

[KASHERY2008]

Really wonderful! She`s AWESOME!

[jimblue39]

Love this song, so true and so 60's.

[cheryl3anne3jesse3]

Thankyou Joan Baez!

[Rabidburt]

Not many singers have the range to manage this one. Great song, great singer.

[colibridorado7]

ella es espectacular...

[suzart00]

This is my favorite Dylan song... strangely it is a very femist approach...and is Joan Baez's own signature.

[bignico699]

Dylan wrote it and gave it to her when they were a couple. Later he heard it on the radio and didn't even remember writing it.

[Metallerization]

Graet song, great voice!

[mickchick01]

Awesome!!! Love Ya Babe!!

[batitony]

Is it wrong if I find Joan Baez still very hot for her age ? XD

[gluchnurse]

@batitony Nope, it not only isn't wrong, it shows your good judgement!!

[jimfreeman4444]

man, Dylan has some great Lawyers, all of his great stuff has been taken off of youtube....sucks cause I didn't back them up to an external storage device....oh well I got better things to do than read and post comments on youtube

[Bigpheet]

Eh! you 15 deaf-heads! The next time you go down your local high street, why go the whole hog and accept your friends offer of going into your local hearing-aid shop. It will be worth it I promise ya.

[frenchfilmbug2]

;) This song is so gorgeous...Dylan+Joan=musical perfection! 

[faithmairee]

the undisputed queen of folk music....you rock, joan

[JellyrollHorton]

Simply unsurpassed.

[Songsmirth]

One of my favorite of hers. Thank you for posting it. :)

[Rodliverpool]

Love this song

[EggeDelfDE]

This one of the greatest songs ever.

Joan's impressive voice makes it happen. 

[MissTheClash]

:(( first ime im hearing this song. but i really like it...:DD

[hassallhoff93]

Who cares who wrote it. Just let it soak in!

[chicomd555]

joan is like fine wine better with age and hell yeha she still beutiful

[deriter64]

@chicomd555 Thank you for affirming what I have always felt. I have been listening to Joan Baez since the 60s and never tire of her voice or her presence.

[Maesepuedo]

Excellent video, it's inspiring

[codeastronomer]

The only person legally allowed and competent to sing Bob Dylan songs is Joan Baez.

[tadams67]

@codeastronomer - well what about Jimi hendrix (All Along The WatchTower) , Mr Tambourine Man (Byrds), Masters of War (Pearl Jam)

[Isismusicnow]

"Hey that's a good song" "you wrote it, you goof"

[Isismusicnow]

"Hey that's a good song" "you wrote it, you dope"

[lekunberriko1]

Bob Dylan wrote this song but he forgot he wrote it,and Baez took advantage of this.

[Etheismus]

Liebe ist auch nur ein Wort mit fuenf Buchstaben.

[MyMadonna123]

great singer with a pure voice.

[nytwings]

Incredible sound - and the sentiment is sound. And yes, she's still beautiful.

[zimmermanhead]

Great song, terrific version. She's always been a vastly under-rated guitarist.

According to Joan, she nicked the manuscript. When he heard her singing it he apparently said "Nice song, who wrote it?" He didn't remember he'd written it.

Anyone know who the box player in the purple shirt is?

[TheOzimal]

I've always wondered whether Bob 'gave' Joan this song as his way of apologising for being a bastard to her.

[arnarne]

This is one of Bob Dylans best songs. It is amazing that he never recorded it himself and let Joan Baez have it for herself, so to say.

[Pascaledol2day]

she is gorgeous. and her shows are perfect. my favourite singer and songwriter

[JDurden33]

voice sounds much better these days, my ear drums survive the 1st and 2nd chorus :)

[jackwhittington]

Dude is playing a baritone guitar? What think?

[Baldgol4]

Like fine wine, she gets better with age and more beautiful than ever.

[fiby101]

The lyrics are just so clever.

[emyribelle]

amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StevePalRP]

She has the ability to elevate a good song to greatness.

She gives life to Bob Dylan's lyrics, and that is the truth.

[adddywalters]

the black dude playing leads dope! and joan as always !

[Athenian888]

This woman will always be gorgeous and inspiring.

[mrtyles]

dylan wrote a lot of good songs for her. she sings them better than he does.

[pianoman74]

@mrtyles signed

[vindicari]

you need to listen to( Any day now), by joanie, album of dylan by joanie. and the legendary gradie martin

[zickmave]

Dylan wrote cleverly.  Joan sang the songs and they became beautiful.

[butfulmuzik]

zickmave-- you hit the nail on the head! A VERY good assessment.

[Lozzo1212]

I saw her at Glastonbury summer before last and she sang this song in the most perfect Dylan impression, it was bizarre but very beautiful.

