Joan Baez - Motherland

Motherland
(Natalie Merchant)

Where in hell can you go
Far from the things that you know
Far from the sprawl of concrete
That keeps crawling its way
About 1,000 miles a day?

Take one last look behind
Commit this to memory and mind
Don't miss this wasteland, this terrible place
When you leave
Keep your heart off your sleeve

Motherland cradle me
Close my eyes
Lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe
Lie with me
Stay beside me
Don't go, don't you go

O, my five & dime queen
Tell me what have you seen?
The lust and the avarice
The bottomless, the cavernous greed
Is that what you see?

Motherland cradle me
Close my eyes
Lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe
Lie with me
Stay beside me
Don't go

It's your happiness I want most of all
And for that I'd do anything at all, o mercy me!
If you want the best of it or the most of all
If there's anything I can do at all

Now come on shot gun bride
What makes me envy your life?
Faceless, nameless, innocent, blameless and free,
What's that like to be?

Motherland cradle me
Close my eyes
Lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe
Lie with me
Stay beside me
Don't go, don't you go

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• joan
• baez
• motherland
• folk
• country
• music

[thegreyfolk]

I hugely admire Joan Baez and have done so for a long time now. Its a personal thing but I prefer Joan's voice to Natalie's . What I don't like is the backing and the arrangement of this song - it kills it - like a sledgehammer on a walnut.

The best cover of this song I have heard yet, in terms of interpretation, is by Christy Moore. If you try it you might agree.

[BCelikT]

To be honest I don't see the point of comparing Joan Baez and Natalie Merchant - they are both great in their own way.I grew up listening to Joan Baez and love her music. When I discovered Natalie Merchant's music a few years back, I also loved and embraced it. They are two of my favourite singers/poets not only because of their music and how they sing, but also because of what they stand for with their art. So when I hear Baez sing a Merchant song I find it beautiful, special. Why compare?

[epituchano]

@sartainja You have valid points. Joan Baez, like the Byrds, covered much of Bob Dylan and arguably improved on Dylan's performances. It's true that Natalie Merchant has written many more of her own songs than Joan Baez. Natalie Merchant's music is also much more "raw" and emotional -- Natalie invests a lot of her personality and personal experiences into her lyrics. This is what has made her a renowned songwriter and performer. Still, I must contend that Joanie is a better vocalist.

[sartainja]

@epituchano I would disagree. Natalie is very polished. Natalie writes most of her song. If not for Robert Zimmerman, Joan would have not still be known.

[TheBilllD]

someone told me this song was ProLife Anthem. any comments? Motherland cradle me

Close my eyes

Lullaby me to sleep

Keep me safe

Lie with me

Stay beside me

Don't go, don't you g

[epituchano]

For Natalie to get _covered_ by one of the grand matriarchs of singer-songwriters is a supremely awesome honor. It's now safe to say that Natalie Merchant has entered the pantheon of 20th century women singer-songwriters.

Okay, controversy ahead: Joan is a more proficient singer, as she has more technical skill. Natalie's lack of polish is made up for with profound emotion. Both are excellent songwriters.

[SaskiaCornell]

Joan is an international treasure - she is amazing

Saskia

[SaskiaCornell]

@CountryQuestion Why do you say that? A totally ridiculous remark.

Saskia

[johnnyfoxy]

@sophiasebastien Hi Sophia, I do apologise for having slated this version of the song in a previous post. After listening to it a few more times I can tell you that I really really like this version and I'm glad it's radically different and not some carbon copy knock off. It just took a while for me to get into it. As for Merchant not being impressed? I take that comment back too, in fact just ignore that earlier post, it was 4 months ago, I've changed a lot since then.

[sophiasebastien]

This version is very motherly and conveys strenght to the person it is intended too...It's so naive to see that people are used to one version, "theirs" and then they narrow-mindedly criticize anything different.. A version is not an imitation, is it?

When you listen to Joan's version first and Natalie's second as if Joan's was the only version you had heard, I could say it feels Natalie's original is too slow, too low key.

See? That's what you get if you're gonna compare "your" version....