[tomthumbtoo]

Somewhere in Herman Hesse's novel "Steppenwolf" --- he meets Mozart. In a dream-sequence. He asks Mozart to play a song & Mozart laughs and begins playing, but the, though Mozart is in the same room as him, the sound is distorted as if coming from a long way away on an AM radio signal. There is static and buzz, & Mozart smiles and says, "If the song is good enough, it doesn't matter. That is the test of Great Music." Thus you get to test this out. No matter the distortion -- Dylan Shines.

[TheEndKing]

@tomthumbtoo Someone learned, on Youtube? Dear god, what a find you are!

[CCArmour44]

@tomthumbtoo

She may have a distorted take on Dylan; but I would not even know Dylan if she had not introduced me to him...so it is not all bad, lol

[peterthesongman]

@tomthumbtoo huh thats good

[rmartinsgomes]

I Love this song

[PoetOutlaw]

This is History folks, get it while they still let you

[Usurped]

Oh Yes!

[beautifulllosers]

we know don't we!

[Jolie028]

very beautiful!

[Lazaros1979]

Bod Dylan's masterpiece.. LOVE is just a 4 letter word...

[iamamannow]

bob dylan never even recorded the song

[Hexenschuss007]

that's the funny thing about it haha

[raponte1955]

Actually, according to Joan Baez, Dylan even has just forgot he had written it when he first heard it sung by her....

[vsibirsky]

Dylan wrote so many songs in that period it sounds like there could be truth in that story.

Joan's performance is one that brings an Angel to sing a beautiful song.

[PoetOutlaw]

@iamamannow

Yes he did, in four different concerts all accoustic

[iamamannow]

when and where? he never did in the 60s when he wrote it at least. he basically threw this song away when he first composed it.

[fridudan]

merveilleuse artiste fridudan

[guywalker29]

A national treasure I treasure.

[margot0dl]

A four letter word ... <3

Amazing song ;)

And i love all those positive comments :))

[jetphixer1]

She is truly our NOTIONAL TREASURE, The very best of the best.

[Velton500]

So beautiful!

Discuss it all you want.

True beauty needs no comparisons.

[larkinoshea]

Dylan wrote this song, but I don't think he ever recorded it. She did a great job making it her own though.

[94lukepl]

@larkinoshea He never did it. He wrote it, gave it to her said "Hey Joan, what do you think of this?"

She took it and put music to it.

Months later it was on the radio, the song that she had stolen (for lack of a better phrase) from Bobby, and he goes "Hey, that's a pretty good song."

And she goes, "Yeah it is! You wrote it!"

[doubtless04]

@94lukepl true story ;)

[nevergracefulswan]

@larkinoshea

bob dylan didn't record it because it was just "it's all over now baby blue"...

[whsonic]

@larkinoshea Dylan wrote it but he forgot that he wrote it.

In Scorsese's Dylan-bio there's an interview with Joan Baez and she's telling about the time when she and Dylan were together. One day he heard her version in the radio, and asked her: "Nice song that you're singing, who wrote this?", and she, in the interview with a big grin, says: "You wrote that, you goof!"

[walkertongdee]

@larkinoshea yes he did but really like her version

[kookiplopz]

Beautiful, thats all that needs to be said.

[Estelazul]

Thank you so much¡¡¡¡

[fdmipgo]

"god, all you kiddies today listening to crap like guns and roses."

Who?

[atmj65]

Still totally amazing after all these years - thanks.

[sidthinker]

god, all you kiddies today listening to crap like guns and roses, this is real music... pay attention now. how beautiful a song, and singing, and playing and writing. her and bob... wonder what that was really like :)

[Kurt672]

Wow, thanks for no insight whatsoever. What an unbias and fully shaped characterzation of modern youth! Not.

[woody1445]

each to their own

[NavidEliot]

I'm pretty sure "the kiddies" haven't been listening to guns n roses since about 1993.

[bentrixman]

That voice! It still excites me after 40 years.

[azullful]

Such a wonderful voice and woman too !

I <3 her

[JayJoJonny]

she's channeling Bob Dylan...

[dards4444]

good ol girl

[spiseloni]

Thank you so much, Christophe for uploading all those really great songs! Joan Beaz is one of the best singers ever!

[vicpur]

I realised what a professional Joan was/is after watching Woodstock.Everyone stoned except her!!

[DANLEO5]

Yes- in some interview she talks about her days in the Village with Dylan and others -lots of drink and drugs- said she felt very out of place.

[LaneCoutell]

Bobby penned this.....

[WaitingASunnyDay]

Aunque he intentado y fracasado en la búsqueda de una puerta

I must have thought that there was nothing more Debo haber pensado que no había nada más

Absurd than that love is just a four-letter word Absurdo de que el amor es sólo una palabra de cuatro letras,

...y ahora entiendo

[WoodenMosquito]

Joan is still such a beauty, and her voice cause a thrill go down my spine. Powerful and clean, just as in the 60s

[srlamden]

I admire women like her who can age so gracefully.

[batitony]

I was precisely thinking that

[FedjaSrbija]

She is in a very good shape even now.....

[flywithmonkeys95]

i kinda like the story in this song

[bbear8]

Aired: 3/5/1994

[ch0c0chia83]

I have a feeling that this song was made by Bobby about Sara... ^^;

[Lozzo1212]

does anyone know who the black fella on acoustic guitar is?

he's amazing, i need him in my band.

[catamia123]

this is an Austin City Limits stage concert..look in ACL archives on the online... why don't you wiki joan baez and learn about her life!

[billyscottbrandt]

yes..the guitar solo was lovely..

[portalis66]

thx for giving-this voice is ageless

[99edgar99]

she was and still is the best

as/ed (netherlands)

thank you Joan

[heckann]

Baez sings Dylan better than he does--especially when he's stoned!

[dagrenouille]

i like bob dylan.. but i really think he was bad with joan:'(

[akroyd]

nobody knows the full story, especially not us.

[mauerbluemchen0]

Wow. My favourite version is still the one from No Direction Home where it's just Joan and a guitar, but I like this one a lot more than the studio one with the sitar etc. (which isn't shabby!)

Hmm...I was named after a Dylan song and I have the same birthday as Joan - she's exactly 50 years older than me - destiny....!

[svetadarling]

"I rode on Joan. I'm not proud of it."

-Dylan

Joan is so beautiful.

[Lozzo1212]

did he really say that?

unspeakabley talented. But what a bastard.

[svetadarling]

haha. yeah i think it was either in the scorsese movie or i read it online. you can google it ; )

[writerisland]

Why did she cut her long hippie hair? I loved it! She is so amazing

[rdsurbaugh]

Great version of a great song. Dylan never recorded it. It's just as well: Joan Baez has pretty much made this song her own. Who is the black guitarist on lead? He does a great job, and I don't believe I've seen him before.

[Smallgal1]

I loved her music 40 years ago and I love it now. She is timeless.

[hiattfan]

This is such a beautiful song when you listen to Dylan's lyrics...and Baez's beautiful interpretation--absolutely dumbfounds me every time I hear it. If I'm drivng..I have to pull off the road.

[ElGoodo]

Baez is definitely one of the best performers/interpreters of folk music in recent times

[beethoven000999]

That's lovely.

[johnthreeverse16]

shes still a gorgeous woman isnt she

[geelo10]

@johnthreeverse16

She really is.. still sings great.

[normajeane2]

lol its funny she says he didnt realize it was his song...but i think its because her voice is really so different, thats sort of the first thing you hear.

and even if he did leave her, and broke her heart, you know he came back to her 10years later ...sort of just goes to show you.

[ubersoxfanjpm]

too little, too late... plus, he was never good enough for my joanie.

[nicolae66c]

noi murim.ea....!!!

[magadog1]

Omigod. I had to play this at least four times. Lyrics were the indulgence I needed. . .

[becx]

bob forgot that he wrote this what a genius

[hanshotfirst1138]

She seems to have changed the last verse completely from Dylan's.

[joni7mark7]

"désolé "to hear that it's not the tonality of his own original? disappointed!.....Dont'we need respect we,us all , her team too?....

[blondespecific]

I love this, it reminds me of summer on the countryside of Stockholm, my dad always play this. When I was younger, it thought this was dolly parton, but offcourse it´s Joan Baez.

[joni7mark7]

No wonder if ? because It's Bob Dylan Who Wrotte This one : Words & Lyrics Why ?Because she left him alone with his drugs!she's right.

[Ermengarde11]

If you read Scaduto's biography of Dylan it states (and Dylan approved of everything written in it) that he dumped for Sara Lowndes and it hurt Joan very much. This was info Scaduto gathered from all who were there to know for sure, else he would not have mentioned it.

[blondespecific]

It should be: "of summers on the countryside of stockholm, my dad always played this. When I was younger I always thought this was Dolly Parton, but offcourse it´s Joan Baez. Sorry for many wrongs.

[nosferatudasvampir]

Still an amazing voice, still amazing looks, still amazing guitar playing! I wish Joni Mitchell had saved her voice like this instead of ruining it with smoking!

[str8entertainment]

yup, she's just a lady with a pretty voice, men have all the brains....though the song is about a young man with very little wisdom looking to a woman who's life had brought the lessons his own had not yet seen. Anyway, she sings this thrown-away song in strange humor. She was trying for an love affair with Bob but...

I happen to like the way Dylan interprets his own lyrics, she really made this one her own.

[Zygastron]

Poor guy!

[passionistpriest]

Too bad! They made such a terrific duo! I think she always loved him, still does. But that's just my intrepretation. I wonder if he ever realized what he lost? Well perhaps he never lost her; they just switched gears. My heart goes out to you Joan. Loving a man like Dylan....well I don't think he can ever belong to anyone....he belongs to the world, the universe. Still it saddens me greatly for your heartbreak.

[passionistpriest]

Addendum to last comment: Love is the strongest emotion in the universe...and that's empirical! It surpasses time, dimensions, it is never ending. I think Dylan knows you were the love of his life now. Alas, you have both evolved, grown and survived. And you still have the voice of an Angel!

[Ermengarde11]

Well if his songwriting is any indication of his talent and relationsips, he wrote about both Joan and his exwife Sara, and they are all beautiful. Esp. "Sad=Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" and "Sara". He's written at least one about Joan I can think of, "Visions Of Johanna" and her "Diamonds and Rust" speaks of their relationship. Them was the days for both of them.

[passionistpriest]

Thank you so much for the info. I am an old Dylan fan; however I haven't listened to his music in years. I did watch the 2 or 3 hour bio on TV about his life recently. It was after I watched that bio that I started listening to his music again. What sheer brillance!

[Ermengarde11]

You're welcome and about the Dylan TV bio, is it a PBS program or?? Seems I saw something on him recently. I do a lot of Joan's stuff from her Vol. 2 album,very traditional folk. Check out my channel and see!! I'm just getting started uploading, more to come as I get my chops & voice reconditioned, including my originals once I'm up to snuff. Have you read Anthony Scaduto's bio "Bob Dylan"? That book opened up the whole world to me back in the 70s, I feel like I was born after I read it!

[passionistpriest]

You must be a very talented singer! Keep up your strong conviction! The bio I saw on Dylan was either on PBS or the Bio channel; not sure. And no, I have not read Dylan's bio. Thank you for the info. Will look into it.

[RainyMarch]

I've always loved this unique song. Thanks so much for posting. Nobody is as good as Joan. I remember her first album and her rapid rise in popularity--this was in the early 60s. She never disappoints. Thanks again for posting.

[Dylanfreak53]

hi still searching the song performed by bobby himself---for me the greatest ever

thanks whoever

[soqmi]

has he ever sung it?

[Dylanfreak53]

well im not sure

read in a german biographie he didnt

so i dont know but still hope he did

[seans10]

My understanding is he has performed it live. I'm with you, though. I'm one of those people who ALWAYS prefers Dylan's versions of his own songs.

[seans10]

Pardon me. I mistyped. That should say "never performed it live."

[rhhincewind]

Einfach und immer und immer wieder gut

[nigelplanet]

I was at this show. What a band she had at this time - Marc Peterson on bass, Anthony Peterson on guitar and Gerardo Velez on percussion. They all sang too! Truly the BEST SHOW I've ever seen! SI wish she'd tour with them again.

[clayboy426]

she had the voice, bob had the wisdom together they were amazing

[Enright9591]

Right on.

[IHATERAP5552424]

She sings this song to beatifully!

[gioxyza]

Difficult to say which singer I would prefer to Joan...

[pattietatoo]

I met Joan in the sixties in the Haight Ashbury. She borrowed my friends guitar and sang us a song right on haight street...blew me away. They

say if you remember the sixties you were not there but I can never forget that one for sure!!

[3rdconfederate]

Wonderfully done vid of a live performance! 5* Joan is simply the best!!

[Rasscoco]

She was famous before Dylan!

[ricekenn]

SHE'S STILL GOT IT,

Words to live by.

kenn.

[WHhunt1]

Politics aside, and regardless of great Dylan material, this woman has simply been blessed with a wonderful, unique voice. So smooth and soothing; I would love just about anything she would sing.

[BeckRD1]

Joan Baez completes so many of Dylan's songs.  She gives them life and they are just so good...

[bartholomew313]

This woman is beauty personified - a true legend and the finest of musical artists.

[badbutt570]

Beautiful!

[neoniceinstein]

Ah, Joan's voice is heartbreaking and chilling and so amazing...

I must say, when she and Dylan sing together, it is just spectacular.

[DaOleGuy]

This takes me back to my core long ago.

[1928javier]

If it is any comfort, sometimes the ones who pay homage to great songs come up the winners without expecting it, and this is one of those happy circumstances.

[funkymustard]

one of my favorites :